Chinese Braised Tofu (Hong Shao Dou Fu)

Pan-Chinese — braised tofu is found in every regional cuisine as a standard home-cooking preparation; the specific technique varies by region

Hong shao dou fu: firm tofu pan-fried until golden, then braised in a soy-oyster sauce-sesame oil mixture. One of the most widely cooked dishes across all Chinese households — a vegetarian alternative to hong shao rou that uses the same braising framework. The tofu must be fried first to develop a crust that holds during braising.

• Korean dubu jorim (spicy braised tofu)
• Japanese age dashi tofu (fried tofu in broth)
• Vietnamese dau phu kho (braised caramelised tofu)

Caramelised soy sauce, sesame, firm tofu with golden crust — deeply satisfying in its simplicity