Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat
Cantonese Braised Roast Pork with Tofu Puffs
火腩炆豆卜
Recipe overview
Roast pork braises gently with tofu puffs and napa cabbage, allowing the puffs to absorb the savoury sauce while the pork stays meaty.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 400 g roast pork
- 200 g tofu puffs
- 300 g napa cabbage
- 15 g ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 spring onions
Braising sauce
- 500 ml low-sodium chicken stock
- 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 1.5 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water (for slurry)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
02
Tools
- chopping board
- kitchen knife
- saucepan
- colander
- wooden spoon
- measuring spoons
- small bowls
- heavy lidded pot
- spatula
- food thermometer
- clay pot
03
Steps
Step 1
Cut the roast pork
First use a kitchen knife on a chopping board to cut 400 g roast pork into 3 cm pieces; after about 3 minutes the meat and crackling should remain attached in even pieces.
Step 2
Blanch the tofu puffs
Next boil enough water in a saucepan, add 200 g tofu puffs and cook for 1 minute, until softened and floating.
Step 3
Press the tofu puffs
Drain 200 g tofu puffs in a colander for 2 minutes, then press gently with a wooden spoon until no water drips and the puffs remain intact.
Step 4
Cut cabbage and aromatics
On the chopping board, cut 300 g cabbage into 5 cm pieces, slice 15 g ginger and 2 garlic cloves, and dice 2 spring onions; keep separate after about 4 minutes.
Step 5
Mix sauce and slurry
In small bowls, mix 500 ml stock, 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp soy, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine and 1 tsp sugar; separately stir 1.5 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water until smooth, taking about 2 minutes.
Step 6
Fry ginger and garlic
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy pot over medium heat for 45 seconds; fry 15 g ginger and 2 sliced garlic cloves for 30 seconds until lightly golden and fragrant.
Step 7
Brown the roast pork
Add 400 g roast pork and toss with a spatula over medium heat for 3 minutes, waiting for lightly browned cut faces and rendered fat before adding cabbage.
Step 8
Cook the cabbage stems
Add the stems from 300 g napa cabbage and stir with the spatula for 2 minutes until glossy and slightly softened; reserve the leaves.
Step 9
Add sauce, puffs and leaves
Pour in all the sauce and add 200 g tofu puffs plus cabbage leaves; cook in the heavy pot for about 3 minutes until gently bubbling throughout.
Step 10
Cover and braise
Cover and braise the pork, tofu puffs and cabbage over low heat for 20 minutes, turning once with a wooden spoon; the puffs should absorb sauce and turn pale brown.
Step 11
Check and thicken
Confirm the roast pork centre reaches 75°C with a thermometer; remix the slurry, add gradually and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute until sauce lightly coats the puffs.
Step 12
Finish with sesame and onion
Turn off the heat, add 1 tsp sesame oil and all diced spring onion, stir for 30 seconds, then transfer to a clay pot and rest 2 minutes; everything should be hot and cabbage tender but intact.
Common mistakes
- Unblanched tofu puffs retain an oily taste and absorb sauce poorly.
- Cutting roast pork too small makes meat and crackling separate.
- Cooking napa leaves too early makes them disintegrate.
- Unmixed slurry or pouring it all at once creates lumps.
Tips
Blanch and press tofu puffs so they absorb sauce. Stir-fry cabbage stems before adding leaves, heat the roast pork through, and keep the final thickening light and flowing.
