Tofu has long been one of the familiar ingredients in delicious and nutritious vegetarian dishes. In today’s article, let’s join TasteVN to the kitchen and learn 2 simple and appealing ways to make tofu with minced meat sauce to enrich your family’s vegetarian menu!
1. Tofu with minced meat sauce and vegetarian pork slices
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Tofu with minced meat sauce and vegetarian pork slices Serves 4
White tofu 1 piece (about 200gr) Vegetarian pork slices 12 slices White radish 1/2 piece Celery 3 stalks Bird’s eye chili 1 piece Spring onion tops 1.5 tablespoons (chopped) Sugar 2 teaspoons Ground pepper 2/3 teaspoon Chili sauce 1 teaspoon Vegetarian seasoning 1 teaspoon Vegetarian oyster sauce 1/2 tablespoon Vegetarian fish sauce 1 teaspoon Cooking oil 2 tablespoons
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh white radish
- It is advisable to buy medium-sized, elongated white radishes towards the tail. Radishes with a thick tail often contain a lot of water and have a bland taste.
- Fresh and delicious white radishes will still have their stalks and roots intact, with fresh and intact stalks. This indicates that they are recently harvested radishes.
- Avoid white radishes with rotten stalks while their skin is still shiny, as they may have been injected with preservatives. They will not taste good and are not healthy when cooked.
Suggested places to buy vegetarian pork slices
- Currently, you can easily buy vegetarian spare ribs at supermarkets, grocery stores, or reputable vegetarian food shops nationwide.
- With prices ranging from 40,000 – 55,000 VND for 150g of vegetarian pork slices (price updated in August 2021)
- When purchasing, you should carefully check the information regarding the origin, ingredients, and expiration date printed on the product packaging.
- Do not buy vegetarian spare rib packages with torn packaging, collapsed bags, or any signs of mold on the pieces of ribs.
Tools needed
Steamer, pan, knife, cutting board, plate,…
How to make Tofu with minced meat sauce and vegetarian pork slices
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Prepare the ingredients
To clean off dirt, rinse the tofu with water and then let it drain.
Rinse the vegetarian pork slices with water, then soak them in cold water for about 15 – 20 minutes for the slices to soften.
Tip: Soak the vegetarian pork slices in cold water to keep them chewy and not mushy.
Next, take out the vegetarian pork slices, squeeze out the water, and use a knife to cut them into small pieces.
Peel the white radish, wash it clean, and then cut it into small cubes. Cut off the roots of the celery, wash it clean, and let it drain. Cut the stems of the celery into small pieces, and set the leaves aside (for decoration).
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Stir-fried minced meat sauce
Place a pan on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and heat it, then add the green onions and the stalks of celery to fry until fragrant.
When the green onions and celery become aromatic, add the white radish, vegan pork slices, 2 teaspoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vegetarian seasoning, and 2/3 teaspoon of ground pepper. Stir well over medium heat for about 1 – 2 minutes for the ingredients to absorb the seasoning.
Next, add 1 teaspoon of chili sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of vegetarian oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon of vegetarian fish sauce, then continue to mix well for about another minute before turning off the heat.
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Steam the tofu and finish
Place a steamer on the stove, add water and bring to a boil, then put the tofu in to steam for about 15 minutes until cooked.
Next, add the vegan pork sauce that was just cooked and steam for an additional 5 minutes to complete.
Tip: You should add the vegan pork sauce to the pot after the tofu is cooked, to avoid the sauce becoming watery and unappetizing.
Finally, serve the dish on the table, adding a bit of celery and sliced chili on top, and decorate it nicely to complete.
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Final Product
With just a few simple steps, you have an eye-catching vegetarian minced meat sauce tofu with vegetarian pork slices.
The soft and fatty tofu blends with the rich sauce, chewy pork slices, and crunchy sweet radish, stimulating the taste buds immensely, rivaling any meat dish.
2. Vegetarian minced meat sauce tofu with mushrooms and pickled cabbage
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Preparation
15 minutes
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Cooking
30 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Vegetarian Tofu with Minced Meat Sauce, Mushrooms, and Pickled Mustard Greens Serves 4
Soft tofu 1 piece (about 300g) Vegetarian minced meat 2 tablespoons Pickled mustard greens 50 g Dried shiitake mushrooms 10 g Bird’s eye chili 2 pieces Green onions 2 tablespoons (chopped) Fresh coconut water 300 ml Sugar 1 tablespoon Vegetarian seasoning 1 teaspoon Vegetarian oyster sauce 1 teaspoon Vegetarian fish sauce 1 teaspoon Cooking oil 1 tablespoon
How to Choose Fresh Ingredients
How to select good dried shiitake mushrooms
- Choose whole mushrooms that are not broken, have a bright color, and do not have white mold spots. Select from reputable sources or carefully check the expiration date on the packaging when purchasing dried mushrooms to ensure safety.
- Avoid buying dried shiitake mushrooms of unknown origin and those with a foul odor.
See details: How to choose good dried shiitake mushrooms
How to choose crispy and delicious pickled cabbage (sour cabbage)
- Delicious pickled cabbage has a natural fermented smell, and the cabbage leaves retain a beautiful greenish-yellow color. When tasted (if possible), the cabbage must be crunchy and have a pleasantly sour taste.
- Choose cabbage bunches with large leaf stalks, not infested or rotten, without strange smells, and the pickling brine should be clear, without any mold.
- Avoid choosing cabbage that is yellowing, dark yellow, or overly green.
- It is advisable to buy from reputable stores and with packaging to ensure the shelf life and origin of the pickled cabbage.
- Additionally, to ensure the quality of the pickled cabbage, you can make it at home with a simple recipe shared by TasteVN.
Suggestions for buying minced vegetarian meat
- Currently, you can easily buy vegetarian spare ribs at supermarkets, grocery stores, or reputable vegetarian food stores nationwide.
- To ensure safety, you should choose vegetarian spare rib products from well-known brands that are trusted by many people and sold at reputable places.
- The price for 100 grams of vegetarian spare ribs ranges from 25,000 to 35,000 VND (price updated in August 2021).
- When purchasing, pay close attention to the information about the origin and expiration date printed on the product packaging. The packaging should not be torn, the vegetarian meat bag should not be deflated, or show any mold spots on the spare ribs.
How to make Tofu with minced meat sauce, mushrooms, and pickled mustard greens
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Prepare the ingredients
To clean the dirt, soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in cold water for about 30 – 45 minutes until they soften. Then, use a knife to cut into strips.
How to properly soak dried shiitake mushrooms
- Rinse the mushrooms in water to remove dirt, then soak them in water for 30 minutes to several hours to soften; if soaked for less than 30 minutes, they will not be soft enough and will not taste good when cooked.
- To shorten the soaking time, you can soak the mushrooms in warm or hot water (60 – 80 degrees Celsius) for 10 minutes.
- While soaking, rotate the mushroom stems to make it easier to remove dirt from the shiitake mushrooms.
- Cut off the stems of the mushrooms as they are very tough and not tasty.
See details: How to choose and prepare common types of mushrooms used in dishes
Soak the minced vegetarian meat in cold water for about 15 – 20 minutes, then rinse again with water and drain.
If you choose a type of pickled mustard greens that is very sour, after buying, you need to rinse it several times with water and then squeeze it well to reduce the sour taste. For less sour mustard greens, you just need to rinse them briefly with water and then squeeze them well. Next, use a knife to cut the pickled mustard greens into thin strips.
Gently rinse the soft tofu with water, drain, and then cut it into small square pieces about the thickness of a finger.
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Sauté minced meat sauce
Place a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and heat it, then add 1/2 of the chopped green onions and sauté until fragrant.
When the green onions are aromatic, add all the mushrooms, vegetarian minced meat, and pickled cabbage and sauté over medium heat for about 3 – 5 minutes until the ingredients are just cooked.
Next, add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vegetarian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of vegetarian oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon of vegetarian fish sauce to the pan. Stir well and sauté for another 1 – 2 minutes for the ingredients to be cooked and evenly absorb the seasoning.
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Steamed Tofu
Arrange the soft tofu in a pan, pour in the mushroom and minced vegetarian meat filling along with 300ml of coconut water into the pan.
Place on the stove, turn on low heat, and simmer until the coconut water thickens.
Finally, add the sliced bird’s eye chili and the remaining green onions on top, cook for about 1 more minute, then turn off the heat.
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Final Product
The soft and smooth tofu combined with the savory, sweet, and slightly spicy minced meat sauce creates a rich flavor. At the same time, the chewy sweetness from the mushrooms and the tanginess from the pickled mustard greens add a delicious and irresistible taste to the dish.
What are you waiting for? Get into the kitchen and showcase your skills by making this dish for your family’s vegetarian occasions!
How to choose fresh, delicious tofu, without gypsum
- You should choose pieces that are off-white in color, and avoid those that are too white or too yellow, as they may contain gypsum, which is not good for health.
- You can check by holding them; choose pieces that feel light to the touch, have a soft surface, and are not slimy.
- At the same time, to ensure the quality of the tofu, you should buy from reputable stores with a brand and clear expiration date.
- Alternatively, you can also make tofu at home following detailed instructions from TasteVN via the link below.
Above are 2 ways to make vegetarian minced meat sauce tofu delicious and flavorful, perfect for a meal at home. What are you waiting for? Make this dish for the whole family, and good luck!
