It has grown on me!: How to Make Crispy Celery and Tofu Skin Salad : A Refreshing Chinese Dish

How to Make Crispy Celery and Tofu Skin Salad

Whenever I visit a Chinese restaurant, I always choose the celery and tofu skin salad, my favorite dish. In Japanese, tofu skin is known as yuba (湯葉), a traditional delicacy in both Japanese and Chinese cuisine made from soybeans. As a Japanese person, I think of yuba as a luxurious part of traditional Kyoto cuisine, typically enjoyed at fancy ryotei (料亭). Kyoto (京都) has many yuba restaurants, which has always made me curious about how Chinese tofu skin salad is made. After watching this YouTube video, I learned that it’s made from dried bean curd sticks, which I hadn’t seen in Japan. A month ago, I found dried bean curd sticks at my local Chinese supermarket and decided to make celery and tofu skin salad based on the video. Today, I’m going to share with you how I made this refreshing Chinese cold salad.

Dried Bean Curd Sticks

Ingredients (12 Servings)

6 oz (170g) of Dried Bean Curd Sticks, Tofu Skin

1 Bunch of Celery Sticks (12 Sticks)

1 Tablespoon of Soy Sauce

3 Cloves of Garlic (Minced)

1 Red Chili Pepper (Minced)

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of Sesame Seed Oil

Salt

1. Prepare the Bean Curd Sticks: Let the bean curd sticks sit in warm water for 15-20 minutes until they become soft. Once softened, cut them into small pieces.

If the dried bean curd sticks are too long to soak in warm water, break them into smaller pieces to fit in the bowl.

2. Prepare the Celery: Separate the celery stalks from the bunch and cut them into pieces. Boil a pot of water with a pinch of salt, add the celery, and cook for 1 minute to soften. Remove the celery, rinse with cold water, and drain thoroughly.

3. Cook the Bean Curd Sticks : Use the same boiling and rinsing process for the bean curd sticks.

4. Mix Ingredients : Combine the celery and bean curd sticks in a large bowl. Add the soy sauce and mix thoroughly.

5. Prepare the Dressing: In a small pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red chili pepper. Stir for 10-15 seconds, then remove from the heat and pour over the celery and bean curd mixture. Combine them thoroughly.