chili bean sauce – Not Eating Out in New York

9 Apr 2012

Spicy Szechuan Potato Salad with Cucumbers

by Cathy Erway | posted in: Recipes, Sides & Salads, vegetarian | 5

This was a strange idea, for sure. One the one hand, it’s a rich and satisfying, all-American summer party staple, and on the other, fiery-hot, exotic fare. My inspiration for this potato salad was dan dan noodles, a savory and slightly sweet Szechuan noodle dish laced with red chili oil, pungent preserved greens, and Szechuan peppercorns. Actually, I was supposed to bring a potato salad to a party and couldn’t find much else to flavor it with in my fridge.

21 Feb 2012

Tofu With Chili-Bean Sauce and Peas

by Cathy Erway | posted in: gluten-free, Recipes, vegan, vegetarian | 3

Blocks of tofu stir-fried in a spicy, thick sauce studded with sweet peas is a winter comfort food for me. It clears the sinuses, tickles the tastebuds and it’s wickedly quick to produce. I never thought others would care much for it, knowing that tofu can be a tough sell. But after sharing this dish a few times over the years, many have dug in appreciatively and asked how it was done. It’s criminally easy so here goes.