Go Back
fish tofu soup

Easy Fish and Tofu Soup

An easy, silky fish tofu soup made with fish fillets — no whole fish required. Tender tilapia or flounder, tofu, ginger, and white pepper in a nourishing postpartum soup in the Chinese confinement tradition.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 270
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb mild white fish fillets (tilapia, flounder, sole, or cod) sliced on a bias into ½-cm (¼-inch) slices
  • 1 block (14 oz) medium-firm tofu cut into thick slices
  • 5 slices fresh ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 scallions white and light green parts cut into segments for the aromatics, dark greens sliced for garnish
  • 1 cup chopped broccoli stems and florets can use any vegetables you have (carrot, mushroom, daikon radish, bak choy, napa cabbage...)
  • 4 cups boiling water or stock
  • 1 tbsp bouillon if not using stock, use water + boullion and/or miso paste
  • salt to taste
  • white pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil to finish
For coating the fish:
  • pinch salt
  • pinch white pepper
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or white wine)
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp neutral oil

Equipment

  • 1 dutch oven or stainless steel pot, or clay pot

Method
 

  1. Slice and Dry: Slice fish into ½-cm slices on a bias. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels — this is the key to the coating staying on.
  2. Coat: Mix fish gently in one direction with salt, white pepper, and Shaoxing wine until slightly tacky. Mix in egg white and cornstarch to coat, then toss with neutral oil. Rest 10 minutes.
  3. Aromatics: Sauté ginger, garlic, and the white/light green scallion parts in a little oil until fragrant. Transfer to the clay pot and layer tofu slices over the bottom.
  4. Broth: Add boiling water (or stock) and whisk in bouillon and/or miso (if not using stock) until dissolved. Add broccoli stems (if using). Boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Season the broth to taste with salt and white pepper. (Optional: simmer kombu or shrimp shells briefly for a fishier broth, then remove.) Simmer for two minutes.
  5. Fish: Reduce to the lowest heat. Lay fish slices one at a time over the tofu using tongs or chopsticks. Do not stir.
  6. Finish: When the fish edges turn white, cover and turn off the heat. Rest 1-2 minutes on residual heat. Finish with sesame oil and sliced scallion greens. Serve hot.