» A profile of guest bloggers Jennifer Yu from ‘Use Real Butter’ at Look and Taste’s Food Tips

Featured Blogger #28 Jennifer Yu from ‘Use Real Butter’

How long have you been blogging about food for?

I’ve been blogging since November 2004 with some emphasis on food, but it wasn’t until August 2007 that I split my blogs and made use real butter a dedicated food blog.

Who is your favourite tv chef?

I don’t have one because we haven’t had a tv for over 6 years now. But honestly, I don’t really enjoy watching people cook much in the way I don’t get terribly excited watching sports. I would much rather *do* than *watch*, you know?

Describe your blog in 5 words?

A directive for living life.

If you could only have one more meal what would it be?

Sushi. The good kind. The really good kind.

First special food experience memory?

My maternal grandmother (Po Po) lived with us when I was growing up and helped my parents, who both worked full-time, raise me and my sister. Po Po is a phenomenal cook as are my parents. She was home waiting for me when I got out of pre-school and she would have a lovely bowl of Chinese noodle soup ready for lunch. [here is a link if you want to see what it looks like: http://userealbutter.com/2007/11/13/chinese-soy-sauce-chicken-recipe/] Po Po filled a Chinese spoon with a little broth, a little bit of noodles, a little spinach, a little chicken and handed it to me so I could feed myself. It was incredibly satisfying. I still love it to this day (and yes, I eat it that way too). She had (and still has) infinite patience for me as I used to insist on sitting under the kitchen table, pretending to be the neighbor’s dog, barking to be fed. When I eat the homestyle dishes of my youth, I feel very loved. My Po Po rocks.

cool it with tofu

Recipe: cold tofu salad

I’ve received a lot of requests lately for foods I’ve posted pictures of without corresponding recipes. I will get on those in due time. There just happens to be a huge backlog of recipes I need to post and I’m cranking them out daily (have you noticed?) because I have another chemo on the horizon. But it’s my last frakking one! Can I get a w00t! ?? Hell Effingham yeah, people.

So just sit tight and keep your pants on.

I know some folks get that sour-lemon look on their face when they hear the word tofu. Those people can stick it. If you know how to prepare tofu properly it is teh delish. And yes, I know how to prepare it properly. I’m Chinese after all, and I wield a big knife.

tofu, green onions, preserved mustard green, pork floss

I spent my fair share of childhood summer days sweating my brains out running around like a maniac in the sweltering and oppressive Virginia heat. On occasion I’d come inside on weekends and find my dad preparing a refreshing lunch of cold, silken tofu tossed with loads of goodies. I’ve never had this in Chinese restaurants, so I am just assuming it’s my dad’s concoction. Either way, I loved it. Like Diane, I too am a salt girl rather than a sweets girl. Salt grrls rule. I just call it cold tofu, but I suppose it’s really cold tofu salad or some such thing.

on the left: pork floss, on the right: preserved mustard green

I’m posting the packaging for the less common ingredients because if you’re anything like me, you can’t read Chinese and you may not know how to find these things in an Asian market. Sometimes I have to ask the lady who runs our local Asian market in Boulder and she shouts at me (that’s her only volume though, it’s not that she hates me - she actually likes me). I’m trying to save you guys from the shouting.

diced silken

minced green onions

minced preserved mustard green

I always use silken tofu in this dish as the firm stuff just has the wrong texture. The preserved mustard green is a salty, crunchy sort of pickled vegetable. Pork sung (pork floss) is really finely shredded dried pork with a sweetish flavor to it. I like to eat the pork sung with congee (rice porridge) and loads of chili radishes and any other spicy vegetables. Love the spicy. Give it to me.

sprinkle the vegetables over the tofu

Cold tofu salad is a totally simple recipe. Top the tofu cubes with the minced onions and mustard green. Pour a little sesame oil for flavor (use chili oil if you’re my dad) and some soy sauce. Sprinkle the pork sung on last or else it becomes a matted mess that soaks up the soy sauce and becomes unbearably salty.

top it off with soy sauce

Now, for the more daring eaters, you can add some diced thousand year egg. If you’re not familiar with this preserved duck egg, don’t freak out. It’s not really a thousand years old. It has been preserved in a mixture of ash, salt, lime, and other stuff which raises the pH and transforms the sucker into this:

you were expecting?

My dad loves to dice this up and add it to the cold tofu salad. I am not such a fan of the egg and I’ve given it several chances, believe you me! I’ll list this as optional. I opt out and enjoy my refreshing salad sans green and black stinky egg.

great in the heat of summer
Cold Tofu Salad

8 oz silken tofu, diced into 1 inch cubes
2 stalks green onions, minced
2 tbsp preserved mustard green, minced
2 tbsp pork sung
1 tsp sesame oil
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
1 thousand year duck egg (optional)

Combine ingredients and serve cold.

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