What’s for Dinner?

We used to start every evening by asking, “What’s for dinner tonight?” which really meant: what meat as main dish do you prefer today?

But these days, the question has quietly changed to: “How are we cooking tofu tonight?”

It’s funny our habits have shifted. Of course, we’re not vegetarians. But we believe that healthy eating means balance, variety, and listening to what the body needs.

The good thing about tofu cooking is that it can absorb every flavor, from savory, sour, spicy to sweet. So making mealplan is effortless.

Today’s dish, Steamed Egg and Tofu Custard with Savory Minced Meat Sauce, began with a simple thought: “Let’s make something with tofu and eggs.” And a new idea was born.

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🥢 Basic Ingredients

• ½ block of brined tofu (salt-coagulated tofu)
• 2 eggs
• A small handful of minced meat
• 1 green chili, 1 red chili
• ½ piece Sichuan fermented bean curd
• ½ tablespoon Sichuan chili bean paste (doubanjiang)
• A few scallions (chopped)
• Celery stems (cut into small pieces)

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🥢 Simple Steps

1. Boil the tofu in lightly salted hot water for a few minutes.
2. Mash the tofu into paste. Mix it well with the beaten eggs.
3. For a lighter, vegetarian version, season simply with salt, sesame oil, and black pepper. This highlights the natural rich protein flavor of tofu and egg.
4. For a richer version：make a minced meat paste topping:
   • Mix ½ tbsp doubanjiang and ½ piece fermented bean curd with a little olive oil.
   • Heat a small amount of oil in a pan, sauté the scallions until fragrant, add the minced meat and drops of cooking wine.
   • Add a bit of water and simmer.
   • When the water reduces, add in the prepared sauce and more water — just enough to help the sauce coat the meat evenly — and continue to simmer over low heat.
   • Once the sauce thickens and turns glossy, add chopped celery stems and chilies. Stir-fry quickly. As soon as the fragrance rises, turn off the heat.
5. Pour the minced meat sauce over the steamed tofu–egg custard.

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With magic tofu, a simple home-style steamed egg dish gains not only deep flavor, rich nutrition but also a delightful texture. Most of all, it is so simple!