Cantonese Home-style Braised Tofu Casserole
廣式家常豆腐煲
It’s getting colder and you may have noticed I love to make food or serve food with cast iron dishes because usually it wouldn’t be too cold in winter in Hong Kong, but there are still some chilly days that cooked food cool down quickly before you finish dinner. Spicy Chinese Eggplant and Minced Pork Stir-fry, Cantonese style is among my popular recipes. Similar ingredients are also used in this recipe, to be braised with tofu. Braised tofu in casserole is one of the most cooked home-style Chinese food. My idea is to add a hint of Cantonese in it, with Cantonese sausage, dried shiitake mushroom, dried mini shrimp. Such ingredients are Cantonese’s kitchen essential. Also, oyster sauce is one of the two basic Cantonese sauces, the other one is soy sauce.
In order to cook this dish, you may need a big non-stick skillet for pan-frying tofu, and a wok to do the stir-fry and braising. And you could just serve with a deep plate. But for a sizzling presentation, I serve with preheated small cast iron pot. Any small claypot, cast iron casserole and cast iron serving dish are perfect. Together with warm steamed rice, happy winter meal!
Ingredients – for 4 serving
(all ingredients can be obtained in Chinese grocery store)
- Firm tofu, 2 pieces, about 800g. In this recipe, it’s highly suggested to have firmer tofu so that it wouldn’t break easily when braising
- Chinese / Cantonese sausage, 1, choose the most regular type, thin or fat
- Dried shiitake mushroom, 2
- Dried mini shrimp, 1tbsp
- Mini preserved fish, 5, optional, not necessary
- Chinese celery, a small bunch, if unavailable, use coriander
- Carrot, 100g
- Ginger, 10g
- Oyster sauce, 2tbsp
- Light soy sauce, 2tbsp
- Chinese cooking wine, 2tbsp
- Cornstarch, 1tsp
- Sugar, 1tsp
How to do –
1. Prepare the ingredients – dried shiitake mushroom soaked in water for 2 hour till it’s soft enough to slice, stem removed, keep the infused water; dried mini shrimp soaked in water for a few minutes, also keep the infused water; mini salty fish washed; Chinese celery washed and cut to matchstick; tofu cut to 1cm thick slice; Cantonese sausage, carrot, and ginger sliced;
2. In a big non-stick skillet, heat 2tbsp of oil in medium-high heat and pan-fry the tofu till golden both sides;
3. Heat 1tbsp of oil in a wok, in medium heat, one by one, pan-fry mushroom, dried mini shrimps and fish, Cantonese sausage, carrot and ginger, till fragrant, toss the wok to mix them well;
4. Put in the pan-fried tofu, toss. Season with 2tbsp of oyster sauce, soy sauce and cooking wine, add 1tsp of sugar, all infused water and a little more water, about 1 cup of liquid in total. Mix them well then lid on, bring to boil then braise for 10 minutes in medium heat, flip and stir once or twice when braising;
5. Mix 1tsp of cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water, add the slurry in and keep pan-frying in high heat; put in Chinese celery, toss the wok and mix well;
6. You could serve now but for a better taste and consistent heat, heat a small claypot or cast iron pot, put in the braised tofu, drizzle a few more drops of cooking wine into the edge of the pot, then serve right away.
用料 –
- 硬豆腐 2块，约800克
- 广式腊肠 1根
- 花菇 2个
- 虾米 1汤匙
- 小鱼干 5条（选用）
- 唐芹 一小把
- 红萝卜 100克
- 姜 10克
- 蚝油 2汤匙
- 生抽 2汤匙
- 料酒 2汤匙
- 生粉 1茶匙
- 糖 1茶匙
做法 –
- 备料 – 用稍硬的豆腐炆煮的过程中不容易破，这个分量的豆腐是4人份，切成约一厘米厚的片；唐芹切段没有唐芹的朋友可以用芫茜代替；小咸鱼干选用，用水冲走表面盐分；花菇泡约2小时至泡软，切片；虾米泡几分钟；泡过花菇和虾米的水保留；腊肠、胡萝卜、姜，切片；
- 豆腐用中大火煎至两面金黄，用不粘锅比较好操作；
- 转大炒锅。热锅放2汤匙油，中火分别炒香冬菇、鱼干和虾米、腊肠，放胡萝卜和姜片炒香；
- 放入豆腐，颠锅炒均匀；
- 调味 – 放入蚝油、生抽、一点糖，倒进泡花菇和虾米的水，再加一点水，约1量杯。放入料酒后盖上锅盖大火煮沸后转中火炆煮10分钟；
- 开一点生粉水收汁；
- 放入唐芹段，大火翻炒均匀；
- 热一个瓦煲或铁锅，倒入豆腐，锅边淋一点米酒，即可上桌。
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