The sea bowl I make when white fish meets tofu is this one – basa and tofu tomato pot, and this home cook’s version blanches the fillets first so the pot stays clean. A home cook wrote it in fourteen steps with the order in the title: fish poached, then vegetables, then the fish back. I made it as written, and it is the sweet-sour, silky bowl that disappears over rice.

Long li yu dou fu bao (龙利鱼豆腐煲) is basa and tofu tomato pot – white fish fillets poached briefly, then simmered with tofu, king oyster mushroom, and enoki in a tomato-ketchup broth.

What Is Basa and Tofu Tomato Pot?

This is the quick sea-and-soy pot: basa fillets are cut, salted, and peppered, rested ten minutes, then slipped into boiling water just until they turn white. Tomatoes are scored, boiled two minutes, peeled, and diced; king oyster mushroom and tofu are diced and enoki washed. Garlic blooms in oil, the tomato dice cooks down with a spoon of ketchup, water joins with salt, sugar, and light soy, and everything simmers – mushroom and tofu first, then the fish, low and gentle.

For the all-tofu tomato pan of the same sauce, my pan-fried tofu in savory tomato sauce leaves out the fish.

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Pan-Fried Tofu with Egg in Tomato Sauce (Qie Zhi Ji Dan Dou Fu)

This easy 30-minute dish features crispy pan-fried tofu and fluffy scrambled eggs braised in a rich, sweet, and savory tomato glaze. It's the perfect comfort food to serve over steamed rice.

Check out this recipe

Why This Recipe Works

• The ten-minute rest. Salt and pepper season the fish.
• The quick blanch. A clean pot and tender fish.
• The peeled tomato. Sweet, never sharp.
• Ketchup plus tomato. The double red.
• Fish last. Gentle, silky, never dry.

Equipment Needed

• A pot or clay pot
• A small pan for the tomato
• A spatula

Ingredients

• 300 g (10.5 oz) basa or white fish fillets
• 1 block of tofu, diced
• 1 large tomato, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 king oyster mushroom diced, and 1 bundle of enoki
• A little garlic, scallion, salt, sugar, and light soy

Ingredient Notes

Basa: Affordable, clean, and mild – blanched first. Tofu: Diced to poach with the mushrooms. My braised tofu with bok choy is a green tofu braise. The tomato: Peeled and cooked down with ketchup for the sweet red broth.

Prep & Mise en Place

Cut and season the fish; peel and dice the tomato; dice the tofu and mushrooms.

Cooking Process

Step 1 – Buy good white fish – basa from the market works, clean

Buy good white fish – basa from the market works, clean and fresh.

Step 2 – Cut the fillets into pieces, season with salt and peppe

Cut the fillets into pieces, season with salt and pepper, and rest 10 minutes.

Step 3 – Score the tomato skin in a cross and boil it 2 minutes

Score the tomato skin in a cross and boil it 2 minutes.

Step 4 – Lift the tomato out, peel it, and dice it

Lift the tomato out, peel it, and dice it.

Step 5 – Dice the king oyster mushroom and tofu; wash the enoki;

Dice the king oyster mushroom and tofu; wash the enoki; slice scallion and garlic.

Step 6 – Slip the rested fish into boiling water just until it t

Slip the rested fish into boiling water just until it turns color, then lift out.

Step 7 – Heat oil in the pot and bloom the garlic

Heat oil in the pot and bloom the garlic.

Step 8 – Add the tomato dice and cook until it releases its juic

Add the tomato dice and cook until it releases its juice; add ketchup and toss.

Step 9 – Add water; season with salt, sugar, and light soy

Add water; season with salt, sugar, and light soy.

Step 10 – Once it boils, add the mushroom, tofu, and enoki and co

Once it boils, add the mushroom, tofu, and enoki and cook through.

Step 11 – Return the blanched fish and simmer over low until it t

Return the blanched fish and simmer over low until it takes the flavor.

Step 12 – Scatter scallion and it is done

Scatter scallion and it is done.

Step 13 – The fish and tomato together are sweet-sour and fresh;

The fish and tomato together are sweet-sour and fresh; the tofu makes it silky.

Step 14 – Ladle over hot rice – a few bowls

Ladle over hot rice – a few bowls.

Common Mistakes When Making This Dish

1. A fishy pot. Cause: no blanch. Fix: the quick white-flesh poach first. 2. Dry, stringy fish. Cause: simmered too long. Fix: low heat and fish last. 3. A sharp, raw tomato note. Cause: unpeeled or undercooked tomato. Fix: peel and cook it down. 4. A thin broth. Cause: no ketchup or short cook. Fix: the double red. 5. Broken tofu. Cause: hard stirring. Fix: gentle.

Variations

Spicier: A little chili with the garlic. More seafood: Shrimp with the fish. My silky shrimp and tofu is the shrimp version of the same bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why blanch the fish first? It keeps the pot clean and the fish tender. Can I use another white fish? Yes – cod, tilapia, or sole. Why ketchup and tomato? The double red gives the sweet broth depth. How long does it take? About 35 minutes. Is it spicy? Not at all – and my silken tofu potage is the other gentle pot, savory tofu and egg stir-fry the fast plate.

How to Serve

Ladle over rice – with pan-fried tofu in savory tomato sauce, silky shrimp and tofu, and home-style tofu for a tofu table, or with red braised tofu and golden pan-fried tofu for contrast.

Storage & Reheat

Refrigerate 2 days; reheat gently. Never leave out more than 2 hours.

Allergen Notice

This recipe contains fish, soy (soy sauce, tofu), and no shellfish. It is free of gluten (verify the soy sauce), dairy, egg, and nuts.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

About the Author & Recipe Development

I am Jason Guo, a Chinese chef who has cooked professionally for more than five years – including time as a head chef – and now runs my own small restaurant in China, where tofu appears on the menu almost every day. This xiachufang cook’s basa and tofu tomato pot is the quick sea bowl of my weeknights, and the recipe’s blanch-first order is exactly why the pot stays clean. I tested it as written. I have not tested the shrimp version, so that is your experiment, not my claim.

Authoritative References

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Safe Temperature Chart for safe storage of cooked dishes.