Chinese · Authentic-ish Chinese
Braised Tofu
314 kcal a serving, against 445 for the traditional version. That is 131 kcal off, or 29%, with 29g of protein. Serves 4. 25 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Blocks of firm tofu are deep-fried until golden and blistered, then braised in a rich, salty sauce made from chicken stock, soy sauce and oyster sauce. The dish is usually finished with a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and cornflour to make the sauce cling to the porous bean curd.
What changed, and what each change costs
60g of peanut oil for 15g and a non-stick frying pan
Deep-frying tofu creates a sponge that absorbs oil and sauce. Pan-frying with just a splash of oil gets you the golden colour while drastically cutting the fat.
What it costs you. The tofu won't have that classic puffy, blistered skin that soaks up the braising liquid quite as aggressively. You end up with a firmer, denser bite. The version that's a soft sponge is still out there and still better.
15g of sugar down to 5g
Oyster sauce already brings a lot of sweetness to the pan. Dropping the extra refined sugar tightens up the flavour profile and keeps it completely savoury.
What it costs you. The sauce loses a bit of its glossy sheen and caramel depth. It leans harder into the salty, earthy notes of the soy and the mushrooms.
A heavy pour of sesame oil for a strictly measured 5g
Sesame oil is a potent flavouring, but it is pure fat. A tiny amount stirred in at the very end does the exact same job.
What it costs you. None. You really don't need a massive slick of oil floating on top of your sauce.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 445 | 314 |
| Protein | 29g | 29g |
| Fat | 32.6g | 18.9g |
| Saturated fat | 5.2g | 2.9g |
| Carbohydrate | 15.8g | 13.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.5g | 9.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Chinese prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, molluscs, peanuts, sesame, soybeans.
The method is in the book
This is the first recipe in the book where the original is already fairly sensible. By sidestepping the deep fryer, you strip out the unnecessary fat and let the main ingredient do the heavy lifting. The sauce is salty, thick and clings perfectly to the pan-fried edges. Accept the slight loss in sponginess and you get a brilliant, fast dinner that leaves you feeling great.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Chinese, along with 55 more. Buy the paperback