The wok dish I make when a frozen block of firm tofu is waiting is this one – red-braised frozen tofu, and this home cook’s version seasons the pork first, then braises the whole pot dry so the sauce gets into the honeycomb. A home cook wrote it in eleven steps with the finish in the title: boil until the liquid is gone. I made it as written, and it is the juicy, spiced block that eats like something far richer.

Hong shao dong dou fu (红烧冻豆腐) is red-braised frozen tofu – firm tofu frozen overnight and thawed, cubed, and braised with marinated pork in a doubanjiang, sugar, and Sichuan-peppercorn sauce until the liquid cooks away.

What Is Red-Braised Frozen Tofu?

This is the frozen block treated like meat: firm tofu is frozen overnight and thawed naturally – the freeze builds the honeycomb – then cut into cubes. Lean pork is diced and worked with white pepper, salt, and cooking wine until tacky, then a little starch and water. Doubanjiang, sugar, and Sichuan peppercorns bloom over low heat, the pork breaks up in the oil, the frozen tofu joins, water covers it, and the pot boils over high until the liquid is gone – then chicken powder and scallion turn it out.

For the classic red braise on fresh tofu, my red braised tofu skips the freezer entirely.

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Red Braised Tofu (Hong Shao Dou Fu)

This authentic Sichuan-style Red Braised Tofu is a savory, slightly spicy vegetarian dish that is perfect for weeknight dinners. Tofu cubes are simmered in a rich Doubanjiang sauce infused with Sichuan peppercorns.

Check out this recipe

Why This Recipe Works

• The overnight freeze. Firm tofu builds the honeycomb that drinks sauce.
• The worked pork. Seasoned, tacky, and silky.
• Doubanjiang over low heat. The chili-bean base blooms, never burns.
• Boil until dry. The sauce has nowhere to go but in – the recipe’s finish.
• Chicken powder and scallion last. The final lift.

Equipment Needed

• A wok
• A freezer-safe bag
• A spatula

Ingredients

• 1 block of firm tofu, frozen overnight and thawed
• 100 g (3.5 oz) lean pork, diced
• 1 tbsp doubanjiang, a little sugar, and Sichuan peppercorns
• A little white pepper, salt, cooking wine, and cornstarch
• A little chicken powder and scallion

Ingredient Notes

The frozen tofu: Firm tofu frozen overnight turns honeycombed. My red braised tofu is the fresh-block braise. Doubanjiang: The chili-bean paste, bloomed low. The finish: Cook the liquid away so the tofu holds it instead.

Prep & Mise en Place

Freeze and thaw the tofu; dice and season the pork; cube the tofu.

Cooking Process

Step 1 – Freeze the firm tofu overnight, then thaw it naturally;

Freeze the firm tofu overnight, then thaw it naturally; dice the lean pork.

Step 2 – Season the pork with white pepper, salt, and cooking wi

Season the pork with white pepper, salt, and cooking wine, working it until tacky.

Step 3 – Add a little cornstarch

Add a little cornstarch.

Step 4 – Add a little water and mix well

Add a little water and mix well.

Step 5 – Cut the thawed frozen tofu into cubes

Cut the thawed frozen tofu into cubes.

Step 6 – Heat oil and bloom the doubanjiang, sugar, and Sichuan

Heat oil and bloom the doubanjiang, sugar, and Sichuan peppercorns over low heat.

Step 7 – Add the pork dice and break them up in the oil

Add the pork dice and break them up in the oil.

Step 8 – Add the frozen tofu

Add the frozen tofu.

Step 9 – Add water

Add water.

Step 10 – Boil over high until the liquid cooks away

Boil over high until the liquid cooks away.

Step 11 – Add chicken powder and scallion; toss to coat and serve

Add chicken powder and scallion; toss to coat and serve.

Common Mistakes When Making This Dish

1. A bland honeycomb. Cause: sauce left watery. Fix: boil until the liquid is gone. 2. A burnt doubanjiang. Cause: heat too high. Fix: bloom over low. 3. Dry, tough pork. Cause: no working or no starch. Fix: work it tacky, then starch and water. 4. Mushy tofu. Cause: skipping the freeze. Fix: the overnight freeze is the point. 5. A muddy sauce. Cause: too much at once. Fix: bloom, then water.

Variations

Milder: Half the doubanjiang, more sugar. Vegetarian: Skip the pork for a mushroom version. My spicy numbing tofu is the fresh-tofu chili braise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why freeze the tofu? The freeze builds the honeycomb that drinks the sauce. Why boil until dry? The sauce goes into the tofu instead of the plate. Can I skip the pork? Yes – it is the protein accent. How long does it take? About 20 minutes after the freeze. Is it spicy? Yes, warmly, from the doubanjiang – my pan-fried tofu with minced pork is the milder pork-tofu plate, and silken tofu potage the cool soup to follow.

How to Serve

Serve over rice – with red braised tofu, spicy numbing tofu, and home-style tofu for a saucy table, or with braised tofu with bok choy and golden pan-fried tofu for contrast.

Storage & Reheat

Refrigerate 2 days; reheat gently. Never leave out more than 2 hours. For a soy-only version of the same braise, my red braised tofu needs no chili.

Allergen Notice

This recipe contains pork, soy (tofu, soy), and no shellfish, dairy, egg, nuts, fish, or gluten (verify the doubanjiang and soy).

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 red-braised frozen tofu is the freezer trick I use when I want the block to drink, and the recipe’s boil-it-dry finish is exactly how I braise. 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.