Pork and Dried Tofu Stir-Fry
豆干炒肉絲·(dòu-gān chǎo ròu-sī)
家常菜 (Jiācháng Cài) - Meals Mom Cooked (The Weeknight Family Table)
This is the undisputed champion of the Taiwanese weeknight table—born from a grandmother's thrift, stretching a little pork with cheap, chewy pressed tofu until it could feed a family. When homemade versions fall flat in America, it is usually because two old-school kitchen secrets got lost in translation: beating water directly into the meat so it stays impossibly tender, and dry-frying the tofu until the raw bean flavor gives way to blistered, smoky edges. Do both, hit the hot pan with a glossy splash of sweet-savory soy paste, and you have the exact dish you grew up eating.
Before you start
Velvet the pork using the da shui technique so it stays juicy under high heat.
In a medium bowl, combine the pork strips with 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, and the white pepper. Stir vigorously in one circular direction with your fingers or chopsticks until the meat physically absorbs all the liquid and feels sticky. Work in the cornstarch to seal the muscle fibers, then coat with 1 teaspoon neutral oil so the strips separate easily in the hot pan. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Whisk the stir-fry sauce together in a small bowl.
Combine the Taiwanese soy paste, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon rice wine, remaining 2 tablespoons water, and sugar until smooth.
Blanch the tofu strips in salted boiling water for 2 minutes if you want extra-bouncy texture.
This optional grandma step purges any lingering factory brine and makes the tofu pliable so it will not break when tossed. Drain thoroughly and pat dry before frying.
Ingredients
- spiced pressed tofu8 oz
- pork loin8 oz
- Chinese celery2 stalks
- scallions2
- garlic3 cloves
- small red chili1
- soy sauce2 tbsp
- rice wine2 tbsp
- water3 tbsp
- ground white pepper1/4 tsp
- cornstarch1 tsp
- neutral cooking oil2 tbsp
- Taiwanese soy paste1 1/2 tbsp
- sugar1 tsp
- toasted sesame oil1 tsp
Method
- 01
Sear and dry-fry the tofu in a hot wok or skillet until golden and blistered.
Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tofu strips and let them sit undisturbed for 30 seconds before tossing. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the edges are browned and smell nutty and toasted—a technique called bian xiang that drives off the raw soy flavor. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
- 02
Stir-fry the marinated pork in the same pan until just opaque, then transfer it to the plate with the tofu.
Spread the pork into a single layer in the hot pan, let it sear untouched for 20 seconds, then toss vigorously for about 1 minute until pale and barely cooked through. Do not crowd the pan or overcook.
- 03
Aromatize the oil with the garlic, scallion whites, and celery over medium heat.
Toss the garlic and scallion whites in the residual oil for 15 seconds until fragrant, then add the celery and stir-fry for 1 minute until bright green and crisp-tender.
- 04
Return the pork and tofu to the pan, pour in the sauce, and toss over high heat until glossy.
Crank the heat to high and stir-fry rapidly for 1 to 2 minutes. The starch on the pork and the thick soy paste will bind the liquid into a tight, savory glaze that clings to every strip.
- 05
Kill the heat and finish with the scallion greens, red chili, and toasted sesame oil.
Give everything one final toss so the residual heat wakes up the sesame oil and scallions, then plate immediately alongside steaming white rice.
Notes
Look for Kimlan or Wan Ja Shan Taiwanese soy paste in the Asian market.
Thickened with glutinous rice flour, it gives Taiwanese stir-fries their signature sweet-savory cling. If you cannot find it, substitute 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce plus an extra 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.
Swap in standard supermarket ingredients without losing the soul of the dish.
Vacuum-packed baked tofu from the regular produce aisle stands in well for five-spice pressed tofu, and the tender inner stalks of Western celery work great if you slice them thinly on a sharp bias.