The roll I make when I want a light, healthy plate that still feels like a dish is this one – tofu egg cabbage rolls, and this home cook’s version steams a tofu-egg filling inside blanched cabbage leaves. A home cook wrote it in fourteen steps with the care in the title: blanch the leaves soft, don’t overstuff, steam eight minutes. I made it as written, and it is the tender, saucy roll that is good for you and tastes like it.

Dou fu ji dan bai cai juan (豆腐鸡蛋白菜卷) is tofu egg cabbage rolls – blanched napa cabbage leaves rolled around a tofu, egg, and carrot filling, steamed, and glazed with a chili-soy sauce.

What Is Tofu Egg Cabbage Rolls?

This is the steamed light roll: napa cabbage leaves are blanched just until soft – not long, or they tear – and filled with a mixture of crushed tofu, scrambled egg, and stir-fried carrot seasoned with soy, oyster sauce, salt, and pepper. The rolls steam eight minutes, and their collected juices become a glaze with chili paste and starch, poured over with scallion. It is the healthy plate that is genuinely delicious.

For the steamed-tofu sibling of the same light steamer, my steamed tofu with egg and shrimp is the silky custard version.

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Steamed Tofu with Egg and Shrimp (Xiaren Doufu Zheng Shuidan)

A silky, savory masterpiece combining tender egg custard, soft tofu, and juicy shrimp. This healthy 15-minute meal is perfect for light dinners.

Check out this recipe

Why This Recipe Works

• The brief blanch. Leaves soft enough to roll, not so soft they tear.
• The tofu-egg-carrot filling. Light, savory, and protein-rich.
• Don’t overstuff. The recipe’s caution for clean rolls.
• Eight minutes of steam. Tender, never dry.
• The juice glaze. The rolls’ own broth, thickened and poured back.

Equipment Needed

• A pot for blanching
• A steamer
• A spatula

Ingredients

• 1 small head of napa cabbage, outer leaves
• 150 g (5.3 oz) tofu
• 1 egg, scrambled
• 1 small carrot, diced
• A little scallion, minced
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce and 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• Salt and white pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp chili paste and 1 tbsp cornstarch, for the glaze

Ingredient Notes

Cabbage leaves: Blanched soft but not long – they tear if overcooked. My braised tofu with bok choy is the leafy green braise. Tofu: Crushed by spoon for the filling. The filling: Tofu, egg, carrot, and scallion – light and savory. My savory tofu and egg stir-fry is the same pair in the wok.

Prep & Mise en Place

Blanch and dry the leaves; crush the tofu; scramble the egg; dice the carrot.

Cooking Process

Step 1 – Prep – use similar-sized outer cabbage leaves, and abou

Prep – use similar-sized outer cabbage leaves, and about 150 g of tofu.

Step 2 – Rinse the cabbage, trim the hard stems, and dice the ca

Rinse the cabbage, trim the hard stems, and dice the carrot.

Step 3 – Crush the tofu with a spoon

Crush the tofu with a spoon.

Step 4 – Blanch the cabbage leaves briefly, cool in cold water,

Blanch the cabbage leaves briefly, cool in cold water, and drain – don’t cook them long or they tear.

Step 5 – Scramble the egg in oil and set aside

Scramble the egg in oil and set aside.

Step 6 – Stir-fry the carrot until it changes color

Stir-fry the carrot until it changes color.

Step 7 – Mix the tofu, egg, carrot, scallion, soy, oyster sauce,

Mix the tofu, egg, carrot, scallion, soy, oyster sauce, salt, and pepper.

Step 8 – Stir until evenly combined

Stir until evenly combined.

Step 9 – Roll the filling in the cabbage leaves – not too full –

Roll the filling in the cabbage leaves – not too full – and arrange on a plate.

Step 10 – Steam over boiling water 8 minutes

Steam over boiling water 8 minutes.

Step 11 – Mix the collected juices with chili paste and cornstarc

Mix the collected juices with chili paste and cornstarch.

Step 12 – Cook the glaze until clear and bubbling

Cook the glaze until clear and bubbling.

Step 13 – Pour the glaze over the rolls and scatter scallion

Pour the glaze over the rolls and scatter scallion.

Step 14 – Nutritious, delicious, and light – serve

Nutritious, delicious, and light – serve.

Common Mistakes When Making This Dish

1. Torn leaves. Cause: over-blanching. Fix: brief, then cold water. 2. Burst, messy rolls. Cause: overstuffing. Fix: the recipe’s light hand. 3. A dry, rubbery roll. Cause: over-steaming. Fix: eight minutes. 4. A bland filling. Cause: timid seasoning. Fix: the soy-oyster balance. 5. A watery plate. Cause: undried leaves. Fix: drain well before rolling.

Variations

Spicier: More chili in the glaze. My steamed tofu with egg and shrimp is the silky steamed side. More protein: Add a little minced pork to the filling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why blanch the leaves so briefly? Soft enough to roll, not so soft they tear. Can I use silken tofu? Firm or medium is better for the filling. What if I have no chili paste? Skip it for a plain soy glaze. How long does it take? About 35 minutes. Is it healthy? Very – steamed and light, and my silken tofu potage is the soup to go with it, pan-fried tofu with minced pork the savory side.

How to Serve

Serve the rolls with the glaze – with steamed tofu with egg and shrimp, savory tofu and egg stir-fry, and home-style tofu for a light table, or with braised tofu with bok choy and red braised tofu for variety.

Storage & Reheat

Refrigerate 2 days; re-steam to reheat. Never leave out more than 2 hours. For another steamed tofu plate, try my steamed tofu with egg and shrimp.

Allergen Notice

This recipe contains egg, soy (soy sauce, tofu), and shellfish (oyster sauce). 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 tofu egg cabbage rolls are the light plate I make when the table wants healthy, and the recipe’s brief-blanch rule is exactly why the leaves roll clean. I tested it as written. I have not tested the pork 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.