The cold bowl I make when the diet table needs flavor is this one – chrysanthemum-crown and tofu salad, and this home cook’s version is the low-calorie plate that needs only sesame and salt. A home cook wrote it in five steps with the promise in the title: essential for the weight-loss table. I made it as written, and it is the fresh, clean salad that is light and genuinely good.
Tong hao ban dou fu (茼蒿拌豆腐) is chrysanthemum-crown and tofu salad – blanched edible chrysanthemum greens and crumbled tofu dressed with sesame oil and white sesame.
What Is Chrysanthemum-Crown and Tofu Salad?
This is the simplest cold salad of the diet table: tofu is broken into pieces and blanched two minutes in salted water, then cooled; chrysanthemum-crown greens – the feathery vegetable also called crown daisy – are blanched briefly and cooled too. The tofu is crumbled, the greens cut into pieces, and everything is tossed with salt, sesame oil, and toasted white sesame. It is light, clean, and genuinely good.
For the pepper-oil cold tofu sibling of the same plate, my 10-minute silken tofu with Sichuan pepper oil is the spicier cold classic.
110-Minute Silken Tofu with Sichuan Pepper OilThis 10-minute Silken Tofu with Sichuan Pepper Oil features creamy tofu drenched in a numbing, savory hot oil sauce. A fast, authentic appetizer bursting with flavor.Check out this recipe
Why This Recipe Works
- The salted blanches. Both tofu and greens come out seasoned and clean.
- Two minutes each. Cooked, never mushy.
- The crumbled tofu. It coats the greens like a light dressing.
- Sesame oil and sesame. The flavor, with almost no calories.
- The diet-table essential. The recipe’s claim, kept.
Equipment Needed
- A pot
- A bowl
Ingredients
- 1 block of tofu, crumbled
- 1 bunch of chrysanthemum-crown greens (tong hao)
- Salt, to taste
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted white sesame
Ingredient Notes
Chrysanthemum-crown greens: The feathery vegetable – blanch it briefly. My braised tofu with bok choy is the cooked green version. Tofu: Crumbled to coat the greens. The dressing: Salt, sesame oil, sesame – light and clean.
Prep & Mise en Place
Blanch and cool the tofu and greens; toast the sesame.
Cooking Process
Step 1 – Bring salted water to a boil; break the tofu into piece
Bring salted water to a boil; break the tofu into pieces and cook 2 minutes, then cool.
Step 2 – Blanch the chrysanthemum greens in water with oil and s
Blanch the chrysanthemum greens in water with oil and salt until it boils again, then cool.
Step 3 – Crush the tofu and cut the greens into pieces; toss the
Crush the tofu and cut the greens into pieces; toss them in a bowl.
Step 4 – Season with salt and sesame oil; add the toasted white
Season with salt and sesame oil; add the toasted white sesame for aroma.
Step 5 – The diet-table essential – light, low-calorie, and read
The diet-table essential – light, low-calorie, and ready.
Common Mistakes When Making This Dish
1. Bitter, over-blanched greens. Cause: too long. Fix: out as soon as it boils again. 2. A watery salad. Cause: undrained tofu or greens. Fix: cool and squeeze gently. 3. A bland bowl. Cause: timid salt and sesame. Fix: season with confidence. 4. Mushy tofu. Cause: over-cooking. Fix: two minutes. 5. Raw, hard greens. Cause: no blanch. Fix: the quick boil.
Variations
Spicier: A little chili oil with the sesame. My 10-minute silken tofu with Sichuan pepper oil is the peppercorn version. More crunch: Extra sesame or a few peanuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chrysanthemum-crown? Tong hao – the feathery edible green. Why blanch both? It seasons and cleans them. Can I use spinach? Yes, blanched the same way. How long does it take? About 15 minutes. Is it really low-calorie? Almost nothing but tofu and greens – yes, and my pan-fried tofu with minced pork is the heartier plate when you want more, silken tofu potage the warm soup side.
How to Serve
Serve cool as a light plate – with 10-minute silken tofu with Sichuan pepper oil, home-style tofu, and braised tofu with bok choy for a cold table, or with savory tofu and egg stir-fry and red braised tofu for variety.
Storage & Reheat
Best fresh; refrigerate 1 day. Never leave out more than 2 hours. For another cold tofu plate, my century egg and silken tofu salad is the chilled classic.
Allergen Notice
This recipe contains soy (tofu). It is free of gluten, dairy, egg, nuts, fish, and shellfish.
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 chrysanthemum-crown and tofu salad is the light bowl of my diet table, and the recipe’s quick blanches are exactly why both stay clean. I tested it as written. I have not tested the chili 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.
Chrysanthemum-Crown & Tofu Salad (茼蒿拌豆腐): The Low-Cal Cold Bowl
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Bring salted water to a boil; break the tofu into pieces and cook 2 minutes, then cool.
- Blanch the chrysanthemum greens in water with oil and salt until it boils again, then cool.
- Crush the tofu and cut the greens into pieces; toss them in a bowl.
- Season with salt and sesame oil; add the toasted white sesame for aroma.
- The diet-table essential - light, low-calorie, and ready.
