Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Singapore Yong Tau Foo Soup

Name: Singapore Yong Tau Foo Soup
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 400 g Firm tofu; 300 g Chilled boneless fish paste; 200 g Sweet peppers; 200 g Chinese cabbage; 10 g Sliced ginger; 15 g Spring onion; 0.5 g White pepper; 5 ml Sesame oil; 1200 ml Low-salt clear chicken stock; 10 ml Light soy sauce

新加坡釀豆腐清湯

Singapore Yong Tau Foo Soup — finished dish

Total time: 30 min
Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Chilled fish paste fills firm tofu and sweet peppers in a clear cabbage broth. Cook the fish filling fully; the soup serves four as a shared dish.

Ingredients

Main ingredients

400 g Firm tofu
300 g Chilled boneless fish paste
200 g Sweet peppers
200 g Chinese cabbage
10 g Sliced ginger
15 g Spring onion

Filling seasoning

0.5 g White pepper
5 ml Sesame oil

Soup seasoning

1200 ml Low-salt clear chicken stock
10 ml Light soy sauce

Singapore Yong Tau Foo Soup — ingredients

Tools

Wide saucepan and lid
Knife and board
Teaspoon and mixing bowl
Thermometer and ladle

Steps

Step 1

Prepare tofu

Drain and pat tofu dry; cut into 8 blocks about 5 cm wide, keeping them thick.

Step 2

Make cavities

Scoop a shallow cavity in each block, leaving at least 1 cm at the base; reserve scooped tofu for soup.

Step 3

Prepare peppers

Wash, core and deseed peppers; cut into 8 small boat-shaped pieces for filling.

Step 4

Mix fish filling

Stir chilled fish paste with pepper and sesame oil in one direction for 1 minute until sticky; add no extra salt.

Step 5

Fill tofu and peppers

Divide paste into 16 portions and press into 8 tofu and 8 pepper pieces, keeping filling no thicker than 1.5 cm.

Step 6

Prepare cabbage and aromatics

Wash cabbage and cut into 4 cm pieces; chop spring onion and slice ginger, then wash raw-fish utensils.

Step 7

Heat broth

Bring stock and ginger to a boil in a wide saucepan, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

Step 8

Add stuffed pieces

Lower stuffed tofu and peppers filling-up into broth, almost covered; lid and simmer gently for 6 minutes.

Step 9

Add cabbage

Add cabbage and reserved scooped tofu in the gaps; cover and cook 4–5 minutes more.

Step 10

Check filling

Check thickest filling reaches 75°C; cut one to confirm opaque, springy flesh throughout, and cook longer if needed.

Step 11

Season and finish

Taste broth because fish paste is salted; add up to 10 ml soy sauce gradually and scatter spring onion.

Step 12

Portion gently

Place 2 tofu and 2 pepper pieces in each of four bowls and divide cabbage and broth; serve hot.

Common mistakes

A hole through tofu leaks filling; leave a 1 cm base.
Thick filling cooks slowly; limit it to 1.5 cm.
A rolling boil breaks pieces; maintain a gentle simmer.
Adding soy before tasting can oversalt soup; fish paste is already salted.

Tips

Choose boneless fish paste from a trusted chilled source and check whether it contains egg or wheat. Cook soon after stuffing and refrigerate while waiting; floating does not prove thick filling is cooked. Firm tofu survives hollowing and serving better; this is a shared dish for four, with staples arranged separately.