Ingredients
500 g sour soup tofu (about 1 lb), 150 g houttuynia cordata (fish mint).
Seasonings
Sesame oil, bitter garlic (Chinese garlic chives), ground chili flakes, soy sauce, salt, MSG, Sichuan peppercorn powder, minced ginger, chopped scallions, and alkaline water, each to taste.
Instructions
1. Cut the tofu into rectangular pieces about 5 cm wide, 7 cm long, and 3 cm thick, soak briefly in alkaline water, then remove and place in a bamboo basket, cover with a damp cloth, and let ferment for at least 12 hours.
2. Finely chop the houttuynia cordata (fish mint) and bitter garlic, place them in a bowl, then add soy sauce, MSG, sesame oil, Sichuan pepper powder, ground chili powder, minced ginger, and chopped scallions, mixing well to create a seasoning mixture; arrange the fermented tofu pieces on a specialized charcoal-burning iron stove and roast until both sides are golden brown, the inside is tender, and the tofu puffs up, then use a bamboo skewer to cut open a slit on the side, spoon in the prepared seasoning, and serve. This dish has a slightly golden surface and is spicy, aromatic, tender, and piping hot.