Braised Claypot Tofu with Assorted Vegetables (红烧砂锅豆腐)

Method17 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the dried shiitake mushrooms (4 medium), then soak in hot water for about 15 minutes until soft throughout; continue soaking if needed. Remove the tough stems and halve the caps. Keep the mushroom caps and clean soaking liquid separately for the braise.

   Check the soaking mushrooms · 15 minUses 4 medium dried shiitake mushrooms · Water, as needed to wash the mushrooms · Hot water, enough to soak the mushrooms

2. 2

   Step 2: Peel and wash the ginger (4), then cut the four thin slices needed for the stir-fry.

   Uses 4 ginger slices · Water, as needed to wash the peeled ginger

3. 3

   Step 3: Wash both capsicums, remove their stalks and seeds, and cut into 2 cm squares. If using parsley, wash it and keep it separately for the final garnish.

   Uses 1 small yellow capsicum · 1 small red capsicum · Optional 1 stalk parsley · Water, as needed to wash capsicums and optional parsley

4. 4

   Step 4: Pull the fibrous strings from both ends of the pea pods. Rinse, drain and set aside.

   Uses 6–8 edible sweet pea pods · Water, as needed to wash the pea pods

5. 5

   Step 5: Cut the ready cooked roast pork (200 g) into 2 cm pieces and set aside. This recipe starts with roast pork that has already been cooked separately.

   Uses 200 g ready cooked roast pork

6. 6

   Step 6: Mix the oyster sauce (1½ tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), dark soy sauce (½ tbsp), sauce cornstarch (1 tsp), Worcestershire sauce (1 tsp) and 250 ml sauce water until smooth. Keep this sauce ready before heating the wok.

   Uses 1½ tbsp oyster sauce · 1 tsp sugar · ½ tbsp dark soy sauce · 1 tsp sauce cornstarch · 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce · 250 ml sauce water

7. 7

   Step 7: If using the canned button mushrooms, drain and discard the can liquid. Rinse the eight mushrooms, leave small ones whole and halve any larger ones.

   Uses Optional 8 small canned button mushrooms · Water, as needed to rinse optional canned mushrooms

8. 8

   Step 8: Rinse the large block of firm tofu (1 large) and cut it into eight pieces.

   Uses 1 large block firm tofu · Water, as needed to rinse tofu

9. 9

   Step 9: Pat the tofu pieces thoroughly dry. Put the 2 tbsp coating cornstarch on a plate and coat each piece lightly. Keep any excess coating on the plate to discard after frying.

   Uses All eight tofu pieces drained in step 8 · 2 tbsp coating cornstarch allowance

10. 10

    Step 10: Heat the 100 ml oil in a wok. Shake excess coating from the tofu and lower pieces carefully into the hot oil in small batches. Fry until golden on both sides, then lift onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Retain the frying oil in the wok for the next stage; discard loose unused coating.

    Uses The eight coated tofu pieces from step 9, leaving loose excess coating behind · 100 ml tofu-frying oil

11. 11

    Step 11: Turn off the heat and let the oil cool enough to handle safely. Pour surplus oil into a heatproof bowl, leaving exactly 2 tbsp of the same frying oil in the wok. Return the wok to medium heat and fry the prepared ginger until fragrant. Keep the fried tofu aside.

    Uses The frying oil retained in step 10, with fried tofu kept aside · All four ginger slices from step 2

12. 12

    Step 12: Add the prepared roast pork to the ginger and retained oil, and fry until fragrant.

    Uses All the ginger and retained 2 tbsp oil from step 11 · All the roast pork pieces from step 5

13. 13

    Step 13: Add the drained shiitake caps, optional drained button mushrooms, capsicum squares and pea pods. Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

    Fry the mushrooms and vegetables · 5 minUses All the pork, ginger and oil from step 12 · All the shiitake caps from step 1, keeping soaking liquid aside · The optional mushrooms drained in step 7 · All the capsicum squares from step 3, keeping any parsley aside · All the pea pods drained in step 4

14. 14

    Step 14: Stir the prepared sauce again, then add it and the clean reserved mushroom soaking liquid to the stir-fry. Add the ½ tsp salt and dash of pepper and stir well.

    Uses All the stir-fry from step 13 · The clean soaking liquid reserved in step 1, without the mushroom caps · All the sauce mixed in step 6 · ½ tsp salt · A dash of pepper

15. 15

    Step 15: Add the golden fried tofu to the sauce and fold it through gently without breaking the pieces.

    Uses All the sauced mixture from step 14 · All the fried tofu lifted out in step 10, without the frying oil

16. 16

    Step 16: Transfer to a claypot suitable for direct stovetop heat. Heat over medium-low until the sauce bubbles, then maintain a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes, checking that the tofu and vegetables are hot through and the ready cooked pork reaches 74°C (165°F). Serve once everything is fully heated; continue gently if needed.

    Check the simmered claypot tofu · 10 minUses All the claypot mixture from step 15

17. 17

    Step 17: Serve the hot braised tofu in its claypot. Garnish with the optional washed parsley and accompany with ready steamed rice as desired.

    Uses All the fully heated claypot mixture from step 16 · The optional parsley prepared in step 3, with capsicums already used · Ready steamed rice, as desired