There’s nothing quite as synonymous with ‘the healthier choice’ as a bowl of yong tau foo. A common stall spotted in almost every food court or coffee shop, its storefront is often identified by the rows of fishballs, tofu stuffed with shrimp paste filling, leafy green vegetables and hard-boiled eggs.
To be sure, yong tau foo has its origins rooted in Hakka cuisine, where cubes of tofu are filled with minced meat and chopped herbs, then fried to a crisp golden-brown and served in a soup made from yellow beans. The stuffed tofu dish has since taken on other interpretations in Asia, where yong tau foo now means a dish that includes more than just the stuffed tofu.
To be sure, yong tau foo has its origins rooted in Hakka cuisine, where cubes of tofu are filled with minced meat and chopped herbs, then fried to a crisp golden-brown and served in a soup made from yellow beans. The stuffed tofu dish has since taken on other interpretations in Asia, where yong tau foo now means a dish that includes more than just the stuffed tofu.
The trick’s in the stuffing
Take a closer look at the rows of yong tau foo on display and it’s easy to see which stalls have stuck to laboriously making their own yong tau foo items by hand and which are made in a central kitchen. Those made by hand, for instance, usually bear odd and uneven shapes.
At Bib Gourmand awardee Kok Sen restaurant, for instance, the stuffing for the yong tau foo is still made by hand. Here, third-generation owner Chris Wong shares that the restaurant mixes minced squid and prawns which they season in-house, then heaped into cubes of tofu and cooked in a savoury brown sauce.
Take a closer look at the rows of yong tau foo on display and it’s easy to see which stalls have stuck to laboriously making their own yong tau foo items by hand and which are made in a central kitchen. Those made by hand, for instance, usually bear odd and uneven shapes.
At Bib Gourmand awardee Kok Sen restaurant, for instance, the stuffing for the yong tau foo is still made by hand. Here, third-generation owner Chris Wong shares that the restaurant mixes minced squid and prawns which they season in-house, then heaped into cubes of tofu and cooked in a savoury brown sauce.
Making the fish or seafood paste by hand gives the yong tau foo a different texture and flavour.
Over at Tiong Bahru Yong Tau Hu stall, only four items are on offer as the stall owners take pains to make their own yong tau foo by hand. Take the fishballs. Fresh fish (the owners use a mix of wolf herring and yellowtail) is ground and made into paste before being moulded into fishballs. Here, there’s a firmer bite and touch of savouriness from the fresh fish paste that stands out from run-of-the-mill fishballs made in factories.
A balanced mix
The stuffed tofu might be the highlight of a good yong tau foo dish, but it takes the right mix to make a well-rounded bowl (though we won’t stop you from picking out only fried items for your dish). Start by picking out a couple of stuffed tofu pieces, and add a variety of leafy greens. Throw in an egg for good measure.
The key to knowing you've picked well: When you're done with your bowl of yong tau foo, and don't end up going back feeling overly bloated.
A balanced mix
The stuffed tofu might be the highlight of a good yong tau foo dish, but it takes the right mix to make a well-rounded bowl (though we won’t stop you from picking out only fried items for your dish). Start by picking out a couple of stuffed tofu pieces, and add a variety of leafy greens. Throw in an egg for good measure.
The key to knowing you've picked well: When you're done with your bowl of yong tau foo, and don't end up going back feeling overly bloated.
Recommended reading: View more stories from our Technique Thursdays series here.
