Braised Pan-Fried Tofu

Other★★ Intermediate13min

Prep 5m ·
Cook 8m ·
2 Servings

Course

Cuisine

Occasion

IngredientsWhat you'll need for Braised Pan-Fried Tofu

Ingredient Amount Notes
soft tofu 1
egg 1
garlic sprouts 1
garlic 3 cloves
shallot 1
bird's eye chili 2
white sugar 1
light soy sauce 1
oyster sauce 2
white pepper powder a pinch
water 5
cooking oil as needed

Braised Pan-Fried Tofu

Ingredients

  • 1 soft tofu
  • 1 egg
  • 1 garlic sprouts
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 shallot
  • 2 bird's eye chili
  • 1 white sugar
  • 1 light soy sauce
  • 2 oyster sauce
  • a pinch white pepper powder
  • 5 water
  • as needed cooking oil

Instructions

  1. All ingredients assembled.
  2. Prepare the aromatics: slice the bird's eye chilies into rings, mince the garlic, mince the shallot, and dice the garlic sprouts.
  3. Prepare the sauce: 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1g sugar, a pinch of white pepper, and 5 tablespoons water. Mix well and set aside.
  4. Cut the tofu diagonally into triangles. Triangles are easier to flip since soft tofu is very delicate.
  5. Slice the tofu into pieces.
  6. Crack an egg into a flat plate and beat it. Dip the tofu slices in the egg, shaking the plate to coat them evenly.
  7. Heat oil in a wok and pan-fry the tofu over low heat. Don't rush to flip — wait patiently until golden before turning.
  8. Fry until both sides are golden.
  9. Remove and set aside.
  10. Leave the base oil in the wok. Add the minced garlic, minced shallot, and chili rings. Stir-fry over low heat until fragrant.
  11. Add the tofu back and gently push it around to absorb the aromatics.
  12. Pour in the sauce and gently push the tofu to coat evenly. Cover with a lid and braise over low heat for 8 minutes.
  13. When the sauce has thickened, add the garlic sprouts and gently stir a couple of times before serving.
  14. Finished dish.
  15. Finished dish.
  16. Finished dish.

Cooking StepsHow to cook Braised Pan-Fried Tofu step by step

  1. Step 1 Detail

    All ingredients assembled.

  2. Step 2 Detail

    Prepare the aromatics: slice the bird’s eye chilies into rings, mince the garlic, mince the shallot, and dice the garlic sprouts.

  3. Step 3 Detail

    Prepare the sauce: 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1g sugar, a pinch of white pepper, and 5 tablespoons water. Mix well and set aside.

  4. Step 4 Detail

    Cut the tofu diagonally into triangles. Triangles are easier to flip since soft tofu is very delicate.

  5. Step 5 Detail

    Slice the tofu into pieces.

  6. Step 6 Detail

    Crack an egg into a flat plate and beat it. Dip the tofu slices in the egg, shaking the plate to coat them evenly.

  7. Step 7 Detail

    Heat oil in a wok and pan-fry the tofu over low heat. Don’t rush to flip — wait patiently until golden before turning.

  8. Step 8 Detail

    Fry until both sides are golden.

  9. Step 9 Detail

    Remove and set aside.

  10. Step 10 Detail

    Leave the base oil in the wok. Add the minced garlic, minced shallot, and chili rings. Stir-fry over low heat until fragrant.

  11. Step 11 Detail

    Add the tofu back and gently push it around to absorb the aromatics.

  12. Step 12 Detail

    Pour in the sauce and gently push the tofu to coat evenly. Cover with a lid and braise over low heat for 8 minutes.

  13. Step 13 Detail

    When the sauce has thickened, add the garlic sprouts and gently stir a couple of times before serving.

  14. Step 14 Detail

    Finished dish.

  15. Step 15 Detail

    Finished dish.

  16. Step 16 Detail

    Finished dish.

Common Questions

What's the most common mistake to avoid?

The biggest mistake is not having all ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking (mise en place). Chinese cooking moves fast — once the wok is hot, there’s no time to chop.

How can I make this spicier?

Add chili oil or chili crisp to taste, or include dried red chilies during cooking. A dash of Sichuan peppercorn adds a different kind of heat.

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