Pan Fried Tofu {Easy Yummy Chinese Style}

Pan Fried Firm Tofu using traditional and iconic Chinese condiments of Dou Chi {豆豉} and PiXian DouBanJiang {郫县豆瓣酱} is naturally yummy. It is also super quick and easy to make. A perfect side dish to pair with seafood or meat.

Pan Fried ToFu Ingredients

You will need a pack of firm tofu, cooking oil, light soy sauce, Dou Chi, PiXian DouBanJiang, and green onions.

Soy Sauce and green onions work wonderfully well together to create an appetizing flavor. The other two flavoring ingredients are Dou chi (豆豉) and Pi Xian Doubanjiang (豆瓣酱). Both are very ancient & classic Chinese cooking condiments.

If you are new to Chinese cooking, you might wonder: What is Dou Chi and What is Pi Xian DouBanJiang?

Dou chi (豆豉) Fun Facts:

What do they taste like? How are they incorporated into cooking? Last but not least, are they good for me?

The black bean looking in the picture is Dou Chi.

• Dou chi (豆豉) is soybeans or black beans fermented in specific ways.
• They taste like extremely concentrated soy sauce, almost like soy sauce packed in a bean.
• Dating back to as early as 165 B.C., Dou chi has been helping Chinese people cook food items such as vegetables, meat, and seafood.
• Dou chi is healthy food considering fermented soybeans contain beneficial bacteria that help digestive health. However, since Dou chi is exceptionally salty, a small amount goes a long way.

Pi’Xian Doubanjiang (豆瓣酱) Fun Facts

Let me start by trying to explain in an extremely simplified way how Pi Xian Doubanjiang is made.

Broad beans are fermented first and then mix with special types of chili peppers local to Pi’Xian, Sichuan Province in China, along with garlic, ginger, and peppers and sealed with vegetable oil to go through the second stage of fermentation. People sometimes add some high-proof baijiu {hard liquor} during the process.

When stored properly, Pi Xian DouBanJiang shall last many, many years. The longer the tastier. It has a shiny red color with a bountiful of flavors.

I was able to secure the key ingredients of fermented beans and made a batch of DouBanJiang a few years ago. Nowadays I am slowly going through the bottles. Like Dou Chi, a small amount goes a long way. They are among my favorite go-to flavor. I frequently add Pi Xian DouBanJiang in cooking just to add a hint of a spicy yummy taste. For instance, I even added a teaspoon of it when I make red braised pork belly.

This tofu is great to add to your vegetarian version of Chow Mein.

Continue to Content

Pan Fried Tofu Recipe {Easy Yummy Chinese Style}

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

Pan Fried Firm Tofu using traditional and iconic Chinese condiments of Dou Chi  {豆豉} and Pi Xian DouBanJiang  {郫县豆瓣酱} is naturally yummy. It is also super quick and easy to make. A perfect side dish to pair with seafood or meat.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 lb firm tofu, usually in one pack
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tbsp naturally aged soy sauce, or dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp Dou Chi
• 2 tsp Pi Xian DouBanJiang
• 1 stem of green onion, chopped
• 1 cup of water

Instructions

1. Cut firm tofu into thick slices, and cut green onion into small pieces.
2. Turn the heat to medium-high, and heat the frying pan for 2 minutes
3. Add avocado oil, carefully lay tofu slices into the pan, and cook for 2 minutes
4. Flip the tofu, turn the heat to medium, and cook for another 2 minutes
5. Drizzle soy sauce, Dou Chi, Pi Xian DouBanJiang, and green onion evenly over the tofu, and then add 1 cup of water to the surrounding area of tofu in the pan. Cover the pan with a lid, and cook for 5 minutes.
6. All done! Enjoy a naturally yummy and easy Pan Fried Tofu Chinese Style.

Notes

• A 12" frying pan can hold a container of firm tofu just about right.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount of commission from the qualifying purchases.

• 
  Light Soy Sauce
• 
  Avocado Oil
• 
  Pearl River Bridge Yang Jiang Flavor Preserved Beans, 250 g/8.82 oz.
• 
  Hard Anodized Nonstick Fry Pan

Nutrition Information

Yield 4 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 169Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 0mgSodium 895mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 12g

Nutrition calculation is provided by Nutritionix to the best knowledge per ingredients description and isn't always accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest