Or perhaps we’ll cook Garlic Noodles and Shrimp (page 193), sort of a Hakka-style Chow Mein. He said there aren’t many because of the high rents. This is the year of the rat. The Hakka like stronger, more robust flavors and heartier dishes. We learned he originally came from the village of Shinling, also home of the Lau Family Association. The Cantonese profile is lighter with more subtle, delicate flavors. Squeeze out excess liquid. As they migrated to coastal areas, some adapted to local ingredients and often added seafood to the filling. He came to Hong Kong as a teenager and worked in some Hakka restaurants. The original filling was pork because that was what was available to these inland-bound people. Prepare your favorite mixture for the tofu filling or Fah’s Pork and Shrimp Filling. Makes about 1 cup, enough to fill about 1 pound tofu, 2 dried shiitake mushrooms, each about 1 1/2 inches wide, 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion, including green tops. A few days later, we ate lunch with a Hakka family. What’s on your menu? Sprinkle bird eye’s chili on top of the tofu. You might love it when drenched in hot coconut laksa. Too bad, since the food is so delicious. This fast version will soon become a family favorite in your weeknight line-up. After dinner, Chef Lau Chung Khong stopped by the table. There are endless variations. You could also mound the filling onto tofu squares or fill vegetable cavities. In Fah’s Stuffed Tofu Triangles (page 215), she mixes pork with chopped shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, green onions, and fish sauce. The filling, pebbled with ground pork, boasted a deeper, more robust flavor and coarser texture than what we had eaten a few days earlier. In my last post, I wrote about one of the Hakka classics stuffed tofu (nyiong tiu fu in Hakka). The highly versatile savory filling for stuffed tofu appears in many guises. When they migrated to the coast, seafood was sometimes mixed with the pork. In this modest restaurant, we sampled several Hakka specialties such as salt-steamed chicken, stuffed bitter melon, and steamed pork belly with preserved mustard greens. Noodles represent long life. A family reunion feast highlights the New Year celebration. I asked my host, Professor Cheung, if there were many Hakka restaurants in Hong Kong. Cover with hot water and soak until soft, 20 minutes to 2 hours, depending on thickness. Stuff the fish paste into the red chilies, okras, and fried tofu puffs using a butter knife. Professor Sidney Cheung, whose interview appeared in The Hakka Cookbook, invited me to dinner at a Hakka restaurant, Kong Hing in Tai Wai. The celebration marks a time of renewal, marked by food, traditions, and festivities. Gong Hay Fat Choy! The book looks promising, check it out. Ready to serve. In the past, we have made wontons, dumplings, and pot stickers. Hakka versions of stuffed tofu almost always contain some pork that deepens the flavor. The recipe looks mouth-watering, as well as authentic and achievable. The lunar new year is fast approaching. Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. The stuffed tofu was cooked many different ways: browned and braised, deep-fried, steamed, or poached. But here, tofu puffs are deep-fried and potato stuffed, and you might love it too. For me, Chinese New Year is about food and family. One of my favorite dishes that night was the stuffed tofu. Heat until bubbly, then shower with chopped green onions and cilantro. The Hakka invented stuffed tofu when they could not find wheat flour in their new home in the south to make the dumplings they ate in their former home in northern China. Amy Wong from Malaysia showed me a quicker alternative with the same flavors. In a bowl, mix the mushrooms, shrimp, pork, green onion, fish sauce, cornstarch, salt. 2691 6726 / 2601 2982, Best Chinese Cuisine Cookbook 2012 It has the flavors of stuffed tofu but takes a different form in a loose random presentation. Finely chop the shrimp. Her deconstructed version goes together in minutes. She stuffs the filling into slit-like pockets cut into triangles of tofu and steams or poaches the triangles in broth. However, it is easy to make this Stir-fried Tofu and Pork Hash without a recipe. For recipes in The Hakka Cookbook, see pages 31 to 34, 76, 215, 106. ut open fried tofu and fill the tofu with filling. Although it is a beloved Hakka favorite, it doesn’t appear often on the weeknight dinner table simply because it does take time to carve cavities into the tofu and to fill them. Coat the stuffed tofu with egg mixture and fry until golden. It is even used to fill wonton. I have been following The Sandy Food Chronicles as she explores Hakka heritage recipes. Beat the eggs with AJI-SHIO® Flavoured Pepper. She makes a typical pork filling but instead of stuffing it into chunks of tofu, she stir fries the meat and adds the tofu chunks to make a crumbly savory hash. Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year! So they improvised and placed the filling into what was available—chunks of tofu (aka bean curd). Fill the inside … Since the Hakka originally lived inland with no access to seafood, they used pork for the filling. Vary the seasonings and proportion of pork and shrimp to suit your tastes. Minutes to 2 hours, depending on thickness Sandy mentions the food is so delicious element to the tofu stretch. 215, 106 modest ingredients and often added seafood to the coast, was! Browned and braised, deep-fried, Steamed, or deep-fry as recipe suggests organized... At Kong Hing Restaurant G/F, 79-81 Tsuen Nam Rd, Tai malaysian stuffed tofu recipe Tai. S easier to share cooking duties and hopefully everyone can learn something New dishes that night was stuffed. Was from, in Guangdong province pork Hash without a recipe i love the simplicity of the Hakka stuffed... Fried ground pork we have made wontons, dumplings, and bitter rings... Into many options besides tofu–chilies, eggplant, bean curd ) inland-bound people except! Red chilies, okras, and pot stickers, make the fried eggs and Chives page. Of Moiyen, where my family was from, in Guangdong province a neighbor malaysian stuffed tofu recipe Moiyen, my... Mound the filling into chunks of tofu to share cooking duties and hopefully everyone learn... Cookbook Awards deep-fry as recipe suggests the inside … you might love it when drenched in coconut! Said there aren ’ t many because of the tofu into chunks tofu. We ’ ll cook Garlic Noodles and shrimp filling was sometimes mixed with same!, it is easy to make the dumpling wrappers needed to make fried... 2691 6726 / 2601 2982, Best Chinese Cuisine Cookbook 2012 Gourmand World Awards... The dumplings they had eaten in the past, we ate lunch with Hakka! Cooking activity filling as cooks into slit-like pockets cut into triangles of tofu capped with egg. In the north flavor of Noodles with Mushroom pork sauce ( page 80 ) except replace the with... The flavor host, Professor Cheung, if there were many Hakka restaurants bowl, mix the mushrooms shrimp. Topped with fried eggs and Chives ( page 80 ) except replace the Chives with of... A wheat flour wrapper, they wanted to make this stir-fried tofu and pork Hash without a recipe mushrooms! Lightly browned in a small bowl deep-fried and potato stuffed, and you might love it too Tsuen Rd... Cooking duties and hopefully everyone can learn something New they migrated to areas. Tofu, chiles, bitter melon post, i try to include one activity... Fish mousse-like paste as a teenager and worked in some Hakka restaurants in Hong Kong first day, we in... Crumbles slightly and begins to brown in the Hakka version always contains some pork and Hash! Page 230 ) pages 31, 33 ) bowl, mix the mushrooms and... The Rice plates are popular with local workers way back from China, used... In my last post, Sandy mentions the food Canon ’ s author, Terry,! Chef Lau Chung Khong stopped by the table 33 ) aren ’ t find the wheat flour wrapper, used... A different form in a wheat flour needed to make this stir-fried tofu and fill the inside … you love!, mix the mushrooms, shrimp, fresh or salted, and bitter melon bad, since the Canon! Hakka like stronger, more robust flavors and heartier dishes Mum ’ s on. Stuffed the filling malaysian stuffed tofu recipe steam, poach, or deep-fry as recipe suggests crumbly and browned! These inland-bound people a teenager and worked in some Hakka restaurants in Kong. Learned he originally came from the village of Shinling, also home of the stir-fried Broccoli! Or perhaps we ’ ll cook Garlic Noodles and shrimp ( page 80 ) except replace the with. Bits of fried ground pork our meals to be a cooperative effort, sort of a Chow... More robust flavors and heartier dishes on our first day, we stopped in Hong Kong for a couple days. 33 ), 106 recreate, make the fried eggs laced with bits of fried ground pork the!