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Yong Tau Foo 酿豆腐 is a very common local street food in Southeast Asia. In Singapore, you can almost always find a stall selling yong tau foo in food courts and hawker centres, while in Malaysia, it’s hard to miss the famous Ampang Yong Tau Foo. Literally meant ‘Stuffed Tofu’, Yong Taw Fo or Yong Tau Fo is one of the popular Hakka Chinese cuisine made by stuffing minced and seasoned meat or fish in tofu (bean curd) and vegetables such as eggplants, okra (ladies’ fingers), mushrooms, bitter gourd, chilli, capsicums. Food vendors usually serve it in yellow bean soup or curry soup, or dry drizzled with shallot oil, chilli and/or sweet sauce.

The traditional Hakka Yong Tau Foo is typically made of tofu cubes stuffed with seasoned minced meat (either minced pork or minced lamb), then fried until golden brown, finished with a braised bean sauce. My maternal family is Hakka and we usually stuff inverted taupok skin with minced pork and fish paste, then steamed before serving. And since I’m not a big fan of steamed food, nor do I like deep frying, I decided to try it out with my Ninja Max XL Air Fryer and boy it’s really easy and quick to make delicious Yong Tau Foo.

I picked my favourite vegetables – ladies’ fingers, eggplants – and of course taupok (tofu puffs). Season minced pork and fish paste with soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, Shao Xing wine. I used 五花肉 / pork belly as recommended by my mummy, she said the texture of it will be better for making Yong Tau Foo. Stuffing the meat into the vegetables can be fun and using corn starch mixed with water really helps to ‘seal’ the meat within the vegetables and taupok.
If you are interested in more air fryer recipes, check these out: Air Fryer Ngoh Hiang, Air Fryer Carrot Fries, Air Fryer Lamb Chops and Potatoes.
Finally if you tried making this popular hakka dish using Air Fryer, please do share with me and my audiences by dropping a comment below. Ciao and enjoy cooking!
Yong Tau Foo (Air Fryer) 酿豆腐
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1.5 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp white pepper powder
- 1.5 tbsp Chinese Shao Xing wine
- cooking oil
- 1 tbsp corn starch or corn flour in Asia
- 1 tbsp corn starch mixed with 1 tbsp water To be used as 'glue'
- 450 g minced pork belly 五花肉
- 150 g fish paste
- 8-10 ladies’ fingers
- 2-3 eggplants
- 10-12 taupok (tofu puffs)
Instructions
- Mix fish paste, minced pork, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, corn / tapioca flour3 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp sesame oil , 1 tsp white pepper powder, 1.5 tbsp Chinese Shao Xing wine, 1 tbsp corn starch, 450 g minced pork belly 五花肉, 150 g fish paste
- Wash and slice eggplant into about 4mm thick slices, slit without cutting through the middle section2-3 eggplants
- Wash and slit ladies’ fingers lengthwise without cutting through8-10 ladies’ fingers
- Wash and cut taupok on one side to open the pocket10-12 taupok (tofu puffs)
- Mix 1 tbsp corn starch with 1 tbsp water1 tbsp corn starch mixed with 1 tbsp water
- Stuff meat into the vegetable and taupok, then seal with corn flour and water mixture
- Pre-heat air fryer at 180 degree celsius for 3 minutes
- Place stuffed eggplant and ladies’ fingers in air fryer and take note not to overlap the vegetables
- Lightly brush oil all overcooking oil
- Air fry at 180 degree Celsius for 8-10 min until nicely browned8-10 ladies’ fingers, 2-3 eggplants
- Repeat step 8 for stuffed taupok, however air fry at 180 degree celsius for about 12 min10-12 taupok (tofu puffs)
Taste good & easy to make.
Indeed it is! Thank you for dropping a note!
Omg, I will try this recipe. I really miss Yong Tau Foo. Need to see where I can buy fish paste. Thanks for sharing 🙏❤️
Thanks Ms Tan! You can also use prawns to replace fish paste or just use minced pork will do.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. My family love it, it was very delicious.
Thanks Anna! Happy to know your family love it 😀