Old Street Style Garlic and Shacha Braised Pressed Tofu
ID: 8fb9ee21...
Recreate the classic flavor of Old Street-style garlic and shacha braised tofu. By blanching in salted water to remove the 'beany' smell, followed by a slow-braising and soaking technique, the various types of tofu perfectly absorb the tea aroma and the rich, mellow essence of black bean soy sauce. Finished with a pungent garlic and savory shacha sauce, it is delicious, aromatic, and addictive.
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🍳 Cooking Flow
Blanch all the pressed tofu in salted water to remove the beany smell, then drain well. → Prepare the tea broth and combine it with Chinese herbs, maltose, soy sauce, and seasonings to create the signature braising liquid. → Place the tofu into the braising liquid and braise slowly over low heat, then turn off the heat and continue to soak to ensure full flavor absorption. → Remove the tofu, cut into small pieces, and toss with minced garlic, shacha sauce, and other aromatics to serve.
Cooking Steps
Brief Cooking Order
Blanch all the pressed tofu in salted water to remove the beany smell, then drain well. → Prepare the tea broth and combine it with Chinese herbs, maltose, soy sauce, and seasonings to create the signature braising liquid. → Place the tofu into the braising liquid and braise slowly over low heat, then turn off the heat and continue to soak to ensure full flavor absorption. → Remove the tofu, cut into small pieces, and toss with minced garlic, shacha sauce, and other aromatics to serve.
Introduction
Recreate the classic flavor of Old Street-style garlic and shacha braised tofu. By blanching in salted water to remove the 'beany' smell, followed by a slow-braising and soaking technique, the various types of tofu perfectly absorb the tea aroma and the rich, mellow essence of black bean soy sauce. Finished with a pungent garlic and savory shacha sauce, it is delicious, aromatic, and addictive.
Step 1
Pour 800cc (800ml) of water into a pot, add 3 tsp of salt and bring to a boil. Blanch all the prepared tofu (five-spice, frozen five-spice, black, and white tofu) to remove the beany smell, then remove and drain well.
Step 2
Steep 20g of tea leaves in 300cc (300ml) of hot water. Let it stand to release the tea aroma, then strain and set the tea broth aside.
Step 3
In a braising pot, combine 1000cc (1000ml) of water with the prepared tea broth. Add 6g star anise, 2g bay leaves, 2g Sichuan peppercorns, 80g maltose, 200cc (200ml) black bean soy sauce, 2 tbsp black bean soy sauce paste, 80cc (80ml) rice wine, 1/3 tsp white pepper powder, 1/4 tsp black pepper powder, and 1 tbsp black vinegar. Mix well to create the braising liquid.
Step 4
Add the four types of blanched tofu into the braising liquid, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes so the tofu exterior absorbs the sauce.
Step 5
After braising, turn off the heat and use the residual heat of the pot to continue soaking the tofu, allowing the savory soy and tea aromas to slowly penetrate the tofu tissue via the temperature difference.
Ingredients List
Important Notes
💡 Blanching the tofu in salted water helps set the shape and removes the raw beany smell; it is the first critical step for flavor absorption and clean taste.
💡 Using pre-frozen five-spice pressed tofu is recommended, as the honeycomb-like holes created by freezing allow the tofu to absorb large amounts of braising liquid, resulting in a juicier texture.
💡 Adding maltose to the braising liquid provides a gentle sweetness and gives the finished tofu a beautiful, glossy, and translucent sheen.
💡 The 'soaking' step after turning off the heat is the secret to deep flavor infusion, utilizing heat contraction and osmotic pressure to enhance the taste.
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