Stuffed Bean Curd with Peas & Mushrooms

This is a proper Chinese clay pot dish with real technique behind it. Firm tofu squares get deep-fried, hollowed out, stuffed with seasoned ground pork, fried again until the meat face is crusty, then simmered in chicken broth with dried mushrooms and green peas. Every step builds on the last.

The pork filling is compact and well-seasoned: ground pork mixed with soy sauce, dry sherry, garlic, scallion, ginger juice, and sesame oil. That ginger juice is a smart call. It distributes ginger flavor evenly through the meat without leaving fibrous bits like minced ginger would.

Deep-frying the tofu before stuffing gives it a golden, spongy exterior that soaks up broth during the clay pot simmer. Cutting each square diagonally and hollowing a pocket creates a stable shell that holds the filling. Dredging the exposed meat face with cornstarch before the second fry seals it and creates a crust that stays intact through braising.

The 10-minute simmer in chicken broth with rehydrated dried mushrooms pulls everything together. The mushrooms add an earthy, concentrated umami, and the peas bring a pop of green sweetness.

Pro Tips

• Use firm or extra-firm tofu. Soft tofu will crumble when you try to hollow it and fall apart during frying
• Soak the dried mushrooms for a full 30 minutes in warm water. Under-soaked mushrooms stay tough and chewy
• Test oil temperature with a bamboo chopstick as the recipe suggests. Steady bubbles mean the oil is ready
• The cornstarch paste for thickening at the end should be mixed thin: 1 tablespoon cornstarch to 2 tablespoons cold water

Variations

• Shrimp filling: Replace ground pork with finely chopped raw shrimp for a lighter, seafood version
• Vegetarian: Skip the pork, stuff with a mushroom and water chestnut mixture, and use vegetable broth
• Spicy clay pot: Add a sliced fresh red chili and a splash of chili oil to the broth before simmering