Braised Tofu with Beancurd Stick is a comforting vegetarian dish made with tofu and beancurd skin gently braised in a savoury sauce. Light yet satisfying and perfect with rice.
Watch How To Make Braised Tofu with Beancurd Stick 红烧豆腐焖豆支 – Recipe Video
A Comforting Chinese Home-Style Dish: Braised Tofu with Beancurd Stick
Braised Tofu with Beancurd Stick is a comforting Chinese home-style dish that highlights the delicate, natural flavours of soy. Firm tofu is lightly fried, then gently braised together with beancurd stick, allowing both to absorb a savoury sauce infused with aromatic seasonings.
Light yet satisfying, this dish offers a wonderful balance of textures — soft tofu, slightly chewy beancurd stick and meaty mushrooms. Packed with plant-based protein and easy to prepare, this braised tofu dish pairs beautifully with steamed rice and is a must-try if you are looking for a hearty, flavour-packed vegetarian meal.
Common Types Of Tofu (By Texture):
Silken Tofu – Very smooth and custard-like with high water content. Best for desserts and steaming. Not suitable for frying or braising.
Soft Tofu – Slightly firmer than silken tofu, but still delicate in texture. Best for soups and gentle steaming.
Medium Tofu – Balanced firmness and holds shape with careful handling. Suitable for light stir-fries and shallow braising
Firm Tofu – Holds shape well and absorbs flavour. Ideal for frying, braising and claypot dishes.
Extra Firm Tofu – Very dense with low water content. Best for grilling, deep-frying and long braising.
Fried Tofu (Tau Pok) – Deep-fried with a spongy interior. Excellent for braising, soups and stuffed tofu
Pressed / Dried Tofu – Firm and chewy. Suitable for braising and slicing for stir-fries.
Smoked Tofu – Firm with smoky flavour. Best for stir-fries and cold dishes.
Egg Tofu – Made with egg. Best for steaming and pan-frying.
⭐ Best Tofu Types for Braising
Firm Tofu (Firm Beancurd)
The most common choice for braising. Holds shape well during simmering and absorbs sauce effectively. The texture becomes chewy and flavourful. Ideal for soy-braised, claypot or mushroom braised dishes.
Fried Tofu (Tau Pok)
Excellent for braising. Spongy texture absorbs sauce extremely well. Adds richness and texture contrast to braised dishes.
✅ Tips for Better Braised Tofu:
Cut tofu into thicker pieces to prevent breaking.
Pan-fry tofu lightly before braising to help tofu keep shape and absorb sauce.
Soak tofu in salt water for 10-15 minutes can firm up tofu and reduces beans taste.
Braise tofu gently over low to medium-low heat, not rapid boiling.
Ingredients for Braised Tofu with Beancurd Stick
Main Ingredients:
Firm Tofu
Beancurd Stick
Shimeiji Mushroom
Garlic
Ginger
Spring Onion
Seasonings:
Oyster Sauce
Salt
Sugar
Chicken Stock Granules
Ground White Pepper
Dark Soy Sauce
Cornstarch + Water (slurry to thicken sauce)
🍳 Overview On How to Make Braised Tofu with Beancurd Stick
Part 1: Prepare Ingredients
Soak dried beancurd stick in water till soft. Then cut into 4 cm in length.
Cut tofu into 1 cm thick slices.
Rinse and cut shimeiji mushrooms in halves.
Mince garlic and ginger,
Cut spring onion into long strips.
Make cornstarch slurry.
Part 2: Cooking Braised Tofu with Beancurd Stick
Heat oil in wok and then fry the tofu using medium or low heat till golden on both sides, about 5 minutes.
Boil water in wok. Blanch mushrooms to remove unwanted odour, about 1 minute.
Heat oil in wok. Saute minced ginger and garlic till fragrant using low heat. Then add in light soy sauce and stir fry to bring out the flavour.
Next add the fried tofu followed by water. Bring to a boil.
Add in seasonings. Gently turn it arounds to mix in the seasonings. Simmer the tofu till well seasoned, for 2 minutes.
Add in the beancurd stick and blanched shimeiji mushrooms. Mix well and gently simmer for another 2 minutes.
Add in cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce.
When sauce thickens, add in the spring onion. Stir fry another minute and the dish is ready to be served.
🍚 How to Serve Braised Tofu with Beancurd Stick
Served hot in a shallow claypot or wide bowl over a bowl of steamed white or brown rice.
If served directly in a claypot, keep sauce slightly thicker to coat tofu. When bring to the table, sauce is still gently bubbling for aroma.
⭐ Important Tips When Cooking Braised Tofu with Beancurd Stick
Choose the right tofu. Use firm tofu and avoid soft or silken tofu which will break easily. Cut into thicker pieces to hold shape.
Lightly pan-fry tofu till golden to strengthen structure and improve sauce absorption.
Prepare beancurd skin properly by soaking in water till pliable. Drain well and squeeze gently (do not wring). Cut into manageable lengths and not too long as will be messy when served.
Simmer tofu until fully seasoned using medium or low heat to enable the tofu to fully absorbed the sauce.
Avoid adding too much water for the braising. Just enough for the tofu and beancurd skin to absorb the liquid.
Control the heat by braising on low to medium-low heat. Gently simmer the tofu. High heat will break the tofu and toughen beancurd stick.
Sauce should be glossy and lightly thickened.
Stir gently or swirl the wok instead of constant stirring to prevent tofu and beancurd stick to break.
Add mushroom and beancurd skin at the end to prevent overcooking and to keep colours fresh.
📌 Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this dish vegan?
Yes. Simply replace chicken stock granules with mushroom or vegetable stock.
Can I skip frying the tofu?
Light frying is recommended as it helps tofu hold shape and absorb sauce better.
What is beancurd stick made of?
Beancurd stick (腐竹) is made from dried soy milk skin and has a chewy, protein-rich texture.
Braised Tofu with Beancurd Stick is a comforting Chinese vegetarian dish made with tofu and beancurd skin braised gently in a savoury sauce. Perfect with steamed rice.
Place fried beancurd stick in a large basin. Add either warm or cold water to soak till it turns white and soft.
Drain the soaked beancurd stick and cut into smaller pieces, about 4cm in length and set aside.
Prepare a large piece of firm and tender tofu. Cut the tofu into thick slices, about 1 cm thick. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Cut shimeiji mushrooms in halves. Then briefly rinsed and drained well.
Then minced garlic and ginger. Cut spring onion into strips and set aside.
Lastly prepare all seasonings to cook the dish.
Make Cornstarch Slurry:
Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water. Stir to mix well.
Cooking Braised Tofu with Fried Beancurd Stick:
First, heat up enough oil in a pan. When oil is ready, gently put in the tofu piece by piece, in a single layer. Using medium or low heat throughout the whole process, fry the tofu. Do not turn over the tofu immediately. You can shake the pan from time to time. This will allow the tofu to be evenly heated and cooked.
Fry the bottom of tofu till it is slightly golden in colour. Then use a spatula to turn the tofu over and fry the other side in the same way.
Do not fry the tofu for too long. Otherwise it will not taste good. Fry the tofu till it is slightly golden and crispy on both sides, about 5 minutes. Tofu fried will be crispy on the outside and tender inside. Then transfer to a plate and set aside.
Then boil some water in wok. Put in the cut shimeiji mushrooms and blanch it for about 1 minute. Immediately drained and set aside for later use. As these mushrooms grow in dark and humid environment, there will be some odour. Blanching will remove the odour.
Next, heat up oil in wok. Add in chopped garlic and ginger. Using low heat, stir fry slowly till fragrant. Then add in light soy sauce and continue to stir fry over low heat to bring out the flavour.
Then add in the fried tofu. Add an appropriate amount of water. Bring to a boil. Then add in the seasonings (oyster sauce, salt, sugar, ground white pepper, chicken stock granules, dark soy sauce) to enhance the flavour and colour. Use a spatula to gently turn it around to mix in the seasonings. Using medium low heat, simmer the tofu till well seasoned, for 2 minutes.
After simmering for 2 minutes, add in the beancurd stick and the blanched shimeiji mushrooms. Then stir fry to evenly mixed. As beancurd skin and mushrooms absorbs flavours easily, just gently simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Then add in the cornstarch slurry. Immediately use a spatula to gently mixed around. This will enable the cornstarch slurry to be fully absorbed. When the liquid has thickened, add in the spring onion. Continue to stir fry for another minute till the spring onion is cooked. And the dish is ready to be served.
Choose the right tofu. Use firm tofu and avoid soft or silken tofu which will break easily. Cut into thicker pieces to hold shape.
Lightly pan-fry tofu till golden to strengthen structure and improve sauce absorption.
Prepare beancurd skin properly by soaking in water till pliable. Drain well and squeeze gently (do not wring). Cut into manageable lengths and not too long as will be messy when served.
Simmer tofu until fully seasoned using medium or low heat to enable the tofu to fully absorbed the sauce.
Avoid adding too much water for the braising. Just enough for the tofu and beancurd skin to absorb the liquid.
Control the heat by braising on low to medium-low heat. Gently simmer the tofu. High heat will break the tofu and toughen beancurd skin.
Sauce should be glossy and lightly thickened.
Stir gently or swirl the wok instead of constant stirring to prevent tofu and beancurd skin to break.
Add mushroom and beancurd skin at the end to prevent overcooking and to keep colours fresh.
Angie Liew (known as Huang) has a strong love for cooking from a young age. Being a self taught chef, she focuses on improving cooking recipes, simplifying and documenting cooking methods so that her great home cooked dishes can be served and shared among family and friends.
Have ready all ingredients to cook the dish.
Place fried beancurd stick in a large basin. Add either warm or cold water to soak till it turns white and soft.
Drain the soaked beancurd stick and cut into smaller pieces, about 4cm in length and set aside.
Prepare a large piece of firm and tender tofu. Cut the tofu into thick slices, about 1 cm thick. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Cut shimeiji mushrooms in halves. Then briefly rinsed and drained well.
Then minced garlic and ginger. Cut spring onion into strips and set aside.
Lastly prepare all seasonings to cook the dish.
Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water. Stir to mix well.
First, heat up enough oil in a pan. When oil is ready, gently put in the tofu piece by piece, in a single layer. Using medium or low heat throughout the whole process, fry the tofu. Do not turn over the tofu immediately. You can shake the pan from time to time. This will allow the tofu to be evenly heated and cooked.
Fry the bottom of tofu till it is slightly golden in colour. Then use a spatula to turn the tofu over and fry the other side in the same way.
Do not fry the tofu for too long. Otherwise it will not taste good. Fry the tofu till it is slightly golden and crispy on both sides, about 5 minutes. Tofu fried will be crispy on the outside and tender inside. Then transfer to a plate and set aside.
Then boil some water in wok. Put in the cut shimeiji mushrooms and blanch it for about 1 minute. Immediately drained and set aside for later use. As these mushrooms grow in dark and humid environment, there will be some odour. Blanching will remove the odour.
Next, heat up oil in wok. Add in chopped garlic and ginger. Using low heat, stir fry slowly till fragrant. Then add in light soy sauce and continue to stir fry over low heat to bring out the flavour.
Then add in the fried tofu. Add an appropriate amount of water. Bring to a boil. Then add in the seasonings (oyster sauce, salt, sugar, ground white pepper, chicken stock granules, dark soy sauce) to enhance the flavour and colour. Use a spatula to gently turn it around to mix in the seasonings. Using medium low heat, simmer the tofu till well seasoned, for 2 minutes.
After simmering for 2 minutes, add in the beancurd stick and the blanched shimeiji mushrooms. Then stir fry to evenly mixed. As beancurd skin and mushrooms absorbs flavours easily, just gently simmer for another 1 to 2 minutes.
Then add in the cornstarch slurry. Immediately use a spatula to gently mixed around. This will enable the cornstarch slurry to be fully absorbed. When the liquid has thickened, add in the spring onion. Continue to stir fry for another minute till the spring onion is cooked. And the dish is ready to be served.
Can enjoy hot in a claypot with steamed rice.
1 comment
Easy and delicious! Perfect for easy dinners