Ingredients
750 g (about 1.6 lbs) tofu, 50 g (about 1.8 oz) winter bamboo shoots, 50 g (about 1.8 oz) bok choy hearts, 500 g (about 2 cups) each of meat broth and creamy milk broth.
Seasonings
10 g baking soda, 10 g cooking wine, 500 g (about 1 lb) vegetable oil, 2 g white pepper, 3 g Sichuan salt, 1 g MSG.
Instructions
1. Remove the skin from the tofu and cut into 30 strips, each 6 cm long and 2 cm square; slice the winter bamboo shoots into domino-shaped pieces; wash the bok choy hearts thoroughly.
2. Use two woks placed on separate burners; in one wok, bring 500 g (about 2 cups) of water to a gentle boil with edible alkali and keep it at a low simmer; in the other wok, heat vegetable oil to about 350°F (175°C), then fry the tofu strips in batches until golden brown, remove, and soak them in the alkaline water for about 4 minutes, then transfer to fresh water to rinse off the alkali, then return to the alkaline water for another 5 minutes, and finally rinse again in fresh water.
3. Blanch the deep-fried tofu in boiling water once, then rinse twice with meat broth; bring the creamy broth to a boil in a pot, add winter bamboo shoots, ground white pepper, cooking wine, and Sichuan salt, bring to a boil again, then add the tofu strips, bok choy hearts, and MSG, remove from heat and serve in a soup bowl. This dish features a white broth with green bok choy, offering a savory, fresh, and rich flavor.