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A-gei
A-gei (阿給): Tamsui's fried tofu pockets filled with glass noodles, sealed with fish paste and steamed
TaiwaneseA-gei is the breakfast that people ride the MRT to Tamsui for. On Zhenli Street, below Aletheia University, small shops have been making it since the 1960s: a big square of fried tofu is cut open, stuffed with glass noodles simmered in soy and a light broth, sealed with a cap of fish paste, steamed until set, and served in a pool of sweet chilli sauce, often with a bowl of fish-ball soup. The name comes from the Japanese aburaage, fried tofu. It is soft, savoury and slurpy. Contains soy, fish and wheat. Chef's tip: pack the noodles in firmly; loose filling soaks up the sauce and the pocket collapses.
- Total time
- 80 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the pockets
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 shallotsfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
For the fish paste seal
- 5 ½ oz white fish filletskinned, boned and chilled
- ½ tsp salt
For the sauce
- 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- ¾ cup water
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Soak 2 ⅛ oz glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli) in warm water for 10 minutes, until soft, then drain and snip into 5 cm lengths.
10 minStep 2: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry 2 shallots for 3 minutes, until golden. Add the noodles, 2 tbsp soy sauce, ¾ cup light vegetable or fish stock and ¼ tsp ground white pepper and simmer, stirring, for 4–5 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
8 minStep 3: Blend 5 ½ oz white fish fillet, ⅔ oz sweet potato starch or cornflour and ½ tsp salt to a smooth paste.
5 minStep 4: Pour boiling water over 4 large square fried tofu puffs (aburaage blocks), about 8 cm to remove excess oil and squeeze gently. Cut a slit along one edge and open each into a pocket without tearing.
5 minStep 5: Pack the noodles firmly into the pockets, then spread the fish paste over the opening in a thick layer to seal it. Common mistake: a thin seal; it splits during steaming and the filling spills out.
10 minStep 6: Steam the pockets, sealed side up, over boiling water for 15–20 minutes, until the fish paste is firm, white and opaque all the way through.
20 minStep 7: Meanwhile, whisk 3 tbsp thick soy paste (soy sauce paste), 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 1 tbsp rice flour and ¾ cup water in a small pan and simmer, stirring, for 3 minutes until thick. Serve the a-gei in shallow bowls with the sauce poured over.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does a-gei take?
- About 80 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of shallots?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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