Pan-Seared Tofu
The tofu is pan-seared until it forms a golden, crisp crust, then braised with sliced pork, bamboo shoots, and other aromatics until the thick, savory sauce fully coats the ingredients and infuses them with rich flavor.
Story
This cozy, beloved Chinese homestyle dish is prized for its perfect balance of textures and deep, comforting flavor. The crunchy, golden exterior of the pan-seared tofu gives way to a soft, tender interior, paired with juicy sliced pork and crisp bamboo shoots, all brought together by a rich, umami-packed braising sauce.
Ingredients
Tofu (cut into large pieces, drained of moisture, sliced into pieces 0.3 inch thick, 1 inch long, and 0.8 inch wide, blanched in boiling water)
300g
Sliced bamboo shoots
25g
Sliced shiitake mushrooms
5g
Sliced meat
25g
Red soy sauce
15g
Salt
1.5g
MSG
1.5g
Scallion segments
a pinch
lard
50g
white broth
300g
Instructions
1
Initial processing
Cut the tofu into large chunks, place on a cutting board for 3 hours to drain excess water, slice into 3-fen thick pieces, then cut into 1-inch long and 8-fen wide blocks, blanch briefly in boiling water, scoop out with a skimmer, drain excess water to remove the alkaline off-flavor and raw water taste.
2
Pan-fry the tofu
Heat a wok, coat the wok with oil to prevent sticking, then pour 8 liang of oil into the wok over high heat, heat until the oil reaches 80% heat (smoke rises from the oil), push the tofu blocks one by one along the edge of the wok into the oil and arrange them neatly, toss the wok to pan-fry until a crisp golden crust forms on the tofu, then flip each block to pan-fry the other side until crisp, remove from the wok and drain off the excess oil.
3
Braise
Add soy sauce, salt, MSG, white sugar, scallion sections, 5 qian of lard, and white broth, place shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoot slices, and meat slices next to the tofu, bring to a rolling boil, then move to low heat, cover with the lid and braise until the braising liquid thickens and the flavors are fully absorbed into the tofu.
4
Reduce the sauce and plate
Return the wok to high heat to thicken the braising liquid, rotate the wok with one hand while drizzling 5 qian of lard along the edge of the wok, continue rotating until the sauce coats the tofu evenly and bubbles form, remove from the wok, transfer to a serving bowl, and arrange the meat slices, shiitake mushrooms, and bamboo shoot slices on top.
