(Chinese recipes, prepare authentic Chinese food now!)
This time of year when the days are short and the nights are cold, I turn to claypot cooking for warmth and comfort. Be it claypot bak kut teh, claypot chicken rice, stews, or soups, claypot somehow adds that earthy aroma to the dish I cook and make the food a lot more appealing just because it’s cooked and served in a claypot. This claypot full of braised bean curd/firm tofu (in the US, bean curd is marketed as firm tofu at the grocery stores) with mushrooms is no exception. In a way, claypot cooking is like a fireplace; it gives you that warm cozy feeling…
I have many recipes to share when it comes to braised tofu–there are just endless possibilities. You can play with the different protein, be it pork, chicken, or seafood. You can also throw in different vegetables and mushrooms you like–napa cabbage, carrots, bok choy, dried shitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, enoki, and the list goes on. And then there is the sauce: soy sauce, oyster sauce, with beaten egg, or without it. As I said earlier, endless possibilities and all delicious.
My creation was a bit spontaneous. I had some leftover ground pork but no vegetables in the fridge, so this is my simple dish. Oh yeah, this braised bean curd with mushrooms made my stomach all warm and cozy, despite a cold night outside…
Rasa Malaysia Suggested Menus This braised bean curd (firm tofu) with mushrooms would go well with
- Stir-fried Brussels Sprouts with Dried Sole Fish
- Pork Rib and Lotus Root Soup
- Assam Pedas Fish (Malaysian Spicy Fish Curry)
For more menu ideas, please click here for Rasa Malaysia Recipe Index.
Ingredients:
1 box firm tofu or 1 block bean curd
1/4 pound groud pork
5 shitake mushrooms (soaked in warm water for 20-30 minutes)
1 stalk scallion (chopped)
1 tablespoon sweet dark soy sauce (ABC Kecap Manis)
1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons water + 1 teaspoon corn starch
1 tablespoon oil
2 cloves garlic (finely hopped)
A dash of white pepper
Method:
Cut the bean curd into pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Heat up your wok or deep fryer and add oil. Deep fry the bean curd until light to golden brown, dish out and drain with paper towels. Set aside.
Heat up the claypot and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir-fry the chopped garlic until aromatic and toss in the ground pork, do a quick stir before adding the mushrooms and the fried bean curd. Add all seasonings and water and cover the claypot with its cover. Lower the heat to low and let it braise for 15 minutes. Before serving, add in the corn starch mixture to thicken the sauce. Toss in the chopped scallion and serve immediately.
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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Oooh, that’s one thing I don’t have (well – actually, that’s one of many things I don’t have) a claypot! I love that dish and it looks incredibly delicious in the photo. Yum. You’re right, it’s perfect for a cold evening. That is serious comfort food. :) Beautiful.
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I don’t have those clay pots, but it sounds like a great way to warm up!
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Hi, it’s way cool you’re sharing these homey dishes to the entire world! I recently got converted to be a claypot user cos my boyfriend has two of them, one smaller one, i use to make steam rice for two, and the bigger one for anything like soup, stews… and right now my version of chicken nasi briyani is keeping warm and moist inside while I go for a run and back for dinner later :)
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Aah, a simple dish to lift the spirits. With steam and all, somemore! :-P
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I don’t have a claypot as well, but this and the chicken rice is next on my list to try. I’m seriously hungry!
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This looks delicious! It never occurred to me that you could braise tofu. Tofu is so versatile!
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great recipe… i have to try that in the clay pot over the weekend :) looks fabulous.
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Looks wonderfully warming. Have added ‘ABC Kecap Manis’ and a claypot to my never ending shopping list now. :-) I hope I can find both these things in an Asian store.
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That dish looks restaurant-quality. But I bet it tastes even better.
If I go out to eat and get claypot, it’s usually with beef tendon or with seafood. Tendon and squid just call out to be braised in this way.
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Every time I see clay pots in my Asian grocery, I’m so tempted to buy one, but I really don’t know how to cook with it. This recipe is a great start!
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Hi RM! your claypot tofu looks so delish! I love tofu dishes of any kind and this is really making me hungry!
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This looks really good! I have always wondered about clay pots. How do you cook with them? Do you place them directly on the stoves burner?
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yum! What a great idea. I used as similar recipe base before and make braised siew yoke with mushrooms instead. Can’t wait to try this as well. Thanks for sharing.
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It’s seriously great when you cook them in claypots; I always liked it better in claypots..keep em’ warm!:D
I really love the mushrooms and beancurd; without the pork (that’s just my picky self:p)
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I should never read your blog again when I’m hungry!
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Haven’t been over for awhile, so sorry! But what a nice meal of clay pot bean curd and mushrooms to greet me! Yums! :D
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I want this for dinner tonight!
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How come you’re cooking all my favourite food of late??? Hehehe…
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I love braised bean curd with mixed vegetables in the claypot!! yum!
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The mushrooms look rather voluptuous and begs to be eaten :)
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I don’t have a claypot! And the winter in Taiwan is not as cold as in the US.
You just inspired me to try this since the ingredients are so simple and the combination with tofu can be so forgiving. Just in time for me, esp when I’m still trying to find ingredients in the supermarket here in Taiwan (the choices for ingredients are not as great as in the US, IMO).
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this looks beautiful in the claypot. great dish, i’m sure it’s delicious.
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I take just the mushrooms, can ah? :o)
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RM – I love claypot cooking and your photo is making me hungry! What is more comforting than tofu made this way? You’ve inspired me to pick up my claypot.
And thank you for all your good work with Menu for Hope. I think it’s going to be another successful year.
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Ohhh I love this!! Tofu and mushrooms are two of my favorite food. I’m bookmarking this and will try it very soon. Thanks!
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Oh no! I don’t have a claypot. Do I need to change anything when making this?
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I made your braised bean curd with mushrooms after I bought the claypot and they are so divine! Your breaised bean curd with mushrooms recipe is definitely a keeper.
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Rasa M, you are such a genious. I found your blog by accident (when I was searching for beef rendang recipe via google), but you’ve got all the Chinese recipes that I wanted. And I liked the fact that the ingredients are easy to find… oh I think my partner will love me even more when I surprise him with his favourite Chinese food at home.
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I didn’t cook this with the claypot but it still taste superb yummy. Especially on a cold day.. I love it
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Hi Rasa
Here’s my attempt. Hope you don’t mind me referencing you?
http://shrestaurants.blogspot.com/2009/11/claypot-tofu-with-mushrooms.html
Nice recipe – I need to find an authentic Clay Pot!
Steve
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