Claypot Bean Curd 瓦煲豆腐

Ingredients

• 4 blockssemi-firm bean curd
• 100 groast pork, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 100 gmedium prawns, shelled
• 4mushrooms, soaked
• 1 tspminced garlic
• 5 slicesyoung ginger
• 1red onion, cut into wedges
• 50 gcarrot, cut into florets
• 50 gsnow peas, trimmed
• 1 tbspoyster sauce
• 1 tsplight soy sauce
• 1/4 tspsalt
• 1/4 tspground white pepper
• 150 mlwater
• 1 tspcornflour
• 2 tbspwater

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare ingredients

   Gather the ingredients. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms until soft, then drain them well. Mince the garlic, peel and thinly slice the ginger, cut the onion into wedges and the carrot into florets. Trim both ends of the snow peas at an angle and pull away the tough side strings. Cut the roast pork into thick pieces, about 2 cm wide. Shell and devein the prawns, then marinate them with a little salt and sugar. Rinse the bean curd and cut it into cubes.

2. 2

   Fry the tofu

   Heat 100 ml of oil in a wok over high heat. Shake excess flour from the tofu, then carefully deep-fry it in small batches until golden. Drain on a kitchen-towel-lined strainer and set aside.

3. 3

   Mix the sauce

   Combine the sauce seasonings in a bowl or measuring jug and set aside. Mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp water to make a smooth thickening mixture.

4. 4

   Cook the aromatics

   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a claypot. Add the garlic, onion and ginger and sauté until aromatic.

5. 5

   Add fillings

   Add the marinated prawns, roast pork and soaked mushrooms, then stir-fry briefly. Add the carrots followed by the snow peas, and fry for about 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Simmer together

   Pour in the sauce and stir. Add the fried bean curd and gently turn it through, taking care not to break it. Cook for another 2 minutes and bring the sauce to the boil.

7. 7

   Thicken and serve

   Stir in the cornflour mixture to thicken the sauce. Cover the claypot and remove it from the heat. Serve in the claypot with hot rice.

What is claypot bean curd?

Claypot bean curd, or 瓦煲豆腐, is a Chinese-style combination of tofu, meat, seafood and vegetables cooked in a savoury sauce and served in a claypot. Claypot dishes are valued for their comforting, warm presentation at the table.

This version pairs crisp-edged fried tofu with prawns, roast pork and mushrooms. The sauce brings the components together, while snow peas and carrots add colour and contrasting texture.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 390 calories, 25g protein, 17g carbs, 25g fat.

Tofu, prawns and roast pork provide most of the protein, while the tofu and frying oil contribute much of the fat. Rice is not included in the listed ingredients, so most of the dish’s carbohydrates come from the vegetables and sauce; serve with a measured portion of rice and add extra vegetables if you want a more balanced plate.

Choosing the tofu

Semi-firm bean curd is sturdy enough to cube and fry, yet tender once coated in sauce. Handle it gently after frying so the pieces keep their shape.

Golden edges help the tofu hold up in the final simmer. Fry in small batches so the pieces have room to brown rather than crowding together.

Build the savoury base

Aromatics: sauté the garlic, onion and ginger first, until fragrant, to create the base for the sauce.

Mushrooms and pork: soaked mushrooms and roast pork bring savoury depth, while the prawns cook quickly and add a tender seafood element.

Keep the vegetables lively

The method adds carrots before snow peas, then cooks them together for about 5 minutes. Add the peas last in that sequence so they are less likely to lose their crisp bite.

Cut the carrot into small florets and trim away the snow peas’ tough strings. That makes the vegetables easier to eat and helps them cook evenly.

Get the sauce texture right

Stir the cornflour into the measured water until smooth before adding it to the pot. Pour it in once the sauce is boiling, stirring gently so it thickens without forming lumps.

The sauce should cling lightly to the tofu and other ingredients. Add the tofu carefully and avoid vigorous stirring, which can break the cubes.

Serve straight from the pot

The covered claypot keeps the dish warm for serving, so bring it to the table with care and use a heatproof surface. Serve it with steaming hot rice to make a complete meal.

Because the tofu is soft inside and the vegetables are at their best freshly cooked, serve soon after thickening the sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Drain the soaked mushrooms well so excess water does not dilute the sauce.
• Pat the tofu dry before frying to reduce splattering.
• Fry the tofu in small batches to help it brown evenly.
• Prepare the cornflour mixture before you start cooking so it is ready when the sauce boils.
• Turn the tofu gently with a wide spoon to keep the cubes intact.
• Serve the dish promptly while the tofu is warm and the snow peas still have some bite.

Variations

• Use shiitake mushrooms: choose them for a fuller mushroom flavour.
• Add more vegetables: increase the carrots or snow peas while keeping the cooking order.
• Adjust the sauce: add a little more light soy sauce for a saltier finish.
• Make it seafood-focused: replace some of the roast pork with extra prawns.
• Serve without a claypot: finish the dish in a covered, heavy-based pan.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the wok: the tofu browns less evenly, so fry it in small batches.
• Skipping the draining step: excess water from the mushrooms can thin the sauce, so drain them well.
• Over-stirring the tofu: the cubes can break apart, so fold them through gently.
• Adding the cornflour dry: it can form lumps, so mix it with water first.
• Cooking the snow peas too long: they lose their crispness, so add them after the carrots.
• Serving too late: the vegetables soften as they stand, so bring the finished dish to the table promptly.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened; the tofu will be softer after storage.

Frequently asked questions