I know it has been a long time since I’ve blogged! And, NO little cousin Jeffrey, the blog is not dead. Give me some time! Caya is just under 15 weeks old and she does not like to nap. She takes up all my time all day long!

My mom made this Bean Curd and Watercress Salad all the way back in April for Sophia’s (my brother’s girlfriend) birthday. I loved it and it’s been on my mind since. The watercress has a squishy crunch to it. The bean curd is tender but firm. Together, the alternating texture and flavor is addictive and so cooling on a hot summer day.

Bean Curd and Watercress Salad 3

The first time my mom made this for us, she used bean curd but recently the brand of bean curd we like has not been available. She’s been using mock vegetarian chicken which is also essentially a bean curd, which is why I kept the name Bean Curd and Watercress Salad. I’m not usually a fan of the mock meats but since I still think of this as bean curd, it totally works for me.

bean curd/flavored tofu mock vegetarian chicken (bean curd)

This salad is also a breeze to make, easy enough even for busy mamas. I still can’t believe I’m a mom!

Bean Curd and Watercress Salad

  • 1 3/4 cup sliced (approximately 1 1/2″ x 1/6″) bean curd (or mock vegetarian chicken)
  • 1 tablespoon kecap manis
  • 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce
  • 14 oz watercress
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar

Instructions –

1. In a medium sized bowl, stir together bean curd, kecap manis, and vegetarian oyster sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 1 day.

marinated bean curd

2. Blanch watercress in lightly salted boiling water for 30 seconds. Rinse with cold water.

3. Drain and squeeze out excess liquid, wringing it lightly like a towel. Chop it.

squeeze out water from watercress

4. Sprinkle salt evenly across watercress and mix to distribute. Mix in sesame oil and vinegar. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 min or up to one day.

chopped watercress

5. When you are ready to serve, drain any excess liquid from both parts (marinated bean curd and seasoned watercress) and toss together. Serve immediately cold.

marinated bean curd and seasoned watercress

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Bean Curd and Watercress Salad 5

posted by jessica at 06:38 AM Filed under Chinese, Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.