Pickled Vegetable Braised Tofu

Pickled Vegetable Braised Tofu

　　The "vegetable" in the pickled vegetable refers to Jiutoujie, similar to potherb mustard, which is cold-resistant and high-yielding— a rare leafy winter vegetable in mountainous areas. However, Jiutoujie has a slightly bitter taste and is not suitable for stir-frying raw, but it is excellent for making pickles. Mountain farmers, accustomed to simple living, rely on jars of these pickles to get through the long winter. More meticulous households cut off the Jiutoujie stems, clean them, then split them into four sections, and sun-dry them until about 70% dry. Because of their shape resembling chicken claws, they are also called "vegetable claws."

The "brine" is the liquid that seeps out from the pickled vegetables. In the following spring, as the weather warms up and the pickled vegetables are nearly eaten up, thrifty mountain dwellers hate to throw away the brine. Instead, they put the vegetable claws into a large pot filled with the brine, boil them over high heat, then simmer them for a day. After removing from the heat and drying, the vegetable claws become pickled vegetable brine.

The pickled vegetable brine is pitch black and unattractive in appearance, but it exudes a rich aroma when you smell it and can be stored for seven or eight years without spoiling. When eating, add tofu and cured meat, then braise them in a clay pot. Both the brine and the cured meat are very salty, while the tofu is very mild—so you need to add an appropriate amount of water for these extremes to complement each other.

The art of cooking emphasizes color, aroma, and taste. Although Pickled Vegetable Braised Tofu looks rather dull and may only have a sprinkle of green onions before serving—which doesn’t do much to attract the eye—the bubbling water has already carried the rich aroma of the brine to your nose. Unable to resist, you take a bite of the tofu and instantly feel your mouth watering. Upon closer tasting, the fragrance of the brine has seeped into the tofu, the flavor of the tofu has melded into the meat, and the taste of the meat has mixed into the brine. The sauce is fragrant, the broth thick, and the flavors blend seamlessly. Even in years when cured meat was scarce, just a handful of pickled brine, a few slices of tofu, and a spoonful of rice water cooked together in a big pot of rice made a delicious, savory, and extremely satisfying meal.