Claypot Yong Tau Foo in Spicy Bean Paste 沙煲釀豆腐

There are many ways to cook Yong Tau Foo (釀豆腐) ~ in soup; in sweet sauce; in black bean paste; deep fry etc. I am sharing one of my favourite methods - Claypot Yong Tau Foo in Spicy Bean Paste (辣豆瓣酱). 

Use a claypot to cook if you can. As I do not have an open fire stove, I have to cook in a normal pan and transfer to a claypot. This is one very simple dish to master.

  

Ingredients (enough for 4 pax) :

• Mixed raw Yong Tau Foo (酿豆腐) and fishballs/fishcakes enough for 4 pax
• 1 to 2 small capsicums (choose different colors) sliced
• 1 to 1.5 tbsp spicy bean paste (辣豆瓣酱)(to taste)
• 1 red cut chilli 
• 4 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 small onions (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 1/2 cup water
• cooking oil
• a little coriander/cilantro

(tsp = teaspoon; tbsp = tablespoon)    

Method :

Heat cooking oil in pan/wok and pan fry Yong Tau Foo piece by piece in medium-to-high heat till lightly cooked.

Set aside lightly cooked Yong Tau Foo.

Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil in pan and stir fry finely chopped garlic, onions and red chili.

Add 1 to 1.5 tbsp (to taste) spicy bean paste (辣豆瓣酱) and stir fry with garlic, onions and chilli.

Slowly fold in Yong Tau Foo (酿豆腐), fishballs or/and fishcakes.

Give the ingredients in the pan/wok a good toss.

Add capsicums.

Stir 1/2 cup water with 1 tsp corn starch and add to pan/wok together with 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp sugar (check the taste, some prefer it sweeter with more sugar) and 1 tsp sesame oil.

Stir well and cover with lid for 2 minutes at low heat.

After 2 minutes, the gravy would be thickened and spicy bean paste nicely absorbed by Yong Tau Foo, fishballs or/and fishcakes. At this juncture, ingredients and gravy are ready to be transferred to claypot or served (if you cook directly in a claypot). Garnish with a little coriander/cilantro.

Moment to savour....it goes best with steam rice.