In Chinese cuisine, there are roughly two main ways to cook tofu dishes：

One is braising or simmering, where fresh tofu is cut directly into cubes and added to the pot—the key lies in the richness of the broth and the tenderness of the tofu.

The other is stir-frying, which usually calls for pan-searing the tofu first so it won’t break during cooking. Pan-seared tofu does develop a slightly sweeter flavor, but the process of deep-frying inevitably takes extra time and oil.

To achieve that balance of a crisp surface with a tender inside, while saving both time and oil, perhaps the oven is the better choice.

🥢 Basic Ingredients

firm tofu, meat mince
nut butters, salt, pepper, fresh ginger, green chili, celery, cooking oil
chopped scallions, thin red chili strips

---

🥢 Simple Steps

1. Nut butter – This is the soul of the dish. We often make unsweetened nut butters at home, each nut bringing its own sweetness and aroma. They’re mainly for spreading on bread or seasoning dishes. This time we used pumpkin seed butter, sunflower seed butter, and peanut butter—a pretty luxurious lineup. Blend them together with a pinch of salt and a splash of olive oil.
2. Spread the nut butter evenly over the whole block of tofu. Place it in an oven-safe plate and bake at 230 °C (450 °F) for about 10 minutes, until the surface looks lightly charred and dry. This step works like pan-searing: removing excess water, opening up the tofu’s pores, and priming it to soak in new flavors.
3. While the tofu bakes, season the meat mince with black pepper, ginger juice, chopped chili, chopped celery stems, a little salt, plus a few drops of vinegar and cooking wine. Let it marinate for 10 minutes.
4. Take out the baked tofu and cover it with the marinated meat mince along with savory sauce. Return to the oven and bake again at 230 °C for about 10 minutes. During this stage, the tofu will fully absorb the savory meat gravy and nutty sauce.
5. Take out from the oven, sprinkle with scallions and red chili strips.

This baked tofu with gravy and nut butter can be served as an appetizer, side dish or even a lighter, protein-rich staple food.

Tips

• Choose firm tofu – Silken tofu, with its high water content, doesn’t absorb flavors well. Traditional Chinese firm Tofu ( lao doufu ) works best: its springy texture and natural pores soak up sauces deeply.
• Place the tofu on the middle rack in oven for heating evenly. If the tofu is too close to the top, cover loosely with foil to prevent the meat from drying or scorching. You can also lower the upper temperature slightly or shorten the final baking time.