Pork stuffed tofu is a home-cooked dish that every Chinese family eats. Did you know that tofu (tofu) has an ancient history dating back two thousand years? Read on if you’re interested in this!
Legend has it that tofu was invented by Liu An, the prince of the Han Dynasty, around 160 BC. The earliest evidence of tofu production was found in frescoes cut on slate. Another theory is that tofu was discovered by accident as a result of ground soybeans mixed with sea salt. The minerals in the salt cause the soy mixture to coagulate and become a tofu-like gel. Today, you don’t need to put up with the horrific taste of gelatinous curds or agree with historians about the vague origins of tofu. Follow this pork tofu recipe and you will be able to enjoy the best tofu recipe from the comfort of your home.
Pork Stuffed Tofu – Easy Recipe in 4 Steps
Step 1 – Prepare the Ingredients
Soaked mushrooms
- First, soak the dried mushrooms in some water for at least an hour. Dried mushrooms will hydrate and soften so you can easily cut them into small pieces.
- If you forget to soak the mushrooms ahead of time, you can use hot water instead to speed up the rehydration process.
- Don’t throw away the water after soaking the mushrooms, it has all the aroma of the mushrooms. Holds moisture after soaking and uses it to cook meat sauces later.
Minced meat
- I use pork in this recipe. It should have about 20% fat to make it more tender. Chicken is perfect for those who don’t eat pork, but the meat is dry.
- Manually mincing the meat with a cutter is best, but you may want to use a food processor to do the job. Shredding it has a slightly different texture than mixing it with a machine. I of course prefer to prepare it manually.
- Mix two tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1/2 teaspoon of cornmeal over the minced meat and set aside. Minced meat mixed with vegetable oil and cornmeal has a smoother texture.
Step 2 – Deep-Fry Tofu for Extra Flavor and Texture
Carefully remove the tofu from the box. Gently place it in the frying basket. Fry in preheated oil for about five minutes or until golden brown.
When frying tofu, share two tips:
- Resist the temptation to move the tofu to the frying basket, as they break easily. You can hold the handle of the basket and shake it gently to avoid it sticking from the basket.
- If you don’t have a frying basket, buy one. Otherwise, you can pour oil into a large frying pan to fry the tofu. Move it gently for the first minute to avoid the tofu from sticking to the bottom. Let the tofu sit in the basket until it’s cold enough to handle. Place it on a plate and gently cut in half. Reposition the tofu slightly so it looks like there are two pieces.
Step 3 – Make the Sauce
Sauté garlic and onion in vegetable oil over low heat until fragrant. Due to the higher water content, garlic is faster than onions, so you should sauté the onions first, then add the chopped garlic after a minute.
Next, add the minced meat to the garlic and onion and sauté over low heat.
Step 4 – Decorate
Pour the hot sauce over the tofu. Garnish with some sliced green onions and peppers.
