Chef | Food Explorer | Culinary Storyteller
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Sometimes, the most satisfying meals are the simplest. Tofu & Seafood Soup, or Hai Xian Dou Fu Tang, is a classic Chinese soup that prioritizes fresh ingredients and clean flavors over heavy spices. It is the kind of soup that warms you up from the inside out—light, nutritious, and incredibly soothing.
This is a traditional Chinese clear soup that brings together the ocean and the earth. The base is a rich, savory fish stock that poaches a medley of fresh seafood: tender slices of fish fillet, scored squid, and whole shrimps. The “earth” element comes from silky bean curd (tofu) cut into large dice and shredded Chinese cabbage, which add distinct textures to the broth. The seafood is marinated before cooking to ensure it remains tender and flavorful.
This soup is a delicate balance of savory and sweet natural flavors.
Soups are the cornerstone of a traditional Chinese meal, often served to “clear the palate” or aid digestion. Hai Xian Dou Fu Tang has its roots in coastal Chinese cuisine (like Cantonese or Teochew traditions), where fresh seafood is abundant. Historically, tofu was added to seafood soups not just for nutrition, but because its neutral flavor absorbs the sweetness of the seafood stock perfectly.
In the past, this was a humble fisherman’s dish—a way to use the catch of the day alongside cheap, protein-rich tofu. It was strictly home-style cooking. As Chinese cuisine evolved, this soup moved into banquet halls. Chefs began “velveting” the seafood (coating it in egg and corn flour, as seen in this recipe) to give it a smoother, more refined texture suitable for high-end dining.
Today, Tofu & Seafood Soup is a staple on Chinese restaurant menus globally. It is widely regarded as a “healing” soup—often ordered when someone is feeling under the weather or wants a healthy, low-oil option. It represents the modern diner’s desire for clean protein and comfort without the heaviness of thick curries or fried foods.
This dish is generally priced as a mid-range soup option.
Origin: Chinese Serves: Multi-portion (Based on 1.5 liters stock)
Ingredients
For Soup:
For Marinade (to velvet the seafood):
For Seasoning:
Instructions
1. Prep the Seafood Cut the fish fillets into 4mm thick slices and set aside. Place the de-shelled, de-veined shrimps, sliced fish, and scored squid together in a bowl.
2. Marinate Mix the egg, pepper, and corn flour with all the seafood. Let this set for 15 minutes. This step (velveting) protects the seafood from overcooking.
3. Start the Broth Add the fish stock to a pot and bring it to a boil. Add the shredded cabbage and chopped ginger. Cook for 2 minutes, then lower the heat.
4. Add Tofu Gently add in the large dices of bean curd (silky tofu) and allow it to simmer for a further 2 minutes.
5. Cook Seafood Add the marinated seafood and the seasoning ingredients (light soy sauce, sesame oil, cooking wine, salt, and pepper) to the pot. Stir well to ensure the seafood cooks evenly.
6. Serve Transfer the hot soup to a serving bowl. Garnish with sliced spring onions and serve immediately.
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If there is one dish that serves as the global ambassador for Thai cuisine, it is Phad Thai. It is the first dish many people try when they visit a Thai restaurant, and for good reason. It is the perfect introduction to the complexity of Thai flavors—sweet, sour, salty, and spicy—all balanced in a single, satisfying plate of noodles.
Phad Thai (or Pad Thai) is a stir-fried rice noodle dish that is synonymous with Thai street food. Unlike many other noodle dishes that are served in soup, this is a “dry” stir-fry. The foundation is soaked dried rice noodles stir-fried with firm bean curd (tofu), preserved Chinese radish, and dried shrimps. It gets its richness from eggs and fresh prawns, and its crunch from bean sprouts and roasted peanuts.
Phad Thai is a masterclass in the Thai culinary principle of balancing flavors.
You might be surprised to learn that Phad Thai is a relatively modern invention, born out of necessity and nationalism in the late 1930s. During World War II, Thailand faced a rice shortage. To reduce domestic rice consumption, Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram launched a campaign called “Noodle is Your Lunch.” He promoted rice noodles (which used less grain than eating plain rice) and created this dish to establish a strong national identity. He deliberately distinguished it from Chinese noodle dishes by using Thai flavors like tamarind, palm sugar, and dried shrimp, naming it “Phad Thai” (literally “Thai Stir-fry”).
In the past, Phad Thai was strictly a street food sold by vendors with pushcarts. It was the food of the people—cheap, nutritious, and quick to make. As Thai cuisine went global in the late 20th century, Phad Thai evolved from a humble street snack to a restaurant staple. Chefs began adding premium ingredients like river prawns, lobster, or wrapping the entire mound of noodles in a delicate egg net (Phad Thai Ho Kai). Despite these fancy upgrades, the core flavor profile remains unchanged.
Today, Phad Thai is an international icon. You can find it everywhere from the bustling night markets of Bangkok to high-end dining tables in New York and London. It is often used as a benchmark for testing a new Thai restaurant: if they can’t make a good Phad Thai, they probably can’t make anything else!
Phad Thai remains accessible to everyone, though the price varies wildly depending on where you eat it.
Cuisine: Thai Serves: 4
Ingredients
The Stir-Fry Base:
The Phad Thai Sauce:
Garnish:
Instructions
1. Make the Sauce Combine all the ingredients of the Phad Thai sauce (palm sugar, tamarind juice, fish sauce) in a saucepan. Simmer it over medium heat until the sauce is thickened and dark brown in color. Set it aside.
2. Sear the Prawns Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat. Stir-fry the garlic and shallots until fragrant. Add the fresh prawns and sauté until they are 70% cooked. Remove the content from the wok and set it aside.
3. Fry the Aromatics In the same wok with the remaining vegetable oil, add in the dried shrimps, preserved Chinese radish, and bean curd (tofu). Stir fry for 1 minute.
4. Soften the Noodles Add the soaked noodles and stir-fry until soft. At this stage, gradually add water (about 1 cup) and stir-fry until the noodle is soft and cooked.
5. Season Add the prepared Phad Thai sauce, stir, and mix well. Add the cooked prawns, Chinese chives, and bean sprouts. Mix them well.
6. Scramble the Egg Move the noodles to the side of the wok and add 1 tbsp of oil. Crack the eggs gently into the wok and scramble until cooked. Add the noodles back over the cooked egg until they are well mixed.
7. Serve Transfer the content to a serving plate and sprinkle with roasted peanuts. Serve it with lime wedges, fresh Chinese chives, and raw bean sprouts. Sprinkle with chilli flakes if more heat is desired.