Recipe Notes:

• You could use any combination of tofu and vegetables that you prefer.

• You could substitute pork mince with chicken mince.

• You could substitute salted soya beans with salted soya beans paste.

• You could substitute saltwater barramundi fillet with Spanish mackerel fillet or any types of firm flesh fish that you prefer. For convenience, you could also use store bought fish paste if you so desired. However, my experience is that store bought fish paste will give a different taste and texture as compared with fish paste made from scratch.

• I use bottled salted fish (mackerel) in oil. You could use any types of soft salted fish that you prefer.

INGREDIENTS FOR HAKKA YONG TAU FOO - VEGETABLES

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(Serves 4-6 peoples)

✅️ 4 Blocks Traditional Soft White Tofu

✅️ ±235g Bitter Melon

✅️ 6pcs Tofu Puff

✅️ 4 Large Red Chilies

✅️ ±115g Green Capsicum

INGREDIENTS FOR HAKKA YONG TAU FOO - STUFFING

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✅️ 250G Pork Mince

✅️ 125g Saltwater Barramundi Fillet

✅️ ±10g Salted Fish

✅️ ±15g Coriander Root

✅️ 25g Shallot

✅️ 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

✅️ 1 Tbsp Corn Flour (mix with 3 Tbsp plain water)

✅️ ¼ Ground White Pepper

✅️ ¼ Salt

INGREDIENTS FOR HAKKA YONG TAU FOO - GRAVY

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✅️ 1 Tbsp Salted Soya Beans

✅️ 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce

✅️ ±25g Shallot

✅️ 2 Cloves Garlic

✅️ ±20g Ginger

✅️ 3 Cups Water

✅️ 1 Tbsp Corn Flour (mix with 3 Tbsp plain water)

METHOD OF PREPARATION:

1. To prepare for the “Hakka Yong Tau Foo” vegetables: Cut the tofu puff from its side, leaving about 1.5cm intact to make an opening. Repeat the same step with the remaining tofu puffs and then set them aside.

Cut each block of tofu into half diagonally. Carefully make a slit in the middle of the longest side of the tofu to form a pocket. Repeat the same with the remaining tofu and set them aside.

Cut the end of the bitter melon at a 60° angle to remove about 3cm length. Continue to cut the bitter melon at 60° angle into 2cm thick slices. Push the soft middle part of the bitter melon to discard their seeds.

To prepare the chili, first determine which position allows the chili to sit firmly on a flat surface. This will establish where we will slit the chili. Choosing the best position to slit the chili this way will give an even browning of the stuffing during cooking. Make a slit from the top leaving about 3cm from the bottom. Carefully remove the seeds from its cavity to create a pocket. Repeat the same with the remaining chilies and then set them aside.

Cut the capsicum into quarters then remove the seeds and the soft section of the capsicum. Further cut each section into halves and then set them aside.

2. To prepare the “Hakka Yong Tau Foo” fillings:

Thinly slice the shallot and then set them aside. To discard the fish skin, slide the knife in between the flesh and skin and push it through to the end. Thinly slice the flesh and set them aside. Add the sliced shallot into a mortar and pound them into a paste. Add the coriander root to the mortar and continue to pound the shallot and the coriander root together into a fine paste. Add the slice fish fillet and salted fish into the mortar then pound the mixture together into a paste. Transfer the fish paste mixture into a bowl. Add the pork mince, ground white pepper, salt and sesame oil to the bowl. Mix the corn flour with 3 Tbsp of water and stir them to mix well before adding to the bowl. Stir the mixture together until they are combined thoroughly.

3. Stuff about 1 Tbsp of the paste mixture into each of the tofu puffs prepared earlier using a butter knife. Smooth the surface to close the pocket openings and then set them aside.

Stuff about 2 Tbsp of the paste mixture into each chili prepared earlier the same way and then set them aside.

Stuff the paste mixture to completely fill the bitter melon prepared earlier. Flip the bitter melon on the other side and spread the fish paste to close the openings and then set them aside.

Stuff about 1 Tbsp of the paste mixture into the capsicum prepared earlier. Smooth the surface to let the paste stick onto the capsicum and then set them aside.

Stuff about 1 Tsp of the paste mixture into the tofu pocket openings prepared earlier. Spread additional paste on the tofu surface about 1 Tbsp to cover the openings then set them aside.

Repeat the steps until all the tofu and vegetable pieces are fully stuffed in the same manner.

4. Arrange the stuffed bitter melon pieces in a non-stick pan. Brown the stuffed bitter melon pieces over LOW heat. Flip the bitter melons to brown the stuffing on the other side. Transfer the bitter melon pieces onto a plate once their stuffing is browned on both sides and then set them aside.

Arrange the stuffed tofu pieces in the non-stick pan over LOW heat to brown their stuffing. Flip the tofu to check if the stuffing has browned. Quickly remove the tofu pieces from the pan once they are ready.

Arrange the stuffed chilies in the non-stick pan over LOW heat to brown their stuffing. Brown the stuffed bitter melon pieces over LOW heat. Flip the bitter melons to brown the stuffing on the other side. Transfer the bitter melon pieces onto a plate once their stuffing is browned on both sides and then set them aside.

Arrange the stuffed tofu pieces in the non-stick pan over LOW heat to brown their stuffing. Flip the tofu to check if the stuffing has browned. Quickly remove the tofu pieces from the pan once they are ready.

Arrange the stuffed chilies in the non-stick pan over LOW heat to brown their stuffing. Flip the chilies to check if the stuffing has browned. Quickly remove the stuffed chilies from the pan once they are ready.

Arrange the stuffed tofu puffs in the non-stick pan over LOW heat to brown their stuffing. Quickly remove the tofu puffs from the pan once they are ready.

Arrange the stuffed capsicum in the non-stick pan over LOW heat to brown their stuffing. Flip the capsicum pieces to brown the stuffing on the other side. Transfer the capsicum pieces onto the plate once their stuffing is browned on both sides and then set them aside.

Browning the stuffing this way will give the gravy a richer flavor during cooking.

5. To prepare the “Hakka Yong Tau Foo” gravy:

Crush the garlic and discard their peel then set them aside. Cut the shallot into quarters and set them aside. Thinly slice the ginger and set them aside. Pound the salted soya beans into a paste and set them aside. Add the cooking oil to the stir fry pan over LOW heat. Add the prepared crushed garlic, shallot and ginger into the pan.  Spread the garlic, shallot and ginger in a single layer to brown in the pan. Once the shallot edges start to brown, stir the mixture for another 1 min to brown further. Add plain water to the pan and bring to a boil over HIGH heat. Once it starts to boil, reduce heat to MEDIUM and let it simmers for 1 min. Reduce heat to LOW and discard the fried garlic, shallot and ginger from the pan with a slotted spatula. Add the pounded soya beans prepared earlier and the oyster sauce to the pan. Stir the mixture to mix well.

Add the stuffed tofu puffs and the stuffed tofu pieces to the pan. Cover the pan with its lid and let it simmer for about 5 mins over LOW heat. After 5 mins, remove all the stuffed tofu pieces from the pan and set them aside.

Add the stuffed bitter melons and the stuffed chilies to the pan. Cover the pan with its lid and let it simmers for about 10 mins; allow 15 mins if a much softer texture for the vegetables is preferred. After 10 mins, remove the stuffed bitter melons and the stuffed chilies from the pan and set them aside.

Add the stuffed capsicum pieces to the pan. Cover the pan with its lid and let it simmer for about 2 mins. After 2 mins, Remove the stuffed capsicum pieces from the pan and set them aside.

Mix the corn flour with 3 Tbsp of water and stir them to mix thoroughly. Add the corn flour mixture to the pan to thicken the gravy. Stir the mixture and continue to simmer until it reaches the preferred consistency. Gravy should be slightly thick but still runny.

6. Add gravy to the "Yong Tau Foo" to serve. Enjoy the mouth-watering stuffed tofu and vegetables over a warm bed of rice.

RECIPE PHOTO GALLERY