Chinese🥚 Egg & tofu

Pipa Tofu (Tofu Nuggets)

Name: Pipa Tofu (Tofu Nuggets)
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 10 oz bok choy (or vegetable of choice); 4 oz shrimp; ~1 block medium-firm tofu; ~2 tbsp shallots; 2 tbsp flour; 2 tbsp cornstarch; ¼ tsp white pepper; 1 tsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 1 egg; 1 tsp sesame oil; 2 tbsp oyster sauce (for sauce); 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp dark soy sauce; 4 tbsp water; ~1 tsp oil (for blanching vegetables); 12 oz oil for deep-frying; 1 tsp cornstarch (for thickening sauce); 2 tbsp water (for slurry)

⏱ 45 min

An innovative tofu dish that combines silken and firm tofu with shrimp paste, shaped like the Chinese pipa lute, and double-fried to achieve a crispy exterior. This savory, crunchy delight will impress even the pickiest of eaters.

Adapted from a video by Made With Lau

😜 Don’t make this if you like bland tofu (琵琶豆腐)

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

bok choy (or vegetable of choice)10 oz
shrimp4 oz
medium-firm tofu~1 blockest.
shallots~2 tbspest.
flour2 tbsp
cornstarch2 tbsp
white pepper¼ tsp
sugar1 tsp
salt1 tsp
chicken bouillon powder

Steps

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1
Prepare the vegetables and shrimp: quarter the bok choy. Peel, devein, and rinse the shrimp, then butterfly-cut it from the back and squeeze out excess water.
2
Prepare the tofu: use a clean towel to pat dry the tofu to remove excess moisture. Mince the shallots finely. Using the flat of your knife blade with a push-and-pull motion, mash the tofu into a paste.
3
Mash the shrimp: use a slap-and-pull motion with the knife blade to break down the shrimp, then use the knife to chop and break up any stringiness until you have a smooth shrimp paste.
4
Combine the tofu and shrimp paste together. Add flour, cornstarch, white pepper, sugar, salt, chicken bouillon powder, oyster sauce, shallots, egg, and sesame oil. Mix and squeeze the ingredients together with your hands until everything is well combined.
5
Prepare the sauce: combine oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and water in a bowl, stir to mix, and set aside.
6
Blanch the vegetables: prepare a bowl of cold water with ice. Bring water to a boil, add a bit of oil and salt, then add the bok choy and cook for just 1 minute. Transfer immediately to the ice bath to shock and stop the cooking, keeping the vegetables bright green.
7
First fry: heat 12 oz of oil to about 325°F. Using soup spoons, form the tofu mixture into a pipa shape by packing and pressing it firmly. Carefully slide the tofu from the spoon into the oil using another spoon. Gently separate the pieces with chopsticks and deep-fry for about 3 minutes until golden brown. Repeat in batches until all the mixture is used.
8
Second fry: turn the heat to high and bring the oil temperature up to 400°F. Add all the fried tofu back into the oil and fry for about 1 minute to make it extra crispy and release excess oil. Remove and drain the tofu.
9
Cook the sauce: add a bit of oil to a pan and pour in the sauce mixture. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and water to make a slurry. On medium heat, when the sauce starts to bubble, slowly add the slurry while stirring. Stop when the sauce reaches the right consistency to coat the back of a spoon. Switch to high heat and continue stirring to prevent the sauce from seizing into a watery mess.
10
Plate and serve: arrange the blanched vegetables around the edge of the plate and pile the fried pipa tofu in the center. Pour the sauce over the tofu.

Pipa Tofu (Tofu Nuggets)

Ingredients

Steps

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