Chinese Stuffed Tofu – Hakka Style

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Many dishes that we eat at home are Hakka inspired because of my grandma. Hakka is a Chinese ethnic group in southern China and some of the traditional dishes include steamed eggplant and stuffed peppers. When we stuff tofu, peppers, and eggplant, we usually use a pork and shrimp filling. But since we already did that for jalapenos, I wanted to show you a shrimp paste version!

This simple dish tastes sweet and savory! Its so silky smooth from the tofu and sauce added on top. You can eat this by itself or with rice and vegetables. Hope you enjoy this classic Hakka style dish!

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR STUFFED TOFU:

• egg tofu (firm tofu works great too!)
• large shrimp
• salt
• sugar
• white pepper
• corn starch
• olive oil
• green onion

sauce:

• water
• oyster sauce
• soy sauce
• corn starch
• chicken bouillon (optional, can sub with salt)

STEPS TO MAKE THE STUFFED TOFU

1. Chop and mince shrimp until it becomes a paste.
2. In a large bowl, add shrimp paste, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp corn starch, 1/2 tbs olive oil, and sliced green onions. Mix until well combined and set aside.
3. Slice egg tofu 2 inches thick. Gently place on a steaming plate. Using a small spoon, scoop little bit out of the center. You can eat the leftover tofu or use it in soup 🙂
4. Sprinkle little bit of corn starch on the tofu. This helps the filling stick to the tofu. Place 1 teaspoon of shrimp filling to the center of the tofu and gently press it down (helps the filling stick more!).
5. Steam the tofu on high heat for 7-8 minutes.
6. While the tofu is steaming, you can make the delicious sauce. In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tbs oyster sauce, 1/2 tbs soy sauce, 1/2 tbs oyster sauce, 2 tsp corn starch, and 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon until well combined. Add sauce to small pot and heat on low-medium heat. Continuously stir until the sauce has thickened. Its done when it has a thicker consistency (3-4 minutes).
7. Add sauce on the hot stuffed tofu and hope you enjoy!

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