Tofu with mushrooms is a popular dish in most Cantonese families, and I’ve been eating it since I was a kid. 

Families prepare this recipe differently; some use meat, while others opt for a vegetarian version. In this article, I’ll share my family recipe, which includes minced chicken.

This dish is popular because tofu has a mild flavor that absorbs flavors. When we braise the tofu, it absorbs the sauce, making it tasty. The same goes for mushrooms – they absorb whatever flavors are available. This is why tofu and mushrooms are incredibly delicious.

In this article, I’ll explain in detail how to cook this dish so that you can enjoy this Cantonese favorite at home.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy for more info. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

1. The choice of tofu (bean curd)

When selecting tofu for braising, I recommend using firm tofu. This is because soft tofu (silken tofu) tends to break easily during cooking.

Some grocery stores are selling pre-fried firm tofu. This type of tofu can simplify the cooking process. However, if you cannot get pre-fried tofu, you can choose any firm tofu (or better with extra firm tofu). 

Remove the tofu from its packaging and set it aside. You will notice that liquid will be released from the tofu. Pat it dry with paper towels or a dry cloth and cut it into cubes. Since tofu contains a lot of water, you may need to dry it again after cutting.

Frying the tofu helps to firm up the surface and create a crust, which prevents it from breaking down while braising with other ingredients.

Some recipes suggest coating the tofu cubes with cornstarch before frying, but it’s unnecessary since the tofu will form a crust without it. Besides, tofu coated with cornstarch can stick to the pan’s surface unless you use a non-stick pan or an electric deep fryer with a frying basket.

2. What types of mushrooms are suitable?

I combine different mushrooms in my recipe, including fresh Shitake mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, and Shimeiji mushrooms. These are the commonly available mushrooms in Malaysia, but you can choose any type available where you live. Button mushrooms, Chinese dried shiitake mushrooms, and portobello mushrooms are all suitable.

3. What type of meat is suitable besides chicken? 

I use chicken for this recipe, but you can choose any meat. While pork is typically used in Chinese cooking, chicken is more universally acceptable.

The challenge with chicken breast is that it contains less fat, making it prone to dryness and toughness if overcooked. To address this, I recommend adding more oil and cornstarch to the chicken to marinate and cook it for a shorter time.

Turn it to a vegetarian dish: One way to make this dish vegetarian is by omitting the meat and using vegetarian oyster sauce instead of the regular oyster sauce. I will also include bamboo shoots and snow peas.

4. What ingredients are required besides tofu, chicken, and mushrooms?

• Adding some crunchy vegetables with vibrant colors will brighten up the color of the dish. These vegetables will also contrast texture to the soft tofu and mushrooms.
• If you prefer spicy food, add some chopped red chilies. Alternatively, you could opt for multi-color bell peppers if you prefer a milder taste.
• Besides that, you could also include green peas, baby corn, and water chestnuts in your dish.
• Finally, prepare some green onions and red chilies to garnish before serving.

5. The seasonings and aromatics required

I use ginger and garlic as the primary aromatics for this tofu and mushrooms recipe. Slice the ginger thinly and sauté until it turns light brown to bring out its flavor; this helps to infuse the flavor of ginger into the oil, which is eventually absorbed by the mushrooms and tofu. As for the garlic, you can either use chopped garlic to sauté with the ginger or sprinkle fried garlic on top of the dish before serving. 

Standard Cantonese seasonings such as light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, ground pepper, sesame oil, Chinese wine (optional), and oyster sauce are used in this recipe. 

6. Summary of the cooking process

We have covered all the preparation and the ingredients for this recipe. Let’s move on to the detailed cooking process.

a. Preparation and fry the tofu

1. Marinate the chicken breast meat with salt, light soy sauce, vegetable oil, and cornstarch for 10 minutes. 
2. Cut the fresh shiitake mushrooms into strips, king oyster mushrooms into batons, and remove the root section of the enoki mushrooms. 
3. Also, cut the bell peppers into thin strips and prepare the chopped garlic and ginger slices. 
4. Remove the firm tofu from the packaging and place it on a dry cloth to remove the excess water. Cut them into one-inch cubes and then place them again on the dry cloth to remove any water. 
5. Heat sufficient vegetable oil until it reaches medium-high heat, then deep fry the tofu until golden brown on both sides. Remove the tofu and place it on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil.

b. The rest of the steps

1. Fry the ginger slices with vegetable oil in the wok over low to medium heat. Halfway frying the ginger, add the chopped garlic and continue frying until the garlic and ginger turn to light brown. 
2. Then, add the minced chicken meat and stir fry with the garlic and ginger until fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the wok and set it aside. The purpose of removing the chicken is not to stir fry it further with other ingredients to avoid it from turning dry and tough.
3. Add oil to the wok and stir-fry the mushrooms for about 4 minutes. Add the water.
4. Add the light soy sauce, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, salt, oyster sauce, and ground white pepper as listed in the recipe. Consider premixing these ingredients in advance in a small bowl. 
5. Once done, return the chicken and fried tofu pieces to the wok. Mix with all the other ingredients and be careful not to break them.
6. Add the bell peppers. 
7. Do a taste test to decide if you need to adjust the flavor. 
8. Dish it out and transfer it to a serving plate. I transfer it to a clay pot to serve as claypot tofu with mushroom, which is meant for better presentation.
9. Garnish with green onion (spring onion) and chili to serve.

More delicious tofu recipes for you.

• Kung Pao Tofu is a vegetarian version of the famous Kung Pao Chicken dish. It’s an excellent choice for vegetarians who crave the Kung Pao flavor. 
• Silken tofu topped with soy sauce and fried shallot is a simple dish popular in nearly all Cantonese households. The aroma of the fried shallot complements the soft texture of the tofu, making it a perfect choice to serve with white rice.