Mapo Tofu
Silky tofu in a tingly, spicy bean-paste sauce.
← Home · Hunan steamed delicate banquet
Zu'an Tofu
Tofu pressed, minced with chicken and ham, steamed into a delicate cake, then simmered briefly in rich stock. Adapted for a home kitchen from the original ClouChef R&D report — 组庵豆腐, report 16.
Original poster image from clouchef.com (poster: 组庵豆腐_16.jpeg). This is the hero poster only, not a step-by-step photo set.
Prep: 20 minutesCook: 20 minutesTotal: 40 minutesServings: 2Difficulty: AdvancedRegion: HunanFlavour: Savoury-delicate (ham and chicken)
Why this works
Zu'an tofu looks plain and tastes anything but: it is a study in texture, where tofu is pressed until it holds only a fifth of its water, then bound with minced chicken, ham, egg white and seasoning into a cake that steams into something between custard and terrine. The pressing ratio is the whole secret — too wet and the cake will not set; too dry and it turns grainy and coarse. Steaming on medium heat after the steamer boils, never on high, keeps the interior free of honeycomb holes, and cutting only after cooling gives clean, even blocks that survive their final simmer. That simmer is short and gentle, five minutes on low heat in good stock, just long enough for the blocks to absorb flavour without falling apart. The result is a dish that carries ham's salt and chicken's savouriness inside a texture so fine it barely needs chewing.
ADVERTISEMENT — PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients
| Ingredient | US | Metric | Substitute / note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silken or soft tofu | 7 oz | 200 g | Pressed until about 20% moisture remains — see the steps. |
| Chicken breast, minced | 1 oz | 30 g | Mince finely by hand or in a food processor. |
| Jinhua ham, very finely minced | 0.35 oz | 10 g | Or another cured ham, minced almost to a paste (adaptation). |
| Egg white | 1 egg white | 30 g | — |
| Rich chicken or pork stock | ⅔ cup | 150 ml | Homemade stock if possible; a good shop stock works (adaptation). |
| Salt | Pinch | 2 g | — |
| White pepper | Pinch | 0.5 g | — |
| Extra ham mince or goji berries, to garnish | To taste | To taste | Per the report's plating note. |
Equipment
- Fine cloth or cheesecloth, for pressing the tofu
- Square mould or small loaf tin, lightly oiled
- Steamer (bamboo or metal)
- No steamer? A pot with a rack and tight lid works (adaptation)
Steps
- Press and mix. Mash the tofu and press it in fine cloth until semi-dry, retaining about 20% moisture. Mince the chicken breast and chop the ham extremely fine. Combine the tofu, chicken, ham, egg white, salt and white pepper and stir clockwise until the mixture binds and firms, about 3 minutes.
- Steam to set. Press the mixture into a lightly oiled square mould, smoothing the surface to about 2.5 cm thick. Once the steamer is boiling, steam on medium heat for 15 minutes — high heat causes honeycomb holes and ruins the fine texture. Remove and cool naturally, then cut into blocks about 3 cm by 4 cm by 1.5 cm.
- Simmer in stock. Bring the stock to a boil, slide in the tofu blocks and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes — high heat breaks them. Reduce until the stock is lightly thickened, spoon it over the blocks, and garnish with extra ham mince or goji berries. Serve with the centre at or above 65 °C / 149 °F, as the report directs.
ADVERTISEMENT — PLACEHOLDER
Technique: press to twenty percent, steam on medium
Two numbers carry this dish: twenty percent moisture after pressing, and medium heat for steaming. Over-wet tofu never sets into a sliceable cake; over-dry tofu eats like sawdust. And a steamer on full blast boils water inside the cake, leaving the coarse honeycomb texture the report warns against. If you have no mould, a small oiled loaf tin or a shallow heatproof dish works, trimmed to shape after cooling.
Variations
- No ham: omit the ham and add a pinch more salt; the dish becomes lighter but still delicate (adaptation).
- Richer stock: use a stock enriched with a little ham bone if you have one (adaptation).
Frequently asked questions
Why did my tofu cake fall apart?
It was under-pressed, under-stirred, or simmered on high heat. Press to semi-dry, stir until bound, and simmer gently.
Why is it full of holes?
The steamer was on high heat. Steam on medium heat after the water boils.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes: steam and cool the cake up to a day ahead, refrigerate, then cut and simmer in stock just before serving.
Storage and freezing
Best eaten fresh. The steamed, unsimmered cake keeps 1 day refrigerated; simmer in stock just before serving. The finished simmered dish keeps 1 day refrigerated; reheat gently. Do not freeze.
Zu'an Tofu — Recipe Card
Pressed tofu, chicken and ham steamed into a delicate cake and simmered in stock.
Prep: 20 minutesCook: 20 minutesTotal: 40 minutesServings: 2
Ingredients: 200 g tofu; 30 g minced chicken breast; 10 g finely minced ham; 30 g egg white; 150 ml stock; 2 g salt; 0.5 g white pepper; ham or goji to garnish.
Steps: 1) Press tofu, mix with chicken, ham and egg white. 2) Steam in mould on medium heat 15 minutes, cool and cut. 3) Simmer in stock on low heat 5 minutes and serve.
ADVERTISEMENT — PLACEHOLDER
Related recipes
Hakka Sticky Rice
Steamed glutinous rice with pork, dried mushrooms and dried shrimp — savoury, filling and warming.
Braised Beef with Potatoes
Beef braised until tender with potatoes that soak up the savoury sauce — a classic family stew.
Source note: ingredients, quantities and steps are adapted from the original ClouChef R&D report for 组庵豆腐 (data/reports/16.md). The report's pricing, margin and marketing sections are deliberately omitted here; no B2B cost is presented as a home-cook cost. The ham and stock substitutes and the steamer alternative are adaptations and are labelled as such. Original poster image: clouchef.com (组庵豆腐_16.jpeg).