Hotplate Tofu

Hotplate tofu is one of the dishes I like to order when having zichar. I don’t have a hotplate at home so I simply used a frypan that has good heat retention for my dish, and it turned out equally great. When it comes to minced pork, I’m very particular about how tender the meat is. I get disappointed when the minced pork is tough and dry, which usually happens when the meat is overcooked or when it’s way too lean.

Unfortunately, supermarkets usually sell lean minced pork, which always turns out dry after cooking. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Sheng Siong sells minced pork with more fats, so I immediately bought it to try it out for my hotplate tofu recipe. And really, what a difference it made! The minced pork was so tender and moist after cooking, and I was really satisfied with the overall outcome. If there’s one advice I have to give, it’s that you must must use fatty minced pork for this dish!

Also, now I might not posting photos of the cooking process anymore, as it takes quite a bit of time to edit the photos. But I’ll still continue to post the recipe! Scroll below for the recipe.


Please note that the my recipe was enough to fill 2 frypans and feed 4-6 people (as a side dish), so you may want to adjust the recipe or use a bigger frypan according to your needs.

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Hotplate Tofu

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tubes egg tofu sliced
  • 8 large prawns deveined & shelled
  • 3 shiitake mushrooms soaked & sliced
  • 30 g carrot sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch slurry cornstarch + water
  • 3 eggs add a pinch of salt & pepper (beaten)

MINCED PORK

  • 200 g fatty minced pork
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp cornstarch

SAUCE

  • 2 tbsp chilli bean paste
  • ¾ tbsp soy sauce
  • ¼ tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 150 ml water

Instructions
 

  • Marinate minced pork with salt, pepper, sesame oil and cornstarch in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, soak dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water till soft and cut into slices. Devein and shell prawns. Mix ingredients for sauce in a bowl and set aside.
  • Deep fry egg tofu in a pot of oil until golden brown. Remove egg tofu and place on paper towels to remove excess oil.
  • In a separate wok, add some oil and heat till hot. Fry garlic till fragrant & golden brown, then add carrots & mushrooms and fry for 1-2 minutes. Next, add in minced pork and fry till no longer pink. Add prawns and stir fry for a short while. Note: You don't have to cook the prawns until fully cooked at this stage as you will be cooking the prawns further after adding the sauce. If you overcook the prawns, they will end up tough and dry.
  • Add in the sauce mixture and bring to a simmer. Finally, add 1 tbsp of cornstarch slurry and mix well to thicken the sauce a little. If you think the sauce is not thick enough to your liking, you can add a little more cornstarch slurry to further thicken the sauce.
  • Heat up a cast iron hotplate or a 20cm/24cm frypan (which I used) till hot, then add some oil and swirl the oil around to coat the pan evenly. Add in beaten eggs and swirl evenly to create a thin and even omelette. Before the omelette sets fully, turn off the heat and add the egg tofu and minced pork mixture onto the omelette. Enjoy with some piping hot rice. Note: The amount I made could fill 2 frypans which was enough to feed 4-6 people, so you may want to halve the recipe if cooking for less people.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

2 thoughts on “Hotplate Tofu”

  1. 5 stars
    Thank you for the recipe!! I made this for my Singaporean husband today and he loved it. I used some leftover spam instead of minced pork, which turned out a bit too salty. Hopefully it’ll be better next time once I use real meat. Do you know whether pan frying the tofu would work too? Because I’d prefer not to deep fry but sometimes I know there’s no other way…

    Reply
    • Hi Sam,
      I am happy to hear that your husband enjoyed the Hotplate Tofu! Using leftover spam was a creative twist.

      As for pan-frying the tofu, it’s absolutely an option! While deep frying can provide a crispy exterior, pan-frying can also yield delicious results.

      Just make sure to use enough oil in the pan and turn the tofu pieces occasionally for an even golden-brown finish. It might not be as crispy as deep-frying, but it can still be a tasty alternative. Happy cooking!

      Reply

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