The clay-pot pile-up that disappears is this one – shrimp, egg-tofu, and vermicelli, and this home cook’s version layers golden egg tofu under shrimp with a tomato-soy glaze. A home cook wrote it in fourteen steps with the honesty in the title: the silken tofu can break – buy the firmer one. I made it as written, and it is the layered, saucy pot where the vermicelli drinks everything.

Xia ren dou fu fen si bao (虾仁豆腐粉丝煲) is shrimp, egg-tofu, and vermicelli pot – golden egg tofu and seared shrimp layered over enoki and soaked vermicelli in a clay pot under a tomato-soy glaze.

What Is Shrimp, Egg-Tofu and Vermicelli Pot?

This is the layered clay-pot classic with the pantry of a seafood tofu dinner: vermicelli soaks warm; shrimp are shelled and marinated; egg tofu – the custard roll – is sliced thick, coated in egg, and pan-fried golden. The pot is layered: enoki below, vermicelli, the golden egg tofu, and shrimp on top, with a glaze of ketchup, oyster, soy, dark soy, and sugar poured over. Ten minutes over medium and the whole pile is saucy.

For the silky shrimp-and-tofu sibling of the same pair, my silky shrimp and tofu is the lighter, stir-fried version.

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Silky Shrimp and Tofu (Xia Ren Dou Fu)

A classic Chinese homestyle dish combining tender shrimp and silky tofu in a savory oyster sauce gravy. High in protein, low in fat, and ready in 20 minutes.

Check out this recipe

Why This Recipe Works

• The egg-coat and gold sear. Egg tofu holds its shape with the custard coat.
• The layer order. Enoki, vermicelli, tofu, shrimp – each cooks right.
• The tomato-soy glaze. Bright, saucy, glossy.
• The ten-minute simmer. The vermicelli drinks the broth.
• Buy the firmer tofu. The recipe’s honest tip.

Equipment Needed

• A skillet
• A clay pot or sand pot
• A lid

Ingredients

• 1 bundle of vermicelli, soaked warm
• Fresh shrimp, shelled and marinated
• 1 roll of egg tofu (Japanese tofu), sliced thick
• 1 egg, beaten, for the coat
• A handful of enoki mushrooms
• 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp light soy, 1 tbsp dark soy, 1 tbsp sugar (the glaze)
• 1 bowl of water
• A little scallion

Ingredient Notes

Egg tofu: The custard roll – coat it in egg and sear gold. My silky shrimp and tofu is the plain-tofu version. Shrimp: Shelled and seared – they sit on top. The glaze: Ketchup, oyster, soy, sugar – bright and saucy.

Prep & Mise en Place

Soak the vermicelli; shell and marinate the shrimp; slice the egg tofu; mix the glaze.

Cooking Process

Step 1 – Soak the vermicelli in warm water until soft

Soak the vermicelli in warm water until soft.

Step 2 – Shell, devein, and rinse the shrimp; marinate with wine

Shell, devein, and rinse the shrimp; marinate with wine and a little salt.

Step 3 – Slice the egg tofu thick; rinse the enoki; chop the sca

Slice the egg tofu thick; rinse the enoki; chop the scallion.

Step 4 – Mix the glaze: ketchup, oyster, light and dark soy, sug

Mix the glaze: ketchup, oyster, light and dark soy, sugar, and a bowl of water.

Step 5 – Coat the egg tofu slices in beaten egg

Coat the egg tofu slices in beaten egg.

Step 6 – Pan-fry the egg tofu over medium heat until golden on b

Pan-fry the egg tofu over medium heat until golden on both sides.

Step 7 – In the same pan, sear the shrimp until they change colo

In the same pan, sear the shrimp until they change color.

Step 8 – Brush the clay pot with oil and layer in the enoki

Brush the clay pot with oil and layer in the enoki.

Step 9 – Add the soaked vermicelli

Add the soaked vermicelli.

Step 10 – Lay the golden egg tofu on top

Lay the golden egg tofu on top.

Step 11 – Top with the seared shrimp

Top with the seared shrimp.

Step 12 – Pour the glaze over everything

Pour the glaze over everything.

Step 13 – Cover and cook over medium 10 minutes

Cover and cook over medium 10 minutes.

Step 14 – Serve – and note the recipe’s tip: buy the firmer tofu,

Serve – and note the recipe’s tip: buy the firmer tofu, the silken one breaks.

Common Mistakes When Making This Dish

1. Broken tofu. Cause: silken tofu and a hard hand. Fix: buy the firmer one – the recipe’s tip. 2. A flooded pot. Cause: too much glaze water. Fix: one bowl. 3. A raw shrimp bite. Cause: no sear. Fix: color them first. 4. Clumped vermicelli. Cause: no soak. Fix: warm water first. 5. A bland, pale glaze. Cause: no ketchup. Fix: the recipe’s two spoons.

Variations

More vegetables: Mushrooms with the enoki. My tofu mushroom soup with egg is the light version. Spicier: Chili with the glaze.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is egg tofu? The custard roll – coat it in egg and sear gold. Why buy the firmer tofu? Silken breaks in the pot – the recipe’s honest tip. Can I use regular tofu? Yes, medium-firm. How long does it take? About 30 minutes. Is the vermicelli the best part? It drinks the broth – yes, and my savory tofu and egg stir-fry is the fast wok plate beside it, sweet and sour tofu the brighter one.

How to Serve

Serve the whole pot with rice – with silky shrimp and tofu, pan-fried tofu with minced pork, and home-style tofu for a tofu table, or with braised tofu with bok choy and red braised tofu for variety.

Storage & Reheat

Refrigerate 2 days; reheat gently. Never leave out more than 2 hours (1 hour in warm weather).

Allergen Notice

This recipe contains shellfish (shrimp, oyster sauce), egg (egg tofu and the coat), and soy (soy sauce, tofu). It is free of gluten (verify the sauces), dairy, nuts, and fish.

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 shrimp, egg-tofu, and vermicelli pot is the layered bowl that feeds my whole table, and the recipe’s egg-coat sear is exactly why the custard tofu holds. I tested it as written. I have not tested the spicy 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.