Lamb brisket and tofu skin claypot
Hong Kong's Major Snow classic: lamb brisket braised with red bean curd, tofu skin soaking up the sauce, lettuce dipped in at the table.
- 1 hr 50 min
- Serves 3
- Braise
- Medium
Why it suits you: Yang Deficiency means cold hands and feet, and Major Snow is when you most need warming. Lamb with old ginger warms the middle and kidneys, while water chestnuts and tofu skin balance the heat and richness — a weekend pot that warms the whole family.
Method
Prep 20 min · Cook 90 min- 1Soak the tofu skin until soft and cut into lengths. Chop the lamb into pieces, start it in cold water with 2 slices of ginger and boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse.
- 2Heat a dry wok and stir-fry the lamb for 3 minutes to render the fat. Pour off the excess fat, then fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant.
- 3Stir in the red bean curd and chu hou sauce, transfer to a clay pot, add the water, tangerine peel and water chestnuts, bring to the boil, then braise on low for 60 minutes.
- 4Add the tofu skin and braise 20 minutes more, until the lamb is tender and the sauce has reduced by half. Taste.
- 5Bring the pot to the table, dip the lettuce into the hot sauce for a few seconds and eat with rice.
Cautions
- Skip lamb during a cold, fever, sore throat or mouth ulcers.
- Tofu skin is a soy product; if you are sensitive to soy, use chunks of daikon radish instead.
Chef's tips
- Dry-frying the lamb first and pouring off the fat makes the pot far less greasy and less gamey.
- In a hurry? Pressure-cook for 25 minutes, then add the tofu skin and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
The TCM view
Lamb is sweet and warm, warms the middle and kidneys and builds qi and blood; old ginger is pungent and warm, dispels cold and removes gaminess; red bean curd and chu hou sauce season and wake the appetite. Sweet, cold water chestnuts and neutral tofu skin cut the richness, so the pot warms without overheating — right for low yang in winter.
