The winter pot I make when napa is cheap and the freezer has tofu is this one – napa stew with frozen tofu, and this home cook’s version renders the pork belly first so the whole pot smells of it. A home cook wrote it in nine steps with the timing in the title: ten minutes under the lid, then the frozen tofu in. I made it as written, and it is the sweet, brothy pot that is the definition of home.
Bai cai dun dong dou fu (大白菜炖冻豆腐) is napa stew with frozen tofu – pork belly rendered and napa softened in a light soy broth, then frozen tofu simmered ten minutes until it drinks the liquid.
What Is Napa Stew with Frozen Tofu?
This is the northern winter pot: pork belly is sliced and rendered in the hot pan until the oil runs; garlic blooms with it. Napa cabbage is torn by hand – stems first, cooked until they soften, then the leaves with a little light soy and cooking wine. A bowl of hot water goes in level with the vegetables, boils, and drops to a ten-minute low simmer under the lid. Frozen tofu drops in – thawed or not, the recipe says – and simmers until it is soft and full of broth, salted to taste, scallion over the top.
For the green-leaf tofu braise of the same winter pot, my braised tofu with bok choy is the quicker green plate.
1Braised Tofu with Bok Choy (You Cai Shao Doufu)A classic Chinese home-style dish featuring pan-fried firm tofu braised with crisp bok choy and savory dried shrimp. A healthy, umami-packed dinner in 20 minutes.Check out this recipe
Why This Recipe Works
- The rendered belly. The oil becomes the broth’s flavor.
- Stems first, leaves second. Each cooks as it needs.
- Water level with the food. A broth, not a soup flood.
- Ten minutes under the lid. The pot settles.
- Frozen tofu last. It drinks until soft – thawed or not, the recipe says.
Equipment Needed
- A pot with a lid
- A spatula
Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) pork belly, sliced
- 1/2 head of napa cabbage, torn by hand
- 1 block of frozen tofu
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tbsp light soy and a little cooking wine
- A little salt and scallion
Ingredient Notes
Pork belly: Rendered first for the pot’s soul. Napa: Torn by hand – stems and leaves cooked separately. Frozen tofu: In last, thawed or not – the recipe is relaxed. My red-braised frozen tofu is the saucy, not soupy, version.
Prep & Mise en Place
Slice the pork; tear the napa; slice the garlic; have the frozen tofu ready.
Cooking Process
Step 1 – Slice the pork belly; slice the garlic; cut the scallio
Slice the pork belly; slice the garlic; cut the scallion.
Step 2 – Tear the napa cabbage into pieces by hand, wash, and dr
Tear the napa cabbage into pieces by hand, wash, and drain.
Step 3 – Heat oil in the pot and render the pork belly slices un
Heat oil in the pot and render the pork belly slices until the fat runs.
Step 4 – Add the garlic and cook until fragrant
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Step 5 – Add the napa stems and stir until soft
Add the napa stems and stir until soft.
Step 6 – Add the leaves, cook soft, and season with a little lig
Add the leaves, cook soft, and season with a little light soy and cooking wine.
Step 7 – Pour in a bowl of hot water – level with the food – boi
Pour in a bowl of hot water – level with the food – boil over high, cover, and simmer over low 10 minutes.
Step 8 – Add the frozen tofu (thawed or not, either is fine) and
Add the frozen tofu (thawed or not, either is fine) and simmer until it is soft and has drunk the broth; season with salt.
Step 9 – Finish with the remaining scallion
Finish with the remaining scallion.
Common Mistakes When Making This Dish
1. A watery, thin pot. Cause: too much water or too little render. Fix: water level with the food. 2. A greasy slick. Cause: belly not rendered enough. Fix: cook the fat out first. 3. Wilted, bitter napa. Cause: everything at once. Fix: stems, then leaves. 4. A raw-strong tofu block. Cause: no simmer. Fix: let it drink ten minutes. 5. A bland broth. Cause: timid soy. Fix: the tablespoon and a taste.
Variations
More hearty: A little cellophane noodle with the tofu. Vegetarian: Skip the pork and use a little oil. My braised tofu with bok choy is the no-stew green plate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why render the pork first? The rendered fat is the flavor of the broth. Why tear the napa? Hand-tear keeps the edges soft and irregular. Must the tofu be thawed? No – the recipe says either works. How long does it take? Under 30 minutes. Is it spicy? Not at all – and my silken tofu potage is the lighter soup, savory tofu and egg stir-fry the fast second plate.
How to Serve
Serve hot with rice – with braised tofu with bok choy, red-braised frozen tofu, and home-style tofu for a winter table, or with golden pan-fried tofu and red braised tofu for variety.
Storage & Reheat
Refrigerate 2 days; reheat gently. Never leave out more than 2 hours. For the same cabbage with pan-tofu instead of frozen, try my braised tofu with bok choy.
Allergen Notice
This recipe contains pork and soy (tofu, soy sauce). It is free of gluten (verify the soy), 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 napa stew with frozen tofu is my winter pot at home, and the recipe’s relaxed thawed-or-not note is exactly how I cook. I tested it as written. I have not tested the vegetarian 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.
Napa Stew with Frozen Tofu (白菜炖冻豆腐): The Ten-Minute Pot
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Slice the pork belly; slice the garlic; cut the scallion.
- Tear the napa cabbage into pieces by hand, wash, and drain.
- Heat oil in the pot and render the pork belly slices until the fat runs.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add the napa stems and stir until soft.
- Add the leaves, cook soft, and season with a little light soy and cooking wine.
- Pour in a bowl of hot water - level with the food - boil over high, cover, and simmer over low 10 minutes.
- Add the frozen tofu (thawed or not, either is fine) and simmer until it is soft and has drunk the broth; season with salt.
- Finish with the remaining scallion.
