Braised Stinky Tofu
Pork Belly

A bold, savory dish featuring tender tofu and succulent pork belly braised in a fragrant, spiced clay pot sauce. This flavor-packed meal is a comfort classic.

Ingredients

• 200 g stinky tofu
• 150 g pork belly
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 piece ginger
• 2 stalks scallions
• 5 g dried chili peppers
• 15 ml cooking wine
• 30 ml light soy sauce
• 5 ml dark soy sauce
• 10 ml oyster sauce
• 300 ml hot water
• 2 g salt
• 1 g white pepper powder
• 2 g chicken bouillon powder
• 2 g sugar
• optional garlic sprouts

Instructions

1. 1Heat the clay pot

   

   Place a clay pot on the stove and add a drizzle of cooking oil. Heat the pot over medium-low heat to prepare it for searing the pork belly.

   Tip: Clay pots retain heat exceptionally well, so keep the heat moderate to avoid scorching the bottom.
2. 2Sear the pork belly

   

   Carefully add the pork belly slices into the heated clay pot. Pan-fry the meat over medium-low heat until it releases its fat and the color changes, indicating it is properly seared.

   Tip: Rendering the fat from the pork belly builds the base flavor for the entire dish.
3. 3Sauté the aromatics

   

   Add the sliced ginger, garlic, scallions, and dried chili peppers into the pot with the seared pork. Stir-fry these aromatics until the fragrance is released into the oil.

   Tip: Stir-fry until you can smell the aroma; do not overcook the garlic to avoid a bitter taste.
4. 4Deglaze with wine

   

   Pour a splash of cooking wine into the clay pot. Stir well to deglaze the pot and combine the aromatics with the pork belly.

   Tip: The cooking wine helps remove any raw smell from the meat and adds depth to the sauce.
5. 5Season the mixture

   

   Add two circles of light soy sauce, a dash of dark soy sauce, and a drizzle of oyster sauce into the pot. Stir-fry everything until the savory aroma of the combined sauces develops.

   Tip: Using both light and dark soy sauce balances the saltiness with a rich color.
6. 6Simmer the broth

   

   Pour hot water into the clay pot until the ingredients are submerged. Add salt and white pepper powder, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat before continuing the cooking process.

   Tip: Using hot water instead of cold keeps the temperature of the clay pot steady and speeds up the cooking.
7. 7Add the tofu cubes

   

   Gently add the small tofu cubes into the boiling broth. The tofu, such as Yunnan Shiping style or regular market tofu, will absorb the flavorful braising liquid, becoming tender and savory.

   Tip: Handle the tofu carefully when adding it to the pot to ensure it stays in whole, bite-sized pieces.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions