Homestyle Hakka Tofu and Minced Pork
There are many versions of this homestyle tofu dish in Chinese cuisine. As far as we know, many Chinese families with roots all over China make this simple yet nourishing comfort food. It can differ from family to family and village to village.
This version is popular with the Hakka people from Kolkata, India. It is a dish that many generations of my family have come to know and love, including my nephews who are very picky eaters. To us, it tastes like home.
Usually the cooks in our family do not measure things. Cooking is an intuitive practice that is learned through watching and tasting. It took some testing with my mom, dad and sister, Michelle, to come up with an actual recipe with measurements.
This is the first of a series of family and community recipes that Michelle is collecting and putting together, each with its own story or family memory.
Big thanks to our mom and dad who helped us with this recipe. It is not our recipe but a family recipe. My mother learned it from her mother in law, our grandmother, and she is passing it down to us. Our father is a seasoned food critic and MSG enthusiast who gave this recipe his approval, even though there is no MSG in this recipe. Success!
This tofu dish is traditionally made with minced pork but we have also included a version with shiitake mushrooms because I’m vegetarian. Thanks again mom for making a version I can eat!
We hope you enjoy it!
STIR FRY
3 packs of soft tofu or 900 grams
NOTE: We like the organic tofu that comesd in 2 x square packs
3 tbsp neutral oil with high smoke point
NOTE: We prefer avocado oil
50 grams of garlic or 6-8 large cloves minced, which should equal 4 tbsp
½ pound or 225 grams of minced pork
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 cup chicken stock, divided
¼ tsp of white pepper
1 tsp of sesame oil, divided
2-3 stalks of green onions, finely sliced with both green and white parts.
CORN STARCH SLURRY
1 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp oyster sauce
SERVES 4 WITH RICE
- Prep all ingredients and prepare the corn starch slurry ahead. Things come together fast in this recipe so everything should be ready to go before the wok is on.
- Heat wok or frying pan on medium heat.
- Add 3 tablespoons of oil. If using a wok, drizzle around the perimeter of the wok so the oil coats the sides
- Add the minced garlic and fry on medium heat until lightly golden
- Add minced pork to golden garlic, breaking it up and flatten it into the wok to ensure it’s cooked all the way through. Increase to medium high heat and cook until golden brown.
- Once the pork is golden brown, add ½ tsp sesame oil and 1 tbsp light soy sauce. Fry until fragrant and until the moisture from the pork and soy sauce have evaporated, leaving a dark caramelized pork that has most of its fat rendered.
- Push the pork towards the sides of the pan or up the wall of the wok.
- Slowly slide the tofu whole into the centre of the pan and lightly brown the tofu on both sides. This will add another layer of flavour (wok hei!)
- Once the tofu is browned on both sides, sprinkle ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of white pepper onto the tofu, pork and garlic mixture. Mix well but gently so the tofu doesn’t break apart into too many small pieces. Some breaking is inevitable.
- Add ¾ cup of chicken stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let it simmer until the tofu is heated through. Do not let this come to a boil.
- Add corn starch slurry and drizzle around the wok ensuring that the slurry is spread out evenly over the tofu mixture.
- Slowly and gently incorporate the tofu and the corn starch slurry by pushing the mixture around the wok from edge to edge, continuing to keep the tofu in bigger chunks
- Add more chicken stock as needed if the mixture is looking too thick, up to 1/4 cup.
- Let the mixture simmer for a few more minutes. At this point, break the bigger pieces of tofu into smaller pieces so the tofu can absorb more flavour.
- Drizzle ½ tsp of sesame oil onto the mixture. Turn the heat off and then garnish with green onions.
- Add more soy sauce to taste.
- Serve with rice.