BEAN JELLY w/CHILI VINEGAR

By BobD

Ingredients

• A signature food of Yunnan (each town has its own version, available at every restaurant and street stall), bean jelly has the consistency of very firm Jell-O. The vinegar and chile in this dish refle
• For jelly
• 2 3/4 cups water
• 1/2 cup mung-bean starch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• For sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar (preferably Chinkiang)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons Sichuan-pepper oil, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon red-chile oil, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon finely grated (with a rasp) peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated (with a rasp) garlic
• 3 large scallions (white and pale green parts only), cut into very thin shreds
• 1 (3-inch) piece daikon (also called Chinese radish or luo bo), peeled and cut into matchsticks
• Garnish: chopped scallion greens; chopped roasted peanuts

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Make jelly:

Bring water, mung-bean starch, and salt to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan, then boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick and translucent, about 3 minutes. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish and cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Cover surface with plastic wrap and chill until jelly is firm, about 2 hours.

Make sauce:

Stir together soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, oils, ginger, and garlic in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved.

Assemble dish:

Run a thin knife around side of jelly to loosen, then unmold onto a cutting board. Cut jelly into 3 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Carefully transfer to sauce in bowl, then gently stir in scallions and daikon. Serve with Sichuan-pepper oil and red-chile oil on the side.

Cooks' note:
Jelly can be chilled up to 1 day.

Makes 4 to 6 (first course or snack) servings.