Sunday, July 20, 2008
Grilled stuffed tofu pok with rojak sauce
Ingredients
Tofu pok
Beansprouts
Cucumber, cut into thin sticks, but not as thin as julienned.
Rojak sauce
Toasted sesame seeds and granulated peanuts
Fresh lime juice
How to make Grilled stuffed tofu pok with rojak sauce
The dish can be eaten cold or straight from the barbeque. It makes a good appetizer. I pretty much drown my puffs in sauce when I eat it!
Tofu pok is deep fried tofu. It is also known as "tofu puffs". Get largish ones as they are easier to stuff. Avoid the ones that are too dense; you want light, airy ones. Aburaage may also be used but because the tofu itself is so thin it's not as satisfying, I feel.
I used a ready-made rojak sauce. The brand was "Sambal Rojak" which admittedly is a pretty generic name. It is manufactured in Penang. Try to find a good brand.
Making your own is easy to do too. Dilute some har gou (虾膏, thick black almost solid prawn paste) with warm water or stock and add some minced chilli or chilli powder till desired heat level reached. That's it! I just don't do it because, though the method is simple, it's difficult to work with. The har gou paste is so stiff that it will bend your metal spoons.
Slit tofu pok on the long edge. Be careful not to cut through the other end.
Stuff tofu pok with beansprouts and cucumber sticks. Depending on the size of your tofu pok or beansprouts, you might find it easier to snap the beansprouts in half. Pack them as tightly as you can!
Place the parcels over a charcoal barbeque and grill till nicely toasted and crisp. If you don't have a charcoal bbq just lying around, then just grill them over a gas hob. You can lay them on a cake cooling rack or just hold them over the flame with tongs.
Add lots of lime juice to the rojak sauce to taste. I also use it to dilute the thick sauce so it's easier to eat. Add toasted granulated peanuts and sesame seeds to taste.
Serve!
