Kitchen Recipe Collection
Home-style Braised Tofu (Jia Chang Dou Fu)
The quintessential Chinese home-cooked dish. Triangles of firm tofu are pan-fried until golden, then braised in a savory, slightly spicy sauce with pork, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- Chinese
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- 1 block (400g) firm tofu, cut into large triangles or squares
- 100g pork belly or ground pork, thinly sliced
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated and sliced
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 tbsp Doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
- Oil for pan-frying
Equipment
- Large non-stick pan or wok
Instructions
- 1
Dry the Tofu
Pat the tofu triangles completely dry with paper towels. (Wet tofu will splatter violently in hot oil).
- 2
Pan-fry Tofu
Heat oil in a pan. Fry the tofu over medium-high heat until golden brown and a skin forms on both sides. Remove and set aside.
- 3
Fry Pork
Leave a little oil in the wok. Add the pork belly or ground pork and fry until browned and the fat is rendered.
- 4
Add Aromatics
Add the minced garlic and the Doubanjiang (chili bean paste). Fry for 30 seconds until the oil turns red.
- 5
Sauté Vegetables
Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Toss for 1 minute.
- 6
Return Tofu
Gently place the fried tofu back into the wok.
- 7
Add Liquids
Pour in the chicken broth, soy sauce, and sugar.
- 8
Braise
Bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low, cover, and let the tofu simmer in the broth for 5 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- 9
Add Peppers
Remove the lid and add the green bell peppers.
- 10
Thicken Sauce
Stir the cornstarch slurry and pour it into the wok.
- 11
Glaze
Gently toss the contents until the sauce thickens and coats the tofu in a glossy, savory glaze.
- 12
Serve
Serve immediately over hot steamed rice.
Cooking Tips
- Pan-frying the tofu first creates a porous, sponge-like skin that soaks up the braising liquid beautifully.
- Do not stir the wok violently after the tofu is returned, or you will break the delicate tofu triangles. Use a gentle folding motion.
Variations
- Vegetarian Version: Simply omit the pork and use vegetable broth; the Doubanjiang provides more than enough flavor.
Nutrition Estimate
280 calories · 18g protein · 12g carbs · 18g fat · 3g fiber per serving
