GOOD AND CHEAP DINNER RECIPES - TOFU HOT POT FOR FOUR

TOFU HOT POT 

FOR FOUR

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp ginger  root, finely grated
• 4 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 8 cups water
• ½ lb mushrooms,  chopped
• 1 tsp chili paste
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 16 oz firm tofu
• 4 medium carrots, chopped
• 8 oz dried  spaghetti, soba, or any Asian noodles bean sprouts (optional)

ADDITIONS

• chicken,  pork, or beef peanuts, chopped cabbage, chopped kimchi
• chili peppers fresh cilantro
• daikon radish,  sliced

RECIPE

1. If you  have time, freeze the ginger root for an hour before you start. It's much easier to grate when frozen! Store the rest of the root in the freezer until the next time you  need it.
2.  Drop the grated ginger root and garlic into a pot over medium heat. A few seconds  later, once you  can start to smell the garlic, pour in the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
3.  Add the mushrooms, chili paste, soy sauce,  and toasted sesame oil. Place a lid on the pot and let simmer for 20 minutes.
4.  Separate the white and green parts of the scallions.  You'll cook the white and save the green to sprinkle over the soup.
5.  Cut the tofu into four slices, then turn each slice into eight squares. Or just chop it up however you  like.
6.  Add the tofu, carrots, and the white parts of the scallions  to the broth. Cook about 10 minutes more, until the carrots are tender.
7.  Add the noodles  and keep boiling  until they soften, usually just a few minutes, although it depends  on the type of noodles.
8.  Taste the broth. If it isn't salty enough, splash  in more soy sauce.  Adjust the sesame  oil and chili paste to your taste as well.
9.  Ladle the soup  into bowls. For a little crunch, top with bean sprouts and the green bits of the scallions.

If you  have leftovers, you'll  find you  like this soup  even more the next day. 

Overnight, the flavors will infuse  into the tofu, as well as combining with each other. You might want to store the noodles  separately, though, because otherwise they'll get soggy.

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