The title may sound complexing. But in fact, this dish is surprisingly simple to make. What you get is a golden, flavorful broth soup, in which tofu is tender as steamed egg custard.

🥢 Basic Ingredients (for 2 servings)

one block of fresh tofu, 8 peeled shrimps, 2 slices Jinhua ham, ½ chili pepper, ½ red bell pepper, a short piece of scallion, 2 slices ginger, a few sprigs of green onion, salt and a splash of cooking wine

🥢 Simple Steps

1. Heat a pan with a little oil. Add in scallion and chili, stir-fry until fragrant blooming. Then add the shrimp and sauté.
2. Once the shrimp turn pink, pour in a spoon of cooking wine. Add water to cover the shrimp along with ginger. Cover and simmer with medium fire.
3. After about 5 minutes, when the broth turns milky white with reddish shrimp oil floating on top, add diced ham. Cover and continue simmering.
4. After another 5 minutes, the liquid will reduce, the aroma deepens, add tofu cubes and diced bell pepper. Season with a little salt, add water just enough to cover the tofu, then simmer gently for 10–15 minutes.
5. Once the broth turns golden like chicken soup and smells rich and complex, turn off the heat. Sprinkle chopped green onion on top and serve on table.

Tips

• Blanch tofu briefly in salted water before cooking—it improves flavor absorption and removes the beany taste. Drain well before adding to the broth.
• Making broth doesn’t have to mean a big pot of stock. This dish shows how shrimp and ham can create a concentrated, flavorful broth in minutes.
• The key is patience: let the ingredients release their flavors in stages, rather than tossing everything in at once and relying on MSG.
• Don’t skip the bell pepper—it adds a fresh sweetness and a crunchy contrast to the silky tofu.