Go Back
+ servings

Braised Crispy Tofu with Shrimp

5 from 4 votes
Braised tofu is the BEST TOFU EVER! The tofu is coated with egg, grilled until crispy, and then braised in a rich shrimp chicken stock. The tofu is so tender and absorbs tons of flavor. It’s a protein-packed comfort dish that you can prep and cook in 25 minutes!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Main, Side
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 2
Author: Maggie Zhu

Ingredients

  • 15 (5 ounces / 140 grams) peeled shrimp , deveined (*see footnote 1)
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ginger , minced
  • 1 teaspoon Japanese sake (or Chinese cooking wine)
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt plus a pinch
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 pack (12 ounces / 400 grams) firm tofu
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
  • 1 tablespoon green onion , chopped (white part)

Instructions

  • Chop ginger and green onion.
  • Chop shrimp into small pieces and mince into even smaller bits. Transfer to a small bowl.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger, Japanese sake (or Chinese cooking wine), 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch and pinch of salt, mix well.
  • Mix the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt with chicken stock.
  • Slice tofu into 1/3-inch (8-millimeter) rectangles.
  • Spread the rest of the cornstarch on a big plate. Add the egg white to another plate.
  • Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until warm.
  • Work on the tofu pieces one at a time. Coat a piece of tofu with cornstarch and shake off the extra. Dip in egg white, coating both sides. Immediately place into the skillet. Work on the rest of the tofu in the same way. (*see footnote 2)
  • When the bottom side of the tofu turns golden, flip to cook the other side. If the skillet gets too hot and starts to smoke, turn to medium low heat. Cook until the bottom side turns golden.
  • If you are cooking in two batches, add all the tofu back into the skillet.
  • Add chicken stock into the skillet. Add shrimp and the remaining 1 teaspoon ginger and green onion. Carefully spread everything with a spatula, so the shrimp and herbs will be submerged in liquid.
  • Cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes.
  • Serve warm with steamed rice or by itself.

Notes

  1. The shrimp I used were quite small. If you’re using medium or bigger sized, you can get away with 10 to 12 shrimp.
  2. Do not overlap the tofu. And make sure you leave some room between the pieces, so it’ll be easier to flip them later. If you are using a small skillet, you might need to cook the tofu in two batches.

Nutrition

Serving: 415g, Calories: 421kcal, Carbohydrates: 21.5g, Protein: 34.3g, Fat: 22.7g, Saturated Fat: 3.8g, Cholesterol: 147mg, Sodium: 1195mg, Potassium: 527mg, Fiber: 1.9g, Sugar: 2.3g, Vitamin A: 250IU, Vitamin C: 1.7mg, Calcium: 420mg, Iron: 3.6mg