Yen Ta Fo

Ingredients

• 400 g flat rice noodles
• 1 liter pork or chicken stock
• 3 tbsp red fermented tofu, mashed, plus 2 tbsp of its brine
• 2 tbsp tomato passata
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 200 g shrimp, peeled
• 150 g fish balls
• 150 g firm tofu, cubed and fried until golden
• 2 cups water spinach, cut into lengths
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• Fried garlic, for topping
• Fish sauce, to taste

Before you cook

• Mash the red fermented tofu with its brine until smooth.
• Cut the water spinach into lengths.
• Cut the firm tofu into cubes.

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat and fry the minced garlic for 1 minute until fragrant, then set aside.
2. Mix the mashed fermented tofu, tomato passata, rice vinegar, and sugar in a bowl to make the pink sauce.
3. Fry the cubed tofu in hot oil until golden, then drain.
4. Bring the stock to a boil in a pot.
5. Add the fish balls and simmer for 3 minutes.
6. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes until just pink.
7. Stir in the pink sauce mixture and simmer for 3 minutes.
8. Season with fish sauce to taste.
9. Blanch the rice noodles in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and divide between bowls.
10. Add the water spinach to the simmering broth for 30 seconds, just until wilted.
11. Ladle the broth, shrimp, fish balls, tofu, and water spinach over the noodles.
12. Top with the fried garlic and oil before serving.