Tofu with minced pork is perfect for a quick and easy meal. The silky texture of the tofu perfectly balances the savory flavor of the meat. Simply start with store-bought ground meat and tofu, and in just 15 minutes, you’ll have a delicious meal.

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Tofu with minced pork- an easy recipe in just 4 steps

Below are the steps to prepare tofu with minced pork topping, a home-cooked tofu recipe well-accepted among the Chinese in Malaysia.

Step 1- Prepare the ingredients

1. Soak the mushroom. First, soak the dry Chinese mushrooms in water for at least an hour. The dry shiitake mushrooms will rehydrate and become soft, making them easy to cut into small dice.
2. Mince the meat, The best method is to mince the meat manually with a cleaver, but you may want to use a food processor. The texture of mincing is different from blending it with the machine. I use pork in this recipe. It is best to use fatty ground pork with about 20% fat to make it more tender. (Ground chicken is the perfect alternative for those who do not eat pork, but the meat is dryer.)
3. Mix two tablespoons of vegetable oil and a half teaspoon of cornflour into the minced meat and set aside. Mincemeat that mix with vegetable oil and cornflour has a smoother texture.

Step 2- Deep fry the tofu for extra flavor and texture

1. Remove the firm tofu carefully from the box and gently place it in a deep-frying basket. I deep-fried it in the preheated oil for about five minutes or until golden brown. This method is my favorite for preparing tofu dishes. It creates a layer of chewy ‘skin’ on the surface, contrasting the tofu’s soft texture.
2. Place the tofu into a deep fryer basket and deep-fry at 190°C/375°F until golden brown. Since tofu contains plenty of water, it will take longer to turn brown than frying chicken or fish. The oil must be hot enough to dry out the outer layer quickly to form a thin and crispy ‘skin,’ which effectively keeps the tofu’s moisture from seeping out.
3. Deep-frying also adds extra flavor to the tofu. I particularly like the chewy ‘skin’ formed after deep frying, which has a different texture and flavor from the tofu.

Note: Use a non-stick pan with half an inch deep of oil to fry the tofu if you do not have a electric deep-fryer.

There are two tips I want to share with you while frying tofu:

• First, resist the temptation of moving the tofus in the frying basket too often, as they can break easily. You can hold the basket’s handle and shake it lightly to avoid it from sticking to the basket.
• If you do not have a frying basket, get one. Otherwise, pour the oil into a large skillet (preferably a non-stick one) to fry the tofu. Lightly move it around for the first minute to avoid the tofu sticking to the bottom. This is a better way to cook at home as it involves less oil.

Step 3- Make the meat sauce

1. Saute the garlic and onion in vegetable oil over low heat until they turn aromatic. Since garlic browns faster than onion due to its higher water content, saute the onion first and then add the chopped garlic after a minute.
2. Next, add minced meat to the garlic, onion, and stir-fry over low heat.
3. Next, add the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, a dash of ground pepper, and 1/4 cup of water.
4. It will easily stick to the wok/saucepan over high heat. Once the meat is no longer sticky, you can crank up the heat for another minute.
5. Next, add the mushrooms and the rest of the ingredients. Stir and mix until it turns into a thick sauce.

Step 4- Plating and garnishing

1. Pour the hot sauce over the tofu. Garnish with some cut scallion ( also called green onion and spring onions) and chili. They have a crisp texture, much like lettuce, which is a welcome addition to the subtle flavor of the meat sauce.
2. You can also sprinkle some fried shallots on the meat sauce before serving. They have a distinct flavor and perfectly complement the taste of tofu.

Bonus: Steam and braise the tofu with minced pork (no deep-frying required)

The recipe above requires deep-frying the tofu. However, if you dislike deep-fried food, consider steaming or braising the tofu. I have included these alternative methods for your reference.

a. Steam

Since the tofu is already cooked when purchased, you can serve it by pouring the hot meat sauce directly on it. If you are concerned about the safety of eating the tofu without cooking, steam the tofu for five minutes. When placed on a plate, the tofu releases more water. To avoid this, put the tofu on a plate for about ten minutes before adding the sauce. Then, pour out any excess water before serving.

b. Braising

You can also make the mapo tofu, which does involve deep-frying  To prepare mapo tofu, braise it with the meat sauce rather than using it as the topping. The tofu is usually cut into smaller cubes and mixed with the sauce. As a result, the tofu will often break down into smaller pieces when mixed with the sauce. In addition, the flavor of the meat sauce will be absorbed by the tofu. 

Mapo tofu is one typical example of braised tofu. You can check out my mapo tofu recipe for a detailed explanation.

Cooking tips for the best minced pork with tofu

• There isn’t any fixed rule about which types of tofu are in the recipe. You can use any kind you prefer, like cooking pasta with a creamy sauce. However, handling tofu with a firm texture is easier, as it is not likely to break.  You may have other choices at where you stay. Explore and look at the results with different types of tofu. If you forget to soak the mushrooms in advance, you can use hot water to speed up the rehydration process.
• Do not throw away the water after soaking the mushrooms. It has all the aroma of mushrooms. Keep the water after soaking and use it to cook the meat sauce later.
• I’m using silken tofu in this recipe. It is pretty soft, so you have to be extra careful when handling it. Alternatively, you can use any soft tofu, regular tofu, or egg tofu for this recipe. Tofu can be easily purchased from Asian grocery stores.
• This meat sauce is a nonspicy Cantonese-style sauce. You can make a spicy Szechuan-style sauce by adding some Sichuan peppercorns, chili bean paste, chili peppers, and vinegar.
• Some other common ingredients for the tofu with minced pork recipe include fermented soybean paste and broad bean paste, which give the dish a much stronger savory taste.
• You can also include some Chinese pickles, which will give a sharp contrast to the subtle taste of the meat. As for the French beans, it provides a crunchy feeling and freshness to the dish.

The best way to serve tofu with minced pork

Tofu with minced pork is best served with a bowl of fluffy white rice. It is a forgiving dish that tastes fabulous even if you make a mistake.

How was tofu invented?

And do you know that tofu (bean curd) has an ancient history dating back two thousand years? Legend has it that Lord Liu An 劉安, a Han Dynasty prince, invented tofu around 160 BC. The earliest evidence of tofu production was found on the mural incised on a stone slab. Another theory states that tofu was an accidental discovery. Ground soybeans were mixed with sea salt, and the salt’s minerals caused the soy mixture to curdle and become a tofu-like gel.

Now it is your turn to decide. Do you prefer to use the meat sauce as the topping or braise the tofu? Let me know by leaving your comment below.

The Tofu with Minced Pork Recipe