Let’s go back to Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals. Lebron was laser focused. He came in in a dominating fashion and appeared to want to set the tone for the series. It was one of best games I’ve ever seen him play in my life.
There was four seconds left in regulation and the game was tied. Cavs got possession of the ball but JR Smith dribbled it out. He may have thought the Cavs had the lead. Or maybe that he was going to get fouled. Or that the team was going to call a timeout. Whatever it may be, he absolutely messed up. The Cavs lost the game in overtime and eventually the series.
On what I thought was the third and last test of this recipe, everything, too, was going great. I had followed all of the instructions I had written to a T. But at the last second, I made an error that made the dish unsalvageable. There went the chances of me finally completing this recipe and moving on to the next. Not only did I have to test this again at a later time, I would have to eat everything I made (I waste nothing).
Moral of the story: sometimes a slip up can rear its ugly head at the most inopportune time. It’s devastating for a recovering perfectionist like me. But I’m trying my best to let go and move on. It’s not the end of the world. Lebron has won another championship. And I have the opportunity to make the analogy on my cooking and JR Smith!
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Salted Fish, Chicken and Tofu Claypot (鹹魚雞粒豆腐煲)
- Yield: 3 1x
- Category: Mains
- Method: Claypot
- Cuisine: Chinese
Description
A classic Chinese dish that I’ve tested multiple times and has allowed me to riff on LeBron and the Cavs.
Ingredients
MARINADE
- 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon of dark soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound of firm tofu
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated, squeezed dry, stems removed, thinly sliced
- 1 sprig of green onion, white part finely chopped, greens chopped
- 1-inch knob of ginger, sliced into thin matchsticks
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 oz. salted croaker, bones removed, finely chopped
- Neutral-flavored cooking oil
- Cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons of water and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch)
SAUCE
- 3/4 cup of filtered water
- 1.5 tablespoons of oyster sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder
- 3/4 teaspoon of sesame oil
Instructions
Marinate the chicken. In a bowl, mix together the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and sesame oil. Add the chicken pieces and combine well in the marinade. Place the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Bring it to room temperature before cooking.
Dry the tofu. Place the tofu on top a couple of folded paper towels on a large plate. Add a couple more sheets of folded paper towel on top of the tofu and add a weight above it. Keep the tofu pressed (not smashed) for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
Brown the tofu. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes. In a large pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Add the tofu and allow them to brown undisturbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip them and brown the other side, another 4 to 5 minutes. Dish up and set aside.
Brown the chicken. In the same pan, increase the heat to high heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken and brown all sides of the chicken pieces. Dish up and set aside.
Put it all together in the claypot. Place the claypot on the burner, turn the heat to medium high and add 2 tablespoons of neutral cooking oil into the claypot. Add the mushrooms, green onion whites, ginger, garlic and croaker and stir fry constantly until you smell the fishiness from the croaker. Add the tofu, chicken and sauce into the claypot. Allow the sauce to come to a boil, turn down the heat to medium and cover the claypot. Allow the ingredients to braise for 5 minutes, stirring halfway.
Add the finishing touches. Mix the cornstarch slurry and add it to the claypot. Gently stir all of the ingredients until the sauce thickens. Garnish with the chopped green onions. Turn off the heat and serve! It goes perfectly with a hot bowl of rice.
