Pipa Tofu Recipe
When it comes to food, whether you want to do a vegetarian dish, friendly party, family night out or a stay at home family dinner you can never go wrong with the Chinese recipe. This is because there are many kinds of meals associated with this culture and invention of new ones happen every day.
Servings 2
Ingredients
- 250 grams white tofu
- 2 tablespoon chopped mushroom
- Minced prawns
- 2 tablespoon chopped carrots
- A large egg-white
- Ground white pepper
- 3 tablespoon of potato flour
- 400 ml cooking flour
To make the sauce
- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms
- A spring onion
- Peeled ginger slices
- Few carrots slice
- A vegetarian stock/ mushroom-soaked water
- Red chilli slices
- A tablespoon of Shaoxing/sherry wine
- 2 tablespoons dark and light soy sauce
- Potato flour mixed in one tablespoon of water
- A tablespoon of sesame oil
Instructions
- Take one cup of warm water and soak in the mushroom for about 30 minutes. Then drain the water in a clean cup and reserve for use in making the sauce. Take the soaked mushrooms and finely chop while you slice a few others.
- In a food processor, mash the tofu to a paste and place in a clean bowl. Mix the chopped mushroom, flour, carrots, cilantro, egg white salt and pepper. Ensure you mix it thoroughly and scoop a spoonful to mould into the shape of a pipa. Place on a plate and pinch one side to enhance the shape.
- Meanwhile, cut the green part of the onions into 4 cm length and the white parts diagonally.
- I prefer steaming the tofu for about 5 minutes in a steamer to drain off the excess water which you will later use as stock.
- After the steaming process, let the tofu cool for a little while then lightly coat them with plain flour.
- Heat your oil in a wok and deep fry the tofu until they are golden brown in colour. Since you steamed the tofu, you only need to have the crispy outward texture. Remove from the hot oil and place on a bowl/plate with paper towel to drain off the excess oil.
- Drain off the remaining oil and clean the wok. Now, we are going to make the sauce.
- Place your wok or saucepan on the stove, pour 2 tablespoons of fresh oil. Stir-fry the ginger, mushrooms and the veggies you have. Add either the mushroom water or the stock that you made to the stir-fried vegetables.
- Let it simmer then add either your Shaoxing wine or sherry, soy sauces, salt and pepper. Continue to simmer. Add your stirred potato flour to the mixture as you continue to stir and check for your desired consistency.
- For garnishing and flavour enhancement add the green parts of the spring onions. Continue stirring for about a minute then add the sesame oil stir and remove from the heat sauce.