Gold Hook Hanging on Jade Plaque

Gold Hook Hanging on Jade Plaque

　　The person who first named the dish “bean sprouts cooked with tofu” as “Gold Hook Hanging on Jade Plaque” was truly ingenious. It’s said that this phrase came from a scholar of humble origins describing his parents’ occupations — “Father, carrying gold hooks and jade plaques on a street stall; Mother, at home, with sleeves upturned, turning the world upside down to offer nectar.”

　　 The name this scholar gave the dish is indeed very vivid. Gold Hook — the yellow bean sprouts; Jade Plaque — the tender white tofu. If you’re from Guizhou, just thinking about this dish will make your mouth water. Because although neither the taste of bean sprouts nor tofu is particularly bold, once paired with authentic Guizhou-style red oil dipping sauce, they become incredibly flavorful.

　　 To make this “Gold Hook Jade Plaque,” be sure to use high-quality water tofu and non-chemical-fertilizer-grown yellow bean sprouts, so you can enjoy the true aroma of the beans. After washing the bean sprouts, put them in a pot and boil over high heat for 5 minutes, then add the water tofu and continue cooking together until the tofu is fully heated before serving.

　　 The red oil chili dipping sauce that accompanies Gold Hook Jade Plaque needs to be made fresh, as the quality of the dipping sauce determines the overall flavor of the dish. Take half Huaxi Dangwu chili and half Zunyi chili, dry them, and grind them into handmade crushed chili flakes. Heat the vegetable oil to about 70% hot, then pour it over the crushed chili flakes. Then add soy sauce, MSG, Sichuan pepper powder, sesame oil, and sprinkle with chopped scallions to create a fragrant and spicy red oil chili dipping sauce.

　　 When the fragrant and tender water tofu meets the spicy stimulation of the chili sauce, your taste buds are bound to be ignited, giving you immense satisfaction. Thus, when a bowl of “Gold Hook Hanging on Jade Plaque” is served, it tempts you to eat several more bowls of plain rice. Scoop the tofu, dip it in the seasoning; then pick up some bean sprouts, dip them in the sauce — the joys of life all ripple between this bowl and plate, as your lips and teeth linger between tenderness and spiciness. After eating, pour yourself a big bowl of the clear soup from the “Gold Hook Jade Plaque” and drink it down to thoroughly rinse the battlefield in your mouth and stomach. Finally, you leave the table contentedly with your belly pleasantly full, and sigh: True cuisine really does come from the people... (By Xiang Ce)