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How to make stuffed Tofu Puffs – Authentic Guangxi recipe

What are Guangxi stuffed tofu puffs (广西釀豆腐卜)?

The tofu puffs are stuffed with minced meat with Chinese chives.  The chives add a unique flavor that distinguishes it from similar dishes from other regions.

The mouthfeel of the tofu puffs that is porous and chewy is so unique! 

The meat, chives, and broth flavor are absorbed into the tofu puffs, which act like a sponge to soak up all the goodness, making it exceptionally tasty.

I will explain how to prepare the Guangxi tofu puffs, the Malaysian version, inspired by what I regularly order from a local restaurant called Canton Kitchen. 

Let’s get started right away!

Stuffed tofu puffs with Chiese chives, minced meat and fish paste is the classic Chinese recipe from Guangxi.

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A. Prepare the stuffing

  1. Get some minced pork from the butcher, or buy the cut of pork of your choice to mince it yourself. I suggest using pork belly or shoulder loin with some fat, making the stuffing more tender. Please read the note section for a pork-free version.
  2. In Malaysia, you can purchase fish paste from the wet market. Otherwise, you can buy any fish, fillet it, and scrape the meat. The meat must be free from bones and not include skin. Please read the note section.
  3. Cut the Chinese chives into short sections, about a quarter cm in length.
  4. Place the Chinese chives, minced meat, and fish paste in a large mixing bowl.
  5. Add the following seasonings: light soy sauce, ground white pepper, salt, and sesame oil. Some other seasonings you can include (not in my recipe) are fish sauce and taucu.
  6. Include some cornstarch as the binding agent, then combine all the ingredients thoroughly.

Note

  • Keep the tofu puffs in the freezer if you’re not using them. When you want to make the stuffed tofu puffs, remove them from the freezer to let them return to room temperature before using them to stuff the filling.
  • The stuffing for Guangxi-style stuffed tofu puffs always includes Chinese chives. It is an indispensable ingredient.
  • Besides that, you can also add other ingredients to the filling. For example, some recipes add green onions (spring onion), carrots, green peas, and shitake mushrooms. However, I want to keep the recipe simple with only Chinese chive, minced pork, and fish paste as the main ingredients.
  • Pork-free version: You can substitute pork with chicken breast meat. I suggest adding some finely chopped chicken skin to make it less dry. 
  • Parang fish (西刀鱼/Wolfhering) is the most common type of fish to make the fish paste. However, wolf herring has many bones, so buying the ready-made fish paste from the market will save you time. Another fish used locally is the yellowtail (豆腐鱼), which has fewer bones.
Stuffed tofu puffs with Chiese chives, minced meat and fish paste is the classic Chinese recipe from Guangxi.

B. Stuff the tofu puffs

  1. Make a slit on the surface of the tofu puff with a pair of scissors or a small knife.
  2. Stuff as much meat filling into the cavity of the tofu puff. The puff is porous and hollow, so you can stuff quite a lot of filling inside.

Note

  • Tofu puff is not the same as tofu cubes, nor is it merely puffed tofu. Instead, it has a porous texture and delivers a different mouthfeel. In addition, the porous structure acts as a sponge to soak up any flavor from other ingredients.
  • Tofu puff is available in all wet markets and grocery stores in Malaysia. You can get it at Asian markets, most likely in the refrigerated section if you live outside Asia.

C. Simmer with a broth

There are two ways to cook the tofu puffs. I prefer to put the tofu puffs on a large metal plate, then add the broth and steam it for fifteen minutes. Other people prefer to put it in a pot or large skillet to braise it with the broth over medium-high heat. Both methods will yield the same result.

The simplest method to prepare the broth is to use store-bought chicken broth as the base.

  1. Bring the chicken broth and an equal amount of water in a pot to a boil.
  2. Season the broth with light soy sauce, ground white pepper, and salt.
  3. Place the stuffed tofu puffs into the broth, with the amount at least enough to submerge half the tofu puff.
  4. Cover and steam the stuffed tofu puffs until fully cooked, which takes about fifteen minutes.

D. How to serve the Guangxi stuffed tofu puffs?

Place the Guangxi stuffed tofu puffs on a plate, then pour the broth on it to serve. I like to eat it with steamed rice and sometimes just enjoy it as a standalone dish.

You can also serve it with a hot sauce for dipping if you like.

E. Other ways to cook tofu puffs:

Here are some other suggestions to cook tofu puffs:

  1. It can be part of the ingredients for hot pots besides tofu, meat, and other vegetables.
  2. Another great way to cook tofu puffs is to make vegetable curry. It will soak up all the curry flavor and is exceptionally delicious.
  3. Be part of the ingredients for braised tofu and vegetable.
  4. Fry the stuffed tofu as part of the assortment in making Yong Tau Foo. Remember to drain on paper towels to remove the excess oil, as the tofu puffs will soak up plenty of oil.
Guangxi stuffed tofu puff recipe 1

How to make stuffed Tofu Puff

Yield: 24
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

What is Guangxi stuffed tofu puff (广西釀豆腐卜)?

It is the tofu puff stuffed with minced meat, with Chinese chives added for a unique flavor that sets it apart from other similar dishes from other regions.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Place the Chinese chives, minced meat, and fish paste in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the light soy sauce, ground white pepper, salt, sesame oil, and cornstarch, then combine all the ingredients thoroughly.
  3. Make a slit on the surface of the tofu puff with a pair of scissors or a small knife.
  4. Stuff as much meat filling into the cavity of the tofu puff. 
  5. Bring the chicken broth and an equal amount of water in a pot to a boil.
  6. Season the broth with light soy sauce, ground white pepper, and salt.
  7. Place the stuffed tofu puffs into the broth, with the amount at least enough to submerge half the tofu puff.
  8. Cover and steam the stuffed tofu puffs until fully cooked, which takes about fifteen minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 426Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 177mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 51g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 15/7/2022

Tiffany

Tuesday 28th of February 2023

Sooo delicious. I love tofu puffs. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

sof

Wednesday 28th of September 2022

the nutritional facts per servings for how many pieces? isnt it too high for 1 piece?

KP Kwan

Saturday 16th of July 2022

Hi, this is KP Kwan. I am happy to see you in this comment area, as you have read through my recipe. I am glad to reply to any questions and comments as soon as possible.

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