Stuffed Tofu (Yong Tau Fu 釀豆腐)

Stuffed Tofu on a plate with a dish of sauce.

5 from 5 votes

Stuffed Tofu (Yong Tau Fu 釀豆腐)

You'll never get bored eating our Stuffed Tofu! Enjoy juicy porky patties nestled in a variety of flavors and topped with a thick sauce!

Prep Time2

Cook Time1

Total Time3

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Cantonese, Chinese, Hakka

Servings:

Calories: 627kcal

Author: Jeannette

Equipment

Teaspoon
Small knife

Ingredients

Ingredients To Be Stuffed

200 g / 0.44 lb shiitake mushrooms (rehydrated or fresh will work)
500 g / 1.1 lb eggplant
1 1/2 kg / 3.3 lb tomatoes
500 g/ 1.1 lb bittermelon
200 g / 0.44 lb chili
500 g / 1.1 lb fried tofu

For The Filling

500 g / 1.1 lb pork mince (we used lean pork)
700 g / 1.5 lb fish paste (we buy it from our local fishmonger)
1/4 US cup water
2 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tbsp sesame oil
3/4 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder

For The Sauce

500 mL / 2.1 US cup water (or stock)
1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
1 1/2 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
3 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
3 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp potato starch (mixed in with 4 tbsp water)

Additional Ingredients

cooking oil (for frying)

Instructions

Mix together the mince, fish paste, pepper, salt, water, sesame oil, fish sauce and chicken bouillon powder in a bowl, then set aside for later.
To prepare the tomatoes, cut them in half along the width and gently squeeze each piece to remove any excess liquid. Then use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds and lay them open side down in a colander.
Note: This step will reduce the amount of water in the tomatoes. If there is too much liquid, the filling may not stick as easily.
For the eggplants, you will need to cut them into segments so the meat can be sandwiched in between. To do so, make a cut about 1cm (0.4") from the tip that goes halfway through the eggplant.
Repeat the cut another 1cm (0.4") in from the first incision but slice it all the way to break the piece off. What you'll end up with is a piece of eggplant that can be opened in the middle like a mouth for the filling.
When preparing the tofu, make an incision in its center about 3cm (1.2") long and 1cm (0.4") deep to act as a pocket for the mince.
Note: Every tofu brand will make their tofu differently, so just make the cut big enough for the stuffing without breaking anything.
Slice the bittermelon into 1.5cm (0.6") thick slices, then use a small thin knife to remove the center. Simply cut around the softer paler flesh and push the middle out to create a hole for the filling.
Finally, run a knife from the top of the chili to the bottom until it can be opened. Use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds.
To stuff all of the ingredients, use the back of a teaspoon to scoop the meat mixture. Then wedge it between the slits or gaps and smooth it out.
Note: The amount of filling you use is entirely up to personal preference, but we like to use less so it cooks faster.
Fill a wok or pan up with enough oil to cover the base, then pan fry the Stuffed Tofu ingredients on medium heat until the filling is golden brown. Cooking times will vary depending on vegetable, but you're looking at roughly 10-15 minutes per batch.
Refill the oil as the vegetables absorb it.
Tip: Put the mince side down first so it cooks through before flipping.
Meanwhile, combine the water, chicken powder, sugar, light soy sauce and oyster sauce in a pot over medium heat and bring it to a gentle simmer.
Mix the potato starch with 4 tbsp water and slowly pour it in while stirring the sauce.
Serve the sauce with the Stuffed Tofu immediately while still hot!

Video

Notes

Cook the ingredients with strong flavors last. Bittermelon and chili should be kept last to avoid cross-contaminating the taste.
Use less filling at the start. Different vegetables will have varying sizes, so stuff them with less mince at the beginning until you're sure there's more left.
Don't overstuff. Not only does this prolong the Stuffed Tofu cooking time, but the filling gets heavy and it makes it harder for it to stick to the vegetables.
As a rule of thumb, our family likes everything on the smaller side because it's easier to eat and cook. But choose what suits your preference!
Adjust the vegetable ratios to your preference. For example, if you don't like bittermelon then replace it with another ingredient that you like.
Grandma likes to hand pick her meat cut from the butcher and ask them to put it through the mincer twice. For this Stuffed Tofu recipe, we used lean pork.
Use a stock as a water substitute for extra flavor.
If you don't have any, corn starch will work too.

Nutrition