Mung Bean Curd with Chili Oil Sauce (Liang Fen, 凉粉)
A traditional Chinese street food that is bursting with the flavors of a savory spicy sauce, liang fen is just what you need to bring a taste of China to your own kitchen this weekend! {Gluten-Free adaptable}To make the dish gluten-free, use rice vinegar (you might need to use a bit more) to replace the Chinkiang vinegar. This recipe is from Xi’an Famous Foods Cookbook by Jason Wang. I made small changes based on my personal preferences, such as increasing the sauce and using cucumber instead of peppers to serve with the bean curd.
Ingredients
Curd
- 1/2 cup (120 g) mung bean starch
- 3 cups water , divided
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 cloves garlic , sliced
- 2 tablespoons Chili oil including the oil and the chili flakes, or to taste, homemade
- black bean sauce Optional, homemade
Toppings
- cilantro for garnish, chopped, or green onions
- A handful of cucumber Optional, shredded
Instructions
- Add 2 1/2 cups of water to a medium-sized pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Then turn the heat down to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, combine the mung bean starch and 1/2 cup of water. Stir until the starch is fully dissolved.
- Prepare a rectangular or square baking dish that can hold at least 4 cups of water but is small enough, so the mixture is at least 1” (2.5 cm) thick. (*Footnote 2)
- Slowly pour the mung bean mixture into the simmering water, while stirring gently with a ladle or a whisk. Continue to stir until the mixture in the pot starts to thicken and small bubbles start to form. It should start turning somewhat translucent. Simmer for another 6 to 8 minutes while stirring, until the mixture thickens further, like a thick sauce texture. Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Let cool at room temperature until solidified. It takes about 2 hours if you use a shallower dish, but up to 3 or 4 hours if using a deeper dish. Once congealed, you can store the jelly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To serve
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, stir to mix well.
- Place a large cutting board over the baking dish and flip it. Jiggle the dish slightly so the jelly falls onto the cutting board. Slice the jelly into 1/2” (1 cm) by 2 1/2” (5 cm) sticks, or any bite-size shapes you prefer.
- Transfer the sliced mung bean curd into serving bowls, drizzle with a few spoonfuls of the sauce, and serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- The black bean sauce is totally optional because the dish tastes great without it. If you happen to have homemade black bean sauce, you can add 1 to 2 teaspoons to further boost the flavor of the sauce. It also thickens the sauce a bit so it will coat the mung bean curd better.
- I find that it’s easier to remove the mung bean curd from the baking dish if dish is made of glass. Alternatively, you can also use a heat-proof container that is large enough.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 195
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 195kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 31.7g | 11% |
| Protein | 0.6g | 1% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 607mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 28mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 0.4g | 2% |
| Sugar | 3.2g | 6% |
| Calcium | 11mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.