Wanted to try a new dish tonight, haven’t had the chance to go grocery shop for the week, but had soft tofu and frozen shrimps laying around, so this recipe seemed like a good idea. I felt like the sauce didn’t add to the dish, maybe because it turned out lumpy, also next time I will definitely use firm tofu, the soft ones were real difficult to pick up and not break apart. Overall the dish turned out real flavorful, a keeper!

1 package firm tofu (16 oz.)
½ pound small or medium size raw shrimp
1 scallion, including the green top
1 tablespoon rice or cooking sherry wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of white pepper
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil (for cooking in a non-stick wok or a fry pan)

Sauce:

½ can chicken broth (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce*
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water

Preparation:

Rinse the tofu block with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the tofu in half lengthwise. Then cut the tofu crosswise into 20 (¼ inch thick) pieces. Peel, de-vein and rinse the shrimp. Cut the shrimp into very small pieces. Wash and trim the green onion, finely chop. Save 1 tablespoon of green onions for garnish. In a small bowl, combine the shrimp, onions, wine, cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Mix the ingredients together thoroughly. Carefully place 1 full tablespoon of the shrimp mixture between two pieces of tofu. Makes 10 tofu sandwiches. In a small bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup water and set aside.

To Cook:

Heat oil in a non-stick 10″ frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, place the 10 pieces of stuffed tofu into pan. Pan-fry one side of the stuffed tofu for approximately 5 minutes until lightly golden brown. Carefully turn each stuffed tofu sandwich over, cover the pan with a lid and pan-fry for another 5 minutes. Remove the cooked tofu and place onto a serving plate.

In a small pot, heat the chicken broth with oyster sauce, sesame oil and sugar over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir the dissolved cornstarch again and add to pot. Constantly stir and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes clear. Pour sauce evenly over the stuffed tofu. Sprinkle with remaining chopped green onions for garnish. Serve hot.

Original recipe from The All-American Chinese Cookbook