This is a Chinese-style ground pork and tofu stir-fry seasoned with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil, with pickled mustard tuber adding a salty, tangy punch. It comes together in about 50 minutes and makes four solid servings. The real reason to make it: it reheats well, holds up in the fridge for days, and costs very little per portion.
What makes this version work
Two things matter here. First, marinating the ground pork before it hits the pan — even just 30 minutes with cornstarch, soy sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil — gives the meat a slightly silky texture and means the seasoning is built in from the start rather than added as an afterthought. Second, the pickled mustard tuber (Zha Cai) does real work: its saltiness and mild acidity cut through the richness of the pork and stop the tofu from tasting flat. If you can find it at an Asian grocery store, use it — skip the garnish and spend that effort tracking down the Zha Cai instead, because no other single swap improves this dish as much.
Mistakes to avoid
- Not draining the tofu before cooking. Firm tofu still holds a lot of water. Press it between paper towels for 10 minutes before slicing. Wet tofu steams instead of absorbing the sauce, and you end up with a watery pan.
- Rinsing the pickled mustard tuber too aggressively. One quick rinse is enough to knock back the excess brine. Over-rinsing strips out the flavor you’re adding it for in the first place.
- Undercooking the pork. Ground pork must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Eight minutes of browning over medium-high heat is the recipe’s guideline — if your pieces are clumped, break them up so every bit gets direct heat. Don’t rush this step.
- Adding the tofu too early. Tofu goes in after the sauce has had its 5-minute boil. Adding it sooner means it overcooks and breaks apart before the sauce has any body.
- Skipping the cornstarch slurry when portioning for later. If you’re making this ahead, use the optional cornstarch step. The thickened sauce clings to the tofu during storage and reheating rather than pooling at the bottom of the container.
Keeping and reheating
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, portion into individual containers and freeze for up to 2 months — freeze the tofu and pork mixture separately from the rice if possible, since rice texture suffers less on its own. Reheat from the fridge in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water (about 2 tablespoons) to loosen the sauce; this takes around 4–5 minutes and keeps the tofu from drying out. Microwave works too — cover loosely and heat in 90-second intervals, stirring between each. From frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating rather than going straight from freezer to pan.
Ground Pork and Tofu Stir-Fry with Pickled Mustard Tuber
Equipment
Ingredients
12 oz tofu - firm ; drained and sliced into ½-inch (1cm) cubes, about 340g
- 2½ oz pickled mustard tuber - Zha Cai, rinsed and roughly chopped — or substitute sliced shiitake mushrooms, about 70g
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 4 cups steamed white or brown rice - for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground pork with 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Mix well. Cover and marinate for at least 15 minutes (up to 12 hours in the fridge).½ lb ground pork (minced pork), 1 tsp cornstarch, 2 tsp soy sauce, ¼ tsp ground white pepper, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- (Optional) Rinse the pickled mustard tuber and set it aside. Or you can substitute with sliced shiitake mushrooms.2½ oz pickled mustard tuber
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and swirl to coat.1 tbsp vegetable oil
- Add the minced garlic and stir-fry for 20–30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let it turn dark brown or it will taste bitter.2 cloves garlic
- Add the marinated ground pork, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for 4–5 minutes until browned through with no pink remaining.½ lb ground pork (minced pork)
- Add in measured soy sauce, salt, oyster sauce, and water. Let it boil for about 5 minutes.2 tsp soy sauce, ½ tsp salt, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, ½ cup water
- Add in tofu and pickled mustard tuber or shiitake mushrooms. Let it cook for about 10 minutes, stirring very carefully and occasionally.12 oz tofu, 2½ oz pickled mustard tuber
- (Optional) To thicken the sauce, stir together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Pour the slurry into the skillet, stir gently, and cook for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.1 tsp cornstarch
- Serve hot over steamed white or brown rice.4 cups steamed white or brown rice
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I use soft tofu instead of firm?
Firm tofu is strongly recommended for this recipe. Soft tofu will break apart during the 10-minute simmer and stirring, leaving you with something closer to a scramble than a stir-fry. If firm is all you have access to, extra-firm works even better and holds its shape through reheating.
Where do I find pickled mustard tuber, and what does it actually taste like?
Pickled mustard tuber (Zha Cai) is sold in vacuum-sealed pouches or small jars at most Asian grocery stores, usually in the condiments or preserved vegetables aisle. It tastes salty and faintly sour with a crunchy texture — think of it as a more complex, less sweet version of a pickle.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes — leave out the ground pork entirely and replace the oyster sauce with vegetarian oyster sauce (made from mushrooms, widely available). The dish will be lighter but still has plenty of flavor from the Zha Cai, garlic, and sesame oil.
Can I double the batch without changing the cooking method?
Double the ingredients, but cook the pork in two separate batches rather than crowding the pan. Crowding drops the pan temperature and the meat steams instead of browning, which affects both texture and flavor. Once both batches are browned, combine everything for the sauce and tofu stages.
If you liked this one
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- Authentic Szechuan Dan Dan
- Japanese Pork Lettuce Cups
- Horopito Pork Stir Fry
