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1
Prepare all ingredients before any heat is applied. Cut stems into 5 cm lengths; keep leaves separate. Crush the bai fu ru cubes with a fork until smooth. Slice the garlic. Slice the chili. Once the wok is hot, there is no time to prepare anything further.
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2
Set a wok over the highest available heat. Allow it to smoke. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic slices and chili and keep them moving for 15 seconds only — they should be fragrant and just beginning to colour at the edges, not browned.
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3
Add the stem lengths first, then the leaves on top. Toss and fold continuously. After approximately 30 seconds, add the Shaoxing wine by trickling it down the inner wall of the wok so that it hits the metal and vaporises as aromatic steam rather than pooling on the vegetables.
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4
Add the crushed bai fu ru paste and toss vigorously for a further 30–40 seconds so that the tofu melts into the cooking liquid and coats every stem and leaf evenly. This step is where the dish lives or dies: insufficient heat here causes the spinach to steam and expel liquid rather than stir-fry, and the tofu will not emulsify into a sauce but will sit in clumps. The wok must be at full heat and the contents in constant motion.
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5
Remove from the heat while the stems still carry a slight snap at the centre — carry-over cooking will finish them. The leaves should be fully wilted; the stems yielding but not limp. Plate immediately and serve without delay: the dish wilts and loses its texture within minutes.