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Crab Roe Tofu
Silken tofu simmered gently in crab roe and stock, with ham on top — a Jiangsu autumn dish that rewards a light hand. Adapted for a home kitchen from the original ClouChef R&D report — 蟹粉豆腐, report 36.
Original poster image from clouchef.com (poster: 蟹粉豆腐_36.jpeg). This is the hero poster only, not a step-by-step photo set.
Prep: 5 minutesCook: 11 minutesTotal: 16 minutesServings: 1–2Difficulty: MediumRegion: JiangsuFlavour: Rich, salty-savoury
Why this works
The report's warnings are almost all about gentleness. The tofu is cut into small blocks and blanched at eighty degrees for thirty seconds, not boiled, because hotter water or longer blanching breaks it and leaves a beany taste at the same time. The crab roe is fried on medium heat for two minutes until it gives up its oil and turns faintly golden, which is where its richness comes from, and then the tofu simmers on low heat for only three minutes, pushed with the back of a spoon rather than stirred, so the blocks stay whole. Thickening takes ten seconds on high heat, and no longer, or the sauce turns gluey and dulls the crab. The ham on top is pre-heated — microwaved for thirty seconds or dry-fried for a minute — because the report treats cold cured meat on a hot dish as a food-safety gap, not a garnish choice. Follow those small disciplines and the dish tastes luxurious without any cream or richness tricks.
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Ingredients
| Ingredient | US | Metric | Substitute / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crab roe (xiefen), fresh or thawed frozen | 1.8 oz | 50 g | Pasteurised crab meat plus roe, if sold as such, is the home substitute; plain white crab meat alone is paler and less rich (adaptation). |
| Silken (neizi) tofu | 7.1 oz | 200 g | Cut into 2 cm × 2 cm × 1 cm blocks. Medium-firm tofu holds up better for beginners (adaptation). |
| Jinhua ham, minced | 0.2 oz | 5 g | Pre-heat before garnishing (see steps). |
| Chicken and ham stock | ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp | 100 ml | Chicken stock works (adaptation). |
| Scallion and ginger, minced | 0.35 oz | 10 g | — |
| Cooking wine | 2 tsp | 10 ml | Shaoxing wine. |
| Salt | ¼ tsp | 2 g | — |
| Starch slurry (corn starch and water 1:2) | 1 tbsp | 15 ml | Mix just before use. |
| Cooking oil | 1 tbsp | 15 ml | Soybean or neutral oil. |
| Sesame oil | 2 drops | 2 drops | To finish, from the report's plating step. |
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok — no wok required (adaptation)
- Pot for blanching
- Spoon for pushing, not stirring, the tofu
Steps
- Prepare the tofu and roe. Cut the tofu into 2 cm × 2 cm × 1 cm blocks and blanch in 80 °C water for 30 seconds, then drain gently. Pat thawed crab roe dry with kitchen paper.
- Pre-heat the ham. Microwave the minced ham on high for 30 seconds, or dry-fry it for 1 minute, until slightly dry and fragrant. The report requires it to reach at least 75 °C.
- Fry the roe. Heat the oil, fry the scallion and ginger for 10 seconds, then add the crab roe and fry on medium heat for 2 minutes until it gives up its oil and turns faintly golden.
- Simmer the tofu. Splash in the cooking wine, pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Turn to low heat, slide in the tofu gently, push with the back of a spoon 3–4 times (do not stir), and simmer for 3 minutes. Season with salt.
- Thicken fast. Pour in the starch slurry and reduce on high heat for 10 seconds until the sauce is thick and glossy.
- Plate. Transfer to a warmed shallow plate, scatter the heated ham over the top, and finish with 2 drops of sesame oil.
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Technique: push, never stir
Tofu this soft survives only if you push it with a spoon back instead of stirring, and only if the simmer stays low and short — the report caps it at five minutes, and uses three. The same discipline applies to the blanch: 80 °C for 30 seconds, not a rolling boil, which would shred the blocks before they ever reach the pan.
Variations
- Beginner tofu: medium-firm tofu, same method, will not be as silky but will not break either (adaptation).
- No ham: omit the garnish; the crab and stock still carry the dish (adaptation).
Frequently asked questions
Why is my tofu broken?
Usually it was boiled instead of blanched at 80 °C, or stirred instead of pushed during the simmer.
Can I use canned crab meat?
You can, but look for roe-inclusive crab paste or roe if you can find it; white meat alone gives a paler, less rich result (adaptation).
Why heat the ham first?
The report requires cured garnish to be heated to at least 75 °C before it goes on a hot dish, for food safety.
Storage and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Leftovers keep 1 day refrigerated; reheat very gently until steaming hot — do not boil. Do not freeze.
Crab Roe Tofu — Recipe Card
Silken tofu simmered in crab roe and stock, topped with heated ham.
Prep: 5 minutesCook: 11 minutesTotal: 16 minutesServings: 1–2
Ingredients: 50 g crab roe; 200 g silken tofu; 5 g ham; 100 ml stock; 10 g scallion and ginger; 10 ml cooking wine; 2 g salt; 15 ml starch slurry; 15 ml oil; 2 drops sesame oil.
Steps: 1) Blanch tofu at 80 °C, 30 seconds. 2) Pre-heat ham; fry roe 2 minutes. 3) Simmer tofu gently 3 minutes. 4) Thicken 10 seconds, plate and garnish.
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Source note: ingredients, quantities and steps are adapted from the original ClouChef R&D report for 蟹粉豆腐 (data/reports/36.md). The report's pricing, margin and marketing sections are deliberately omitted here; no B2B cost is presented as a home-cook cost. Home servings (1–2, from one 300 g restaurant portion) and the crab and tofu substitutes are adaptations and are labelled as such. Original poster image: clouchef.com (蟹粉豆腐_36.jpeg).