Steamed Tofu with Minced Pork and Preserved Vegetable (IDDSI Level 5) | IDDSI Level 5 Care Food Recipe

IDDSI Level 5 | 25 minutes | Easy

Ingredients (1–2 servings)

• 1 block silken or soft tofu (approx. 300g)
• 100g minced pork (ask for the finest grind available — lean mince preferred)
• 30g preserved snow cabbage / Xuecai (tinned or bagged; finely chopped to under 2mm)
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste or very finely minced fresh ginger
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• A few drops sesame oil
• A pinch of sugar (to balance the saltiness of the preserved vegetable)
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch (for marinating the mince)

Sourcing Outside Hong Kong

For international care kitchens and home cooks outside Hong Kong, Cantonese ingredients are widely available at East and Southeast Asian grocery stores:

• United Kingdom: Wing Yip (Birmingham, London, Manchester), See Woo (London), Loon Fung (London)
• United States: 99 Ranch Market (West Coast), H Mart (East Coast), local Chinatown grocers
• Canada: T&T Supermarket (national chain), local Asian markets
• Australia: Burlington Supermarket, Tang’s, local Chinese grocers in Chinatown precincts
• Singapore & Malaysia: Sheng Siong, NTUC FairPrice (Singapore); Tesco, Mydin (Malaysia)
• Online: Sous Chef (UK/EU), Amazon.com (US), Yami.com (US)

Silken or soft tofu (絹豆腐/嫩豆腐): stocked in refrigerated sections at Wing Yip, H Mart, 99 Ranch Market, and most East Asian grocery chains.

If a specific ingredient is unavailable in your region, the recipe notes alternative substitutions in the Ingredients section. For dishes requiring fresh Cantonese-specific ingredients (e.g. preserved century egg, fresh rice noodle rolls), check with your local East Asian grocer before substituting — texture compliance for IDDSI levels may require specific products.

Method

1. Combine the minced pork with ginger paste, light soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and sesame oil; mix thoroughly until the mince is sticky and well combined
2. Rinse the preserved snow cabbage under cold water to remove excess salt; squeeze dry; chop as finely as possible (particles should not exceed 2mm)
3. Combine the chopped snow cabbage with the seasoned mince; mix well
4. Remove the tofu from its packaging; gently pat dry with kitchen paper
5. Place the tofu on a heatproof steaming dish; using a fork or spoon, very gently press to level the surface (do not completely mash — keep a gentle block shape)
6. Spread the pork and snow cabbage mixture evenly over the tofu; press down lightly
7. Steam over high heat for 12–15 minutes, until the mince is completely cooked through (grey throughout with no pink remaining)
8. Remove from the steamer; drizzle with a little light soy sauce and sesame oil
9. Check the texture of the mince using a fork before serving (see Texture Test below)

Ensuring Fine Enough Mince — Critical for IDDSI Level 5

Why fineness matters: IDDSI Level 5 requires all food particles to measure no more than 1.5cm and to be mashable by tongue pressure. Minced pork, even when purchased pre-minced, can clump together during steaming to form larger pieces.

Key techniques:

• Request the finest available grind from the butcher — ask them to double-mince if necessary
• Adding cornstarch to the marinade helps the mince stay loose after steaming, reducing clumping
• After steaming, use a fork to break apart any clumps and verify no piece exceeds 1.5cm
• If large clumps have formed, cut them apart with a fork and re-test texture

Cultural Note

Steamed tofu with minced pork and preserved vegetable is a quintessential Hong Kong home-cooking dish — simple, quick, and deeply satisfying. The salty, fermented flavour of snow cabbage (雪菜, literally “snow vegetable”) complements the mild sweetness of pork and the gentle tofu, creating a dish familiar to many elderly patients from their childhood and family meals. Serving it in a form safe for dysphagia patients preserves this meaningful connection to home cooking.

Texture Test

Fork pressure test (tofu): Passes Level 5 — the silken tofu flattens completely under gentle fork pressure; it can be mashed by tongue pressure alone, with no chewing required.

Fork pressure test (minced pork): Passes Level 5 — individual pieces of mince are flattened easily by fork pressure, with no firm or rubbery core. No clumped pieces exceed 1.5cm. If a clump is found, separate it with a fork and re-test.

Snow cabbage particle check: Confirm all pieces of preserved vegetable are under 2mm after chopping; after steaming, double-check that no larger fragments have survived. Any piece larger than 2mm should be removed.

Notes

• Preserved snow cabbage is very high in sodium — rinse thoroughly and reduce the amount of soy sauce accordingly, particularly for patients with hypertension
• Verify the mince is fully cooked before serving — no pink colour should remain inside any portion
• If using tinned snow cabbage, rinse under running water for at least 30 seconds to remove preservatives and excess salt
• Steamed tofu is fragile — handle the dish carefully after steaming to avoid the tofu breaking up unevenly before serving

Nutrition

Approximately 200 kcal per serving (150g), 18g protein, 10g fat. The combination of tofu and minced pork delivers a complete amino acid profile; tofu also contributes a useful amount of calcium. Snow cabbage adds a small amount of vitamin K and dietary fibre. Overall, this is a high-protein, moderate-calorie dish suitable for elderly patients with dysphagia — serve alongside soft congee for a complete, balanced meal.