Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp (Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky)

Tau Hu Ky, or fried shrimp wrapped with bean curd skin is a must-have appetizer for me whenever I go to Vietnamese restaurants. The reasons are very obvious:

1) I love bean curd products, especially bean curd skins;

2) I live to eat shrimp (check my recipe index and you will know what I mean);

3) Bean curd skins + shrimp + deep fried to oily golden glory, need I say more?

I believe Tau Hu Ky is the Vietnamese adaptation of a similar Chinese appetizer 鲜虾腐皮卷 or fried shrimp rolls which are commonly available as dim sum.

While I love the Chinese version (come with a black vinegar dipping sauce), I also adore Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky.

The main difference is the texture of the filling: Tau Hu Ky uses ground shrimp emulsion instead of chopped shrimp. Egg whites are added to the filling to make it fluffy and light…

Now, I am calling your attention to that little basil leaf on the plate! That’s my first ever herb garden in a pot.

Straight from Home Depot, I hope this pretty plant will flourish in my hands. The idea of being able to pluck the leaves for garnishing and cooking is too exciting.

Anyway, here is the recipe for Tau Hu Ky, adapted from my Vietnamese Cha Tom hors d’oeuvres.

How Many Calories per Serving?

This recipe is only 139 calories per serving.

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?

For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp (Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky)

Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls)

Pad See Ew

Vietnamese BBQ Shrimp Vermicelli

Yield: 4 people

Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp (Vietnamese Tau Hu Ky)

Print

Tau Hu Ky - fried shrimp wrapped with bean curd skin.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound (0.4 kg) raw shrimp, smaller shrimp
• dry bean curd skin, cut into 6 in. x 9 in. pieces; 4 pieces
• 1 clove garlic 3 thin slices fresh ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1 egg white, beaten until frothy
• 1 stalk scallion, finely chopped
• 2 dashes white pepper powder
• 2 teaspoons lard or cooking oil

Instructions

1. Rinse and devein the shrimp.
2. Dry the shrimp thoroughly with paper towels.
3. Put the shrimp, ginger, garlic, white pepper, lard into a food processor and blend well to form a paste.
4. Transfer the shrimp paste into a bowl.
5. Beat the egg white with an electronic hand beater until frothy.
6. Combine the shrimp paste with beaten egg white and blend well with hand.
7. Add finely chopped scallion to the shrimp paste.
8. Divide the shrimp paste into four equal portions.
9. On a chopping board, use a damp towel to wipe the surface of the dry bean curd skin until it's soft for wrapping.
10. Put the shrimp paste in the middle bottom of the bean curd skin and roll it into a 4 in. by 3 in. pieces. Seal and hold the sides and edges with some shrimp paste.
11. Heat up a wok of oil and fry them until golden brown.
12. Cut the Tau Hu Ky into bite size pieces and serve with garlic chili sauce.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

4 people
Amount Per Serving Calories 139Total Fat 3gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 285mgSodium 966mgCarbohydrates 1gProtein 24g