Tofu Dan Dan Mian

• 1 packet firm or extra firm tofu
• 1/3 cup shallots, chopped and fried (you can buy these pre-fried at international supermarkets)
• 3 tablespoons amino acids, soy sauce, or tamari (i use amino acids)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chinese five spice
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame tahini
• 2 tablespoons sichuan peppercorn or other chili oil (use less if you're really sensitive to spice)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt - to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 teaspoons nice olive oil, plus more for frying shallots
• 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled (omit if vegan)
• 1 pound egg noodles, cooked (you can sub rice or rice noodles if gluten free)
• shredded fresh carrots
• blanched baby bok choi
• chopped scallions (optional)
• chopped peanuts (optional)

1. if your shallots are not pre-fried, in a cast iron skillet over high heat add in nice olive oil and the shallots. salt a bit and fry the shallots. remove shallots from the pan once fried and crispy.
2. to prep the tofu, i freeze it in its package then unfreeze it. once mostly thawed i open it over a colander in the sink and it basically crumbles into a ground beef like substance. i wash it under warm water and set aside to drain.
3. in the same pan you fried the shallots in over medium heat add 2 tsp olive oil and add the ground tofu. season with some salt and the pepper and cook for a minute or so by itself. now add in the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and chili oil - mix. after another minute next, add the brown sugar, chinese five spice, and garlic. and mix again.
4. now in a separate bowl, combine the warm water with the sesame tahini. once combined pour over the tofu mixture and reduce to a simmer. cover and cook for at least one hour. with about 30 minutes left, poke a few fork holes in the peeled hard boiled eggs and add them in so they soak up a bit of the sauce.
5. to serve, ladle sauce over cooked egg noodles and add blanched baby bok choi, shredded fresh carrots, the hard boiled egg and scallions. also peanuts if you want them.

packet, shallots, amino, brown sugar, chinese five spice, rice wine vinegar, sesame tahini, sichuan peppercorn, ground black pepper, salt, garlic, water, olive oil, eggs, egg noodles, fresh carrots, blanched baby bok choi, scallions, peanuts

Taken from food52.com/recipes/67616-tofu-dan-dan-mian (may not work)