Chinese stuffed tofu is tender with a juicy pork filling, cooked in a fragrant brown sauce. It pairs beautifully with rice to make a delicious and nutritious meal.
Ingredients
- 1 block medium tofu (14-oz block)
Filling
- 4 oz ground pork
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Sauce
- 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 cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Tofu
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 scallion, sliced
- 1/2 thumb ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
Add the ground pork, ginger, scallion, oyster sauce and cornstarch into the bowl. 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 center of the tofu, leaving about 1/4” (3mm) on the edges, so it’s easier to scoop out the tofu. Use the back of a small spoon to scoop the center to form a dent for the filling.
Pack filling into each tofu piece until it’s level with the tofu.
Add 1 tablespoon oil into a large nonstick skillet. Carefully transfer the tofu onto a spatula one piece at a time, filling side down, and slowly slide it into the skillet. 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, scallion, ginger and garlic to the other side. Stir a few times to release fragrance.
Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Pour it into the skillet. 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.
Serve over rice.
Notes
You might have some leftover meat filling. That’s totally OK and try not to over stuff the tofu. You can simply shape the filling into a meatball and cook it together with the tofu.
Inspired from: Omnivore’s Cookbook
