The crisp plate I make when celery and smoked tofu are both in the fridge is this one – celery and smoked xianggan stir, and this home cook’s version blanches the celery first so it stays sweet and never bitter. A home cook wrote it in seven steps and closed with a line I like: a vegetable dish with real appetite. I made it as written, and it is the quick, savory plate that makes plain rice a meal.
Qin cai chao xiang gan (芹菜炒香干) is celery and smoked xianggan stir – celery cut on the bias and blanched sweet, then tossed with smoked dried-tofu threads in light soy and a half-spoon of dark soy.
What Is Celery and Smoked Xianggan Stir?
This is the crisp green plate of the smoked tofu: celery is washed and cut on the bias – the thick stalks angled to stay tender – blanched in boiling water, cooled under cold water, and drained well. The smoked xiang-gan is cut into threads, scallion and ginger into segments, and the pan heats with oil for the aromatics. The smoked tofu goes in with light soy for a toss, the blanched celery follows with salt and a half-spoon of dark soy, and after a minute with a pinch of chicken powder, it is out – the celery still bright.
For the spring-green version of the same smoked tofu stir, my luhao and xianggan stir swaps the celery for reed artemisia.
Why This Recipe Works
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- The blanched celery. Sweet and crisp, never bitter.
- The bias cut. Thick stalks angled thin.
- Smoked xiang-gan in threads. The chew of the plate.
- Light soy, then a half-spoon of dark. The two-step color.
- One minute at the end. The recipe’s number.
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Equipment Needed
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- A wok
- A pot for the blanch
- A spatula
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Ingredients
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- A few stalks of celery
- 2 blocks of smoked xiang-gan (xun gan)
- A little scallion and ginger
- 1 tbsp light soy, 1/2 tbsp dark soy, salt, and chicken powder
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Ingredient Notes
Celery: Bias-cut and blanched sweet. Smoked xiang-gan: The smoked dried tofu, in threads. My luhao and xianggan stir is the spring-green version. The soy: Light for flavor, dark for the finish.
Prep & Mise en Place
Bias-cut and blanch the celery; thread the xiang-gan; cut the aromatics.
Cooking Process
Step 1 – Wash the celery and cut it on the bias; blanch it in bo
Wash the celery and cut it on the bias; blanch it in boiling water, rinse under cold water, and drain well.
Step 2 – Cut the smoked xiang-gan into threads
Cut the smoked xiang-gan into threads.
Step 3 – Cut the scallion and ginger into segments
Cut the scallion and ginger into segments.
Step 4 – Heat oil in the pan and cook the scallion and ginger
Heat oil in the pan and cook the scallion and ginger.
Step 5 – Add the smoked tofu with light soy and toss
Add the smoked tofu with light soy and toss.
Step 6 – Add the blanched celery with salt and a half-spoon of d
Add the blanched celery with salt and a half-spoon of dark soy and a pinch of chicken powder; toss 1 minute and turn out.
Step 7 – Very appetizing – a vegetable plate that finishes the r
Very appetizing – a vegetable plate that finishes the rice.
Common Mistakes When Making This Dish
1. Bitter, tough celery. Cause: no blanch or thick uncut stalks. Fix: bias-cut and blanch. 2. A soggy plate. Cause: wet celery. Fix: drain well after the cold rinse. 3. A pale, gray tofu. Cause: no dark soy. Fix: the half-spoon at the end. 4. A salty plate. Cause: two soys and salt. Fix: taste before the salt. 5. Dull, wilted greens. Cause: cooking long. Fix: one minute – the recipe’s number.
Variations
With pork: A few shreds before the tofu. Spicier: A dried chili with the aromatics. My luhao and xianggan stir is the same smoked tofu with a spring green.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why blanch the celery? It turns sweet and keeps its crisp – and loses the raw edge. What is xun gan? Smoked dried tofu – deeper in flavor than plain xiang-gan. Why two soys? Light for salt and savor, dark for the color at the end. How long does it take? About 15 minutes. Is it spicy? Not by default – and my silken tofu potage is the soup to go with it, savory tofu and egg stir-fry the fast plate.
How to Serve
Serve with rice – with luhao and xianggan stir, green pepper and dried tofu, and home-style tofu for a tofu table, or with red braised tofu and braised tofu with bok choy for contrast.
Storage & Reheat
Refrigerate 2 days; reheat quickly. Never leave out more than 2 hours.
Allergen Notice
This recipe contains soy (xiang-gan, soy sauce). It is free of gluten (verify the soy), dairy, egg, nuts, fish, and shellfish.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
About the Author & Recipe Development
I am Jason Guo, a Chinese chef who has cooked professionally for more than five years – including time as a head chef – and now runs my own small restaurant in China, where tofu appears on the menu almost every day. This xiachufang cook’s celery and smoked xianggan stir is the crisp plate of my smoke-and-green days, and the recipe’s blanch-first note is exactly why the celery stays sweet. I tested it as written. I have not tested the pork version, so that is your experiment, not my claim.
Authoritative References
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Safe Temperature Chart for safe storage of cooked dishes.
Celery & Smoked Xianggan Stir (芹菜炒香干): The Blanch-First Pan
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Wash the celery and cut it on the bias; blanch it in boiling water, rinse under cold water, and drain well.
- Cut the smoked xiang-gan into threads.
- Cut the scallion and ginger into segments.
- Heat oil in the pan and cook the scallion and ginger.
- Add the smoked tofu with light soy and toss.
- Add the blanched celery with salt and a half-spoon of dark soy and a pinch of chicken powder; toss 1 minute and turn out.
- Very appetizing - a vegetable plate that finishes the rice.
