Spicy Hunan Steamed Tofu and Mushrooms is made by caramelizing oyster mushrooms, scattering them on top of silky steamed tofu, and pouring over a sauce of pickled duo jiao chili peppers, ginger, scallions, and lots of white pepper.
In short, it’s an incredibly flavorful, protein-filled, mushroom-meaty vegan dish that may just be better than its animal protein equivalent!
Surprised? Not more than we are…
A Vegan Version of One of Our Favorite Fish Dishes
Hunan-style Steamed Fish with spicy duo jiao pickled chili peppers is one of our family’s FAVORITE dishes. I know that sounds superfluous coming from a food blogger, but it truly is one of our all-time favorites, and we regularly make it at home and order it at our go-to Hunan restaurant.
While the fish is technically the star of the dish, I’d argue that the best part is the layer of fanned silken tofu underneath and the spicy duo jiao chili pepper mixture. We’re always scrounging for the last bits of tofu!
Update: This dish has been dubbed my multiple family members as just as good if not *preferable* to the original fish version! :O
Duo jiao is a key condiment in Hunan cuisine, made by fermenting chopped chili peppers in salt. The result is a salty, spicy, slightly tangy concoction that makes this sauce sing. It’s best with a bowl of rice and a big spoon.
I recently had a craving for this dish—but not for the fish…for the tofu! My solution? Steamed tofu and caramelized oyster mushrooms for meatiness, all with that same great duo jiao sauce. It’s not only vegan, it’s also super easy to make when you take the fish out of the equation.
A Vegan Recipe, Without Sacrifice
I’ve recently come to the conclusion that plant-based should be more than an occasional, fleeting lunchtime decision, and while I’m not fully committing to the vegan way of life (meat lovers out there, fret not!), we’re all trying to find more ways to reduce our meat intake.
The rough goal is to have at least 1-2 vegan meals per day, so I’m on the lookout for more vegan recipes like this that have great flavor and satisfying protein.
Between the health benefits, the environmental benefits, the ethical questions, and my nagging lactose intolerance (is it scandalous to be a food blogger and admit that on a bad day, pizza can be my worst enemy?), I’ve decided to make the plunge into a more vegan lifestyle.
I know there’s a small, but growing group of readers out there that are positively giddy right now, so keep on the lookout for more new vegan recipes from yours truly! In the meantime, let’s get that ‘fu!
Spicy Hunan Steamed Tofu: Recipe Instructions
Prepare your silken tofu by cutting it in half lengthwise and then slicing it crosswise into ½-inch slices. Use your knife or cleaver to transfer each half of the cut tofu to a large heatproof rimmed plate or shallow bowl (the dish should be deep enough to hold the steaming liquid and sauce). Lay the tofu on the plate so the pieces are fanned across either side. Sprinkle a pinch of salt evenly over the tofu.
Next, steam the tofu. Add 4 cups of cold water to a wok, place the tofu on a steaming rack inside, and cover the wok. (You can set up your steaming apparatus however you’d like. Check out our full article on how to set up a steamer, even without special equipment.)
Turn the heat to medium-high. The water should boil in about 7 minutes. After it has begun boiling, continue to steam for another 3 minutes––a total of 10 minutes.
When the tofu goes into the steamer, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the oyster mushrooms.
Season with salt to taste. Let them brown and caramelize—flipping them when they caramelize on one side.
When the tofu is done, turn the heat off, and carefully pour off the liquid that has pooled at the bottom of the plate. Arrange the caramelized oyster mushrooms over the top. Sprinkle the mushrooms and tofu evenly with ¼ teaspoon white pepper.
In a clean saucepan or wok set over low heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and 1½ tablespoons minced ginger.
Cook for 1 minute, and then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the duo jiao salted chilli peppers. Cook for 1-2 minutes. The oil should start turning red and fragrant. Next, add the white portions of the scallions. Give it a stir for another 10 seconds, and add 2/3 cup hot water, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon sugar.
Let the liquid come to a boil, and turn it down to simmer. Stir in the green portion of the scallions, and take the pan off the heat. Immediately spoon the sauce evenly over the mushrooms and tofu, and serve!
Spicy Hunan Steamed Tofu & Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 1 pound silken tofu (450g)
- salt (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (plus 2 tablespoons, divided)
- 8 ounces oyster mushrooms (225g)
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (or to taste; the powder is ideal rather than freshly ground)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger (minced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1-4 tablespoons duo jiao salted chili peppers (ranging from normal to crazytown, depending on how spicy you want it!)
- 2 scallions (finely chopped, with the white and green parts separated)
- 2/3 cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare your silken tofu by cutting it in half lengthwise and then slicing it crosswise into ½-inch slices. Use your knife or cleaver to transfer each half of the cut tofu to a large heatproof rimmed plate or shallow bowl (the dish should be deep enough to hold the steaming liquid and sauce). Lay the tofu on the plate so the pieces are fanned across either side. Sprinkle a pinch of salt evenly over the tofu.
- Next, steam the tofu. Add 4 cups of cold water to a wok, place the tofu on a steaming rack inside, and cover the wok. (You can set up your steaming apparatus however you’d like. Check out our full article on how to set up a steamer, even without special equipment.)
- Turn the heat to medium-high. The water should boil in about 7 minutes. After it has begun boiling, continue to steam for another 3 minutes––a total of 10 minutes.
- When the tofu goes into the steamer, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and brown the oyster mushrooms. Season with salt to taste. Let them brown and caramelize—flipping them when they caramelize on one side.
- When the tofu is done, turn the heat off, and carefully pour off the liquid that has pooled at the bottom of the plate. Arrange the caramelized oyster mushrooms over the top. Sprinkle the mushrooms and tofu evenly with ¼ teaspoon white pepper.
- In a clean saucepan or wok set over low heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and 1½ tablespoons minced ginger. Cook for 1 minute, and then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the duo jiao salted chilli peppers. Cook for 1-2 minutes. The oil should start turning red and fragrant. Next, add the white portions of the scallions. Give it a stir for another 10 seconds, and add 2/3 cup hot water, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and ½ teaspoon sugar.
- Let the liquid come to a boil, and turn it down to simmer. Stir in the green portion of the scallions, and take the pan off the heat. Immediately spoon the sauce evenly over the mushrooms and tofu, and serve!
This was great. Super easy and delicious. I had this, a quick stir fried cabbage and fresh rice on the table in 40 minutes from opening my fridge. I made this with regular button mushrooms and they browned up fine but it took longer than the oyster mushrooms would have.
Thank you, Hannah! So happy you liked it. And nice to know that it was alright with button mushrooms too.
I wish mum-dad and 2 daughters a great prosperous happy and healthy 2021 and that i may buy many more packets of paper because i am still printing out everything.
You have a great webside.
Thank you.
LOUISE
Thank you so much, Louise! Sorry we missed your comment back in January, but I’m seeing it just in time for Lunar New Year. Wishing you and yours a happy new year as well–with lots of paper! :)
Kaitlin, I totally agree with you! The tofu IS the best part of the Hunan style steamed fish dish! I laughed when I saw this recipe because whenever my family orders this dish at a restaurant, we always save any leftovers, esp. the sauce, and then add our own tofu to it when we get home. The leftovers are just as good! Now I can make this at home without the fish! Thanks!
Hi Henny, yes!!!! We do the same thing xD
Tasted delicious! Thank you for this recipe!
Thanks so much! :)
This looks incredible and I’m so excited to make it! My only question is, because I don’t have a stovetop steamer, can I use the steamer insert on my rice cooker to steam the tofu while I’m cooking the rice, and would that change the time/amount of water needed?
Hi Rachel, how long does it take for your rice cooker to cook rice? You know you can alway sadd on the tofu halfway thru the rice cooking process.
This is delicious! Did you happen to try it with any other mushrooms? Wondering about regular button mushrooms, though perhaps too strong/earthy.
Glad you liked it! You could try regular button mushrooms, but they probably won’t crisp as well and they don’t have the same delicious texture for this particular application. No harm in experimenting though, if that’s all you have on hand!
Thank you for more vegan recipes! I have been vegan for 0ver 15 years and Chinese food is hands down my most favorite food to eat. My options are somewhat limited when I go out to eat, but after studying your recipes, both vegan and non-vegan for years, I can usually throw together a nice meal (that rivals take-out any day) without even following a recipe anymore.
This looks amazing. Going to search for duo jiao and hopefully make this for Chinese New Year.
Keep the recipes coming, and thank you for the vegan content. :)
Hi Anj, amazing! I’m learning as I go with veganizing some of our favorite recipes, so keep on the lookout as I get my sea legs ;) Thanks for commenting, reading, and cooking!
I can’t find the duo jiao , I live in Southern California, have been to 99 ranch, Hmart and also Zion market. I gave up looking for it but see some recipes for making it on the internet , just chopped chili’s with salt and letting it ferment for a while. I look forward to making this recipe when the chilis are fermented.
Hi Jeff, wow I’m totally surprised that you couldn’t find it out in CA! Perhaps the full Chinese spicy wave of Hunan and Sichuan cooking hasn’t yet hit the California scene. Let us know how it goes with the homemade fermented chilies! Watch out for salt content and taste as you go :)