AI-generated image
A-gei
Tofu pockets filled with glass noodles
A-gei (阿給): Tamsui's fried tofu pockets filled with glass noodles, sealed with fish paste and steamed
TaiwaneseA-gei is the breakfast that people ride the MRT to Tamsui for. On Zhenli Street, below Aletheia University, small shops have been making it since the 1960s: a big square of fried tofu is cut open, stuffed with glass noodles simmered in soy and a light broth, sealed with a cap of fish paste, steamed until set, and served in a pool of sweet chilli sauce, often with a bowl of fish-ball soup. The name comes from the Japanese aburaage, fried tofu. It is soft, savoury and slurpy. Contains soy, fish and wheat. Chef's tip: pack the noodles in firmly; loose filling soaks up the sauce and the pocket collapses.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the pockets
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 shallotsfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
For the fish paste seal
- 5 ½ oz white fish filletskinned, boned and chilled
- ½ tsp salt
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- ¾ cup water
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (3)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Soak 2 ⅛ oz glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli) in warm water for 10 minutes, until soft, then drain and snip into 5 cm lengths.
10 minStep 2: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry 2 shallots for 3 minutes, until golden. Add the noodles, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ¾ cup light vegetable or fish stock and ¼ tsp ground white pepper and simmer, stirring, for 4–5 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
8 minStep 3: Blend 5 ½ oz white fish fillet, ⅔ oz sweet potato starch or cornflour and ½ tsp salt to a smooth paste.
5 minStep 4: Pour boiling water over 4 large square fried tofu puffs (aburaage blocks), about 8 cm to remove excess oil and squeeze gently. Cut a slit along one edge and open each into a pocket without tearing.
5 minStep 5: Pack the noodles firmly into the pockets, then spread the fish paste over the opening in a thick layer to seal it. Common mistake: a thin seal; it splits during steaming and the filling spills out.
10 minStep 6: Steam the pockets, sealed side up, over boiling water for 15–20 minutes, until the fish paste is firm, white and opaque all the way through.
20 minStep 7: Meanwhile, whisk 3 tbsp thick soy paste (soy sauce paste), 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 1 tbsp rice flour and ¾ cup water in a small pan and simmer, stirring, for 3 minutes until thick. Serve the a-gei in shallow bowls with the sauce poured over.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does a-gei take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Taiwanese grilled corn
At Raohe and Shilin night markets the grilled-corn stalls are easy to find: look for the queue and the smoky, sweet smell. Cobs are par-cooked, then turned slowly over charcoal while the cook brushes them with a dark glaze of sacha sauce, thick soy paste, garlic and chilli, layer after layer, until the kernels are sticky, slightly charred and deeply savoury. It is eaten hot from a paper sleeve while walking the market. Sacha (shacha) sauce, a Taiwanese barbecue paste, usually contains dried fish and shrimp; vegetarian sacha is sold in Asian shops. Contains soy, wheat and fish. Chef's tip: brush thin coats and turn often; one thick coat burns before the corn chars.
Masala khakhraCrisp roasted wheat crackers
Khakhra are thin chapaties roasted slowly on a griddle until they turn crisp, like a cracker. This masala version adds gram flour, fresh fenugreek, turmeric and chilli to the wheat dough. They are a light Gujarati breakfast or tea-time snack, and lovely with pickle, chutney or a smear of butter. You can also make them in a roti maker.
Indian
MathiaMoong and urad dal wafers
Mathia are thin, crisp, slightly sweet and peppery wafers made from mathia flour, a mix of ground husked moong and urad dal. They are a classic Gujarati Diwali snack. The dough is pounded until pale, rolled very thin between plastic sheets and fried one at a time. They are fragile, so store them gently. To make mathia flour, finely grind 4 parts husked green gram lentils with 1 part husked black gram lentils.