Stuffed Tofu
A delicious and authentic soups and broths recipe for Stuffed Tofu, prepared with traditional seasonings and techniques.
Ingredients
- • 1 block medium tofu ((14-oz block))
- • 1 dried shiitake mushroom (yields 1 tablespoon once rehydrated and minced)
- • 4 oz minced pork
- • 1/2 teaspoon ginger (minced)
- • 1 spring onions (thinly sliced)
- • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- • 1 teaspoon cornflour
- • 2/3 cup chicken broth
- • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- • 2 teaspoons cornflour
- • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- • 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- • 1 spring onions (sliced)
- • 1/2 thumb ginger (minced)
- • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
Preparation Steps
Cover the shiitake mushroom with warm water. Soak until turning tender throughout, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard the stem. Finely mince the mushroom and transfer to a medium sized bowl.
Add the minced pork, ginger, spring onions, soy sauce and cornflour into the bowl with mushroom. Mix in a circular motion until sticky.
Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and side aside.
To slice tofu, let the tofu stand on the long narrow side. Cut the tofu vertically across the block into two large thin pieces. Then further cut each piece into four cubes (so you get a total of 8 pieces). Use a paring knife to carve out a smaller rectangle in the centre of the tofu, leaving about 1/4” (3mm) on the edges, so it’s easier to scoop out the tofu. (see the images above for reference) Use the back of a small spoon to scoop the centre to form a dent for the filling. Pack filling into each tofu piece until it’s level with the tofu (*Footnote 1).
Add 1 tablespoon oil into a large nonstick frying pan. Carefully transfer the tofu onto a spatula one piece at a time, filling side down, and slowly slide it into the frying pan. Turn on medium-high heat. Sear the tofu until the meat has turned golden brown, 4 minutes or so. Check occasionally for pork doneness. Flip the tofu to brown the other side, 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly golden.
Move the tofu to one side of the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, spring onions, ginger and garlic to the other side. Stir a few times to release fragrance.
Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornflour completely. Pour it into the frying pan. Stir the sauce between the gaps of the tofu pieces rapidly, and cook until the sauce has thickened. Transfer the tofu onto a serving plate, then pour the sauce over the tofu. Serve hot as a main dish.