Ground / burger

Reindeer and silken tofu with spicy gochujang

Ground reindeer and smoky crumbles simmered with gochujang and silken tofu. Fry the paste properly and the rest comes together in minutes.

Instructions

Set a wok or wide skillet over medium-high heat with the oil.
Add the ground reindeer and break it up with a spoon until browned and crumbly. Stir in the smoked crumbles near the end and give them 2 minutes to lend their smoke, then tip the lot into a bowl.
Turn the heat down to medium and put the chilli-bean paste into the same pan.
Stir it constantly for 2 minutes, until it smells fragrant and darkens a shade. Add the ginger, garlic and spring onion whites and cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour in the stock, scraping the base of the pan, and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Slide in the tofu cubes and the reindeer and let everything simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch with the cold water and trickle it in, stirring, until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon. Season with the pepper flakes and the Sichuan pepper, if you're using it.
Spoon into four bowls.
Finish with plenty of cilantro or sliced scallions and serve while it's still steaming.

Tips

A splash of soy sauce with the chilli-bean paste deepens the savoury edge.
For less heat, cut the chilli-bean paste back and make up the difference with a milder Korean barbecue sauce.

Ground / burger

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Ground / burger

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Ground / burger

Small, thick patties of ground reindeer bound with sautéed mushrooms, sour cream and egg. Bake them or fry them, whichever suits the evening.