Mom’s Hakka yong tau foo [recipe]

Directions

• Prepare the meat filling
• Heat up oil in pan and lightly fry the salted fish until crispy and brown. Set aside to let it cool down.
• When salted fish has cooled down, chop it until it becomes fine.
• In a small bowl, mix the salted fish with minced pork/chicken. Slowly add water as you mix it. Add the corn starch as you continue to mix it with your hand. Add salt and combine well.
• Prepare the fish filling
• Clean your fish and remove skin and bones.
• With a chopping board, cut the fish meat into small pieces. Then mince them further – it is ready when you can form it into a ball in your palm.
  [CAUTION: Do not add salt as it will break the protein down and make it too mushy!]
• Combine
• Combine both the fish and meat paste. (You can make into a ball and fling it unto the chopping board a few times to make it combine well).
• You may add water or corn starch mix to get a nice consistency. IT should be sticky and soft but firm enough to make small balls and stuff into vegetables.
• Prepare vegetables and add filling
• Prepare the vegetables as such:
  White tofu blocks – Cut a small slit at a corner of tofu block. Stuff filling into slit.
  Brinjals – Cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick pieces. Place a good portion of filling in between two brinjal pieces.
  Bitter gourd – Cut into 1-inch pieces and removed seeds in the middle to make rings. Place fillling into cavity.
  Toff puffs – Make a slit at the centre of one tofu’s side. Stuff filling into slit.
  Lady fingers – Make a slit lengthwise and stuff fillings into it.
  
• It’s fry time!
• Heat up cooking oil (about 1/2 inch deep) in a pan and fry the brinjals over medium high heat. Fry until exterior is brown and crisp and interior is soft. Remove and drain oil (in a colander) or place on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
• Fry the lady fingers next until it is soft and filling is cooked. Remove, drain excess oil and set aside. Repeat the same for bitter gourd and toff puffs. (A bit of charred surface is nice).
• Finally, fry the tofu blocks. Place the side with the filling face down unto pan. Be careful to not burn the tofu. Turn it around occasionally to get some nice charred surfaces. Remove when ready. [It is ok if part of the filling is not cooked. We will cook it again with the gravy].
• Cook the gravy
• Heat up oil in pan and fry garlic until fragrant. Add the tauchu and 1/2 cup water.
• When it begins to simmer, add the corn starch mix to thicken the sauce. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil. Adjust to taste.
• Add another 1/2 cup water or adjust to get a nice gravy-like consistency.
• When it simmers, add the white tofu blocks. [Optional: You may add other vegetables if you like – recommended for tofu puffs]. Cover and let it cook for about 1-2 minutes. The white tofu fillings will be thoroughly cooked when done.
• Turn off heat when done. You may pour sauce all the yong tau foo pieces in serving bowl, or serve it separately. Enjoy!