Savory Egg Tofu with Minced Pork Stir-Fry

This Egg Tofu with Minced Pork is an easy, flavorful dish that comes together in about 45 minutes. The sauce is savory with a touch of sweetness and pairs perfectly with steamed rice. I served this to my wife’s family recently and everyone enjoyed it.

🥡 About This Recipe

Egg tofu is made from soy milk and eggs, giving it a silky, custard-like texture. When pan-fried it develops a lovely golden crust while the center stays soft.

Egg tofu is very delicate and can break easily, especially when frying. To reduce breakage, use a nonstick pan, work slowly when flipping, and handle each piece gently. A fish spatula helps because its thin, tapered edge slides under the tofu more easily.

The sauce draws inspiration from Beijing’s zha jiang flavors—garlic, ginger, and fermented bean notes. If you don’t have sweet bean sauce, hoisin works well as a substitute and produces a similarly tasty result.

🧂 Ingredients

• Egg tofu — usually sold in a plastic tube at Asian markets. Slice after removing from the casing.
• Ground pork — you can substitute ground beef or chicken if preferred.
• Aromatics — garlic, ginger, and scallions for garnish.
• Sauce — hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, coarse salt, and chicken stock (or water). Chicken bouillon powder mixed with water is fine for stock.
• Cornstarch — to thicken the sauce.
• Neutral oil — such as canola, for frying and stir-frying.

🔪 Instructions

STEP 1: Remove the egg tofu from its plastic casing by cutting along the dotted line and gently squeezing it out. Slice into 2/3-inch thick rounds and place on a dry dish towel to absorb moisture. Let sit for at least 30 minutes if you can — drier tofu fries more evenly and holds together better.

STEP 2: Heat 2 teaspoons of neutral oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add as many tofu slices as will fit without crowding and fry 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown. Work gently and flip slowly to avoid breaking the pieces. Transfer cooked tofu to a serving dish.

STEP 3: In a wok or large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger and cook 5–10 seconds until fragrant. Add the ground pork and stir-fry 2–3 minutes until no longer pink.

STEP 4: Lower heat to medium and add hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 1 minute, then add chicken stock (or water) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes so the flavors meld.

STEP 5: Mix cornstarch with a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir it into the simmering sauce. Wait a few seconds for the sauce to thicken, then pour it evenly over the fried egg tofu. Garnish with sliced scallions (or cilantro) and serve immediately with rice.

📋 Recipe

Egg Tofu with Minced Pork

An easy, savory-sweet egg tofu and minced pork dish ready in roughly 45 minutes. Great with steamed rice.

Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Ingredients

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

Fried Tofu

• 2 8-ounce packages egg tofu
• 2 teaspoons neutral oil (for frying)

Stir-fry

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 170 g ground pork
• 3/4 cup chicken stock or water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 scallion, sliced (for garnish)

Instructions

Sauce

1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Fried Tofu

1. Slice egg tofu and pat dry on a dish towel to remove excess moisture.
2. Fry tofu in a nonstick pan over medium heat until both sides are golden, about 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving dish.

Stir-fry

1. Heat oil in a wok over high heat, briefly cook garlic and ginger, then add ground pork and cook until no longer pink.
2. Add the prepared sauce, cook 1 minute, then pour in chicken stock and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Mix cornstarch with water to form a slurry, stir into the sauce until it thickens, then pour the sauce over the egg tofu. Garnish with scallions and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 550 kcal
Carbohydrates: 25 g
Protein: 29 g
Fat: 37 g

Nutrition information is an estimate calculated from an ingredient database.

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