Hakka Recipe

Yong Tau Foo

Hakka / Diaspora · Serves 3–4 · 1 hour

Tofu and vegetables stuffed with fish paste, pork, shrimp, or vegetable filling.

Recipe at a glance

Serves / makesServes 3–4
Time1 hour
Cuisine or formatHakka
UseHome cooking and menu literacy

Ingredients

  • 6 tofu puffs or firm tofu pieces
  • Bitter melon or eggplant slices, optional
  • 8 oz fish paste, minced pork, or mixed filling
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • White pepper
  • 2 cups stock
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce or soy sauce
  • Scallions

Method

  1. Season filling with soy sauce, cornstarch, and white pepper.
  2. Cut slits in tofu and vegetables.
  3. Stuff with filling.
  4. Pan-sear stuffed sides until set.
  5. Add stock and simmer gently.
  6. Season broth and serve.

Menu-literacy notes

  • Yong tau foo is a format more than one fixed recipe.
  • It appears in Hakka and diaspora contexts.
  • Fillings may contain fish, pork, shrimp, or wheat-containing binders.

Variations and substitutions

  • Adjust salt, sugar, chile, and vinegar gradually rather than changing all seasonings at once.
  • For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, wrappers, broth, cooking wine, and shared equipment.
  • When adapting the dish, preserve the core technique and flavor structure that make it recognizable on a menu.

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