Yong Tau Foo Stuffed Classic

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Yong Tau Foo Stuffed Classic is a beloved Hakka-Malaysian specialty featuring tofu puffs, eggplant, bitter gourd, okra, and chilies hollowed out and filled with a punchy fish-and-pork paste, then gently poached in a clear chicken broth. Each bite delivers a tender snap of vegetable, a savoury meaty centre, and the comforting warmth of sesame-scented soup. Serve it family-style with a small bowl of sweet chili dipping sauce for an authentic Malaysian Chinese experience at home.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 420 kcalCalories
• 21 gFat
• 5 gSaturated Fat
• 22 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 9 gSugar
• 32 gProtein
• 1180 mgSodium
• 780 mgPotassium
• 180 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 38 mgVitamin C
• 210 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the fish and pork paste

• 250 g minced yellowtail or Spanish mackerel
• 100 g minced pork belly
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 3 water chestnuts, finely diced

For the stuffed vegetables and tofu

• 8 large fried tofu puffs
• 1 Japanese eggplant, sliced into 2 cm rounds
• 1 small bitter gourd, deseeded and cut into 2 cm rings
• 8 fresh okra, slit lengthwise
• 4 large red chilies, slit and seeded
• 2 pieces flat fish paste cake (about 100 g each)

For the clear broth

• 1.5 L chicken stock
• 4 slices young ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 stalk spring onion, cut into 5 cm lengths

For the sweet chili dipping sauce

• 4 tablespoons thick sweet chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon grated young ginger

Directions

1. Make the paste by combining minced fish, pork belly, egg white, cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and water chestnuts in a bowl. Stir in one direction for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and holds together when pressed between fingers.
2. Prepare each vegetable and tofu piece for stuffing: slice tofu puffs open on one side without cutting all the way through, scoop a small hollow in each eggplant round, deseed the bitter gourd rings and scoop lightly, slit the okra and chilies down one side, and score the flat fish paste cakes with shallow cuts to help them absorb flavour.
3. Fill each piece generously with the fish paste, pressing it in firmly so it adheres to the vegetable wall. Use about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of paste per piece and smooth the surface with a wet spoon.
4. Bring the chicken stock to a gentle simmer in a wide pot. Add ginger and garlic and let them infuse for 3 minutes, then season with soy sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper.
5. Lower the stuffed pieces into the simmering broth in a single layer, working in batches if needed so the pot is not crowded. Poach gently for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once halfway, until the paste is firm and cooked through and the vegetables are just tender.
6. Add the spring onion lengths in the last minute of cooking, then taste the broth and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt or soy sauce if needed.
7. While the broth simmers, whisk together the sweet chili sauce, chili garlic sauce, lime juice, and grated ginger in a small bowl to make the dipping sauce.
8. Ladle the broth into four deep bowls, then arrange 4 to 5 stuffed pieces per bowl including a mix of tofu, eggplant, okra, and chili. Serve hot with the dipping sauce on the side and a small dish of steamed rice or rice noodles if desired.

Cook’s Notes

• For an even springier paste, chill the fish mixture for 20 minutes before stuffing so the proteins tighten up and hold their shape in the broth.
• Always poach, never boil, the stuffed pieces; a rolling boil will crack open the vegetables and crumble the paste.
• If bitter gourd is too intense for your taste, blanch the rings for 1 minute in salted water before stuffing to soften the bitter edge.
• Yong tau foo is also delicious served dry over rice or noodles, drizzled with sweet sauce and a sprinkle of crispy fried shallots.
• Make your own smooth fish paste by pulsing deboned fish fillets in a food processor for 1 minute, then continuing with the rest of the paste ingredients.

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