Chinese Farmhouse Mixed Salad
Tofu and Spinach
A refreshing Chinese cold dish featuring crisp bean sprouts, tender spinach, and savory fried tofu, finished with a sizzle of aromatic garlic-chili oil.
This farmhouse mixed salad is a quintessential Chinese home-style cold dish, traditionally enjoyed during the sweltering summer months to restore appetite. Known for its brilliant contrast of textures, it combines the clean crunch of freshly blanched vegetables with the savory, chewy bite of deep-fried tofu. The defining element is the flash-scald of hot oil poured over minced garlic and dried chilies, which instantly releases aromatic oils that beautifully tie the whole salad together.
Ingredients
- 300 g old tofu
- 200 g fresh bean sprouts
- 150 g fresh spinach leaves
- 4 dried red chilies, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp peppercorn powder
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mature vinegar
Instructions
- 1Fry the tofu
Carefully place the slabs of old tofu into a wok filled with bubbling hot oil. Deep-fry the tofu until the exterior becomes golden-brown and slightly dry, which allows it to absorb flavors much better during the final mixing.
Tip: Frying the tofu until its a bit dry gives it a better texture and a chewier bite for the salad. - 2Remove and cool the tofu
Once the tofu slabs are evenly golden-brown, use chopsticks to carefully lift them out of the hot oil. Transfer them to a clean plate and set aside to cool completely before cutting.
Tip: Letting the tofu cool completely makes it much easier to slice into clean, uniform strips without breaking apart. - 3Blanch the bean sprouts
Bring a wok of water to a rolling boil, then add a pinch of salt and a splash of cooking oil. Drop the fresh white bean sprouts into the water to blanch them briefly, ensuring they stay crisp.
Tip: Adding salt and oil to the boiling water helps lock in the natural color and crunch of the vegetables. - 4Blanch the spinach
Add the fresh green spinach leaves into the same wok of boiling water. Blanch them quickly alongside the bean sprouts until they are just wilted, then remove them immediately.
Tip: Spinach cooks very quickly, so keep the blanching time brief to prevent it from becoming mushy. - 5Slice the fried tofu
Place the cooled, fried tofu slabs onto a wooden cutting board. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the tofu into thin, uniform strips that will blend perfectly with the bean sprouts and spinach.
Tip: Try to slice the tofu strips to a similar thickness as the bean sprouts for a more uniform texture in every bite. - 6Add the aromatics and chilies
Arrange the blanched bean sprouts, blanched spinach, and sliced fried tofu strips neatly into sections within a large mixing bowl. Pile a generous amount of chopped dried red chilies and freshly minced garlic right in the center on top of the ingredients.
Tip: Placing the garlic and dried chilies in a central pile makes it much easier to evenly scald them with hot oil in the next step to maximize their aromatic oils. - 7Sizzle with hot oil
Carefully heat oil until it begins to smoke slightly, then use a ladle to pour it directly over the minced garlic, dried chilies, and peppercorn powder in the bowl. This flash-frying action instantly releases the aromatic oils and essential flavors of the spices into the salad.
Tip: Make sure the oil is sufficiently hot before pouring; you should hear a distinct sizzling sound upon contact, which indicates the aromatics are properly blooming. - 8Season and toss the salad
Add a spoonful of salt, a splash of light soy sauce, and a drizzle of mature vinegar into the bowl with the sizzled aromatics and blanched ingredients. Use a pair of chopsticks to gently toss and lift the mixture repeatedly until every ingredient is completely coated with the dressing.
Tip: Toss gently to avoid breaking up the delicate spinach leaves and bean sprouts, ensuring the dressing is evenly distributed from the bottom of the bowl.
