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Guota doufu
Egg-battered pan-fried tofu
Guota doufu (锅塌豆腐): Shandong tofu slices dipped in flour and egg, pan-fried and simmered in stock
Guota doufu comes from the Lu kitchen of Shandong, where guota means pan-fried and then simmered so the coating soaks up the sauce. It is a banquet dish in Jinan restaurants and a family favourite at home: tofu slices are dusted in flour, dipped in egg, fried golden, then simmered briefly in a savoury stock with ginger and spring onion until the eggy coating turns tender and juicy. This version uses vegetable stock and no cooking wine. A portion gives about 24 g of protein, from the tofu and eggs. The common mistake is too much stock, which turns the coating soggy and loose; add only enough to come halfway up the tofu. Chef's tip: shake off the excess flour well before the egg, or the coating peels away in sheets.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 1 ⅓ lb firm tofucut into slices 1 cm thick and about 5 x 4 cm
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ⅜ oz plain flour
- 3 eggsbeaten with a pinch of salt
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
For the sauce
- ¾ in fresh gingerfinely shredded
- 3 spring onionsfinely sliced
- ¾ cup vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
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Method
0/6 doneStep 2: Dust each slice in 1 ⅜ oz plain flour and shake off the excess, then dip in 3 eggs so it is fully coated.
Step 3: Heat 4 tbsp vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the slices for 2–3 minutes a side, until the egg coating is set and golden. Work in batches if needed. Pour any leftover egg over the slices in the last minute so it cooks too.
6 minStep 4: Push the tofu to the edges, add ¾ in fresh ginger and 2 ⅛ spring onions to the middle and fry for 30 seconds.
Step 5: Pour in ¾ cup vegetable stock, 1 tbsp light soy sauce and ½ tsp sugar. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, spooning the liquid over the tofu, until most of it has been absorbed and only a few spoonfuls of thick sauce remain.
5 minStep 6: Drizzle with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, scatter with the rest of ⅞ spring onions, and serve straight from the pan with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does guota doufu take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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