2 down, 2 more to go and Taiwanese Food!

So over the weekend while I was off and lone (Blake is in Chicago for business and will be back on Tuesday!) I met up with another one of my close friends, Kelley. We met up for brunch at Another Broken egg Cafe in Sandy Springs, dunwoody area. Nevertheless, I asked her to my bridesmaid and of course she said yes! I was super excited and forgot to take pictures! but that's 2 down and 2 more to go!! :D

So anyways, I figured since Blake is not here and he doesn't like some of the traditional Taiwanese dishes that I like (the white in him lol). I've been missing my mother's cooking for over a year now so I might as well make them myself. 

First up first, Ma Po Tofu (Spicy Tofu)

this is an awesome traditional food. I know many people have different opinions on Tofu. It is a required taste. I don't expect everyone to like it but I grew up eating it and it is so good for you!!

Typically you use grown pork for this, but I decided to try ground beef and see if i like it 

Ingredients

(lol my rice cooker)

• Oil (any type)
• sesame oil
• spicy/hot fermented bean paste
• soy sauce
• salt if needed
• Starch (i think its what we call Corn starch) this is to thicken up the sauce
• 1 packaging of soft tofu
• garlic cloves ( i used 2)
• 1/4-1/2 lb of ground beef (or pork)

super blurry picture that I took. Sowwy. 

Instructions:

Now, there are MANY different step that people use. This is just the way I cook and make this dish. 

1. cut up garlic into little tiny pieces while the pan is heating up with oil.
2. stir in ground meat and  garlic and cook until almost done.
   
3. cut up tofu into bite size and add into the pan.
4. add soy sauce, spicy bean paste and sesame oil.
5. stir and be careful because the tofu is so soft if you stir too hard they will break apart. 
6. Then while food is cooking I mixed the starch with water to make sure its dissolved ( i don't measure it I just estimate on how much i will need and add as you go). 
7. Add mixed starch into pan and mix. The sauce should be thickened (If you dont have water that's coming out of tofu while you are cooking feel free to add a little bit of water so you get to thicken up the sauce).
   
   
   This is how it should look like. nice and look spicy lol
   Then you cook for another 3-4 minutes until tofu is all warm through (tofu itself is already cooked, so all you needed was to warm through the tofu so you dont feel like you are eating cold tofu lol)
   
   
   
   Done! final product!
   
   
   
   
   another dish that I made was just a veggie side dish. Bok choy and Mushroom. 
   
   yum!
   
   
   now off to eat!