The BEST Homemade Tofu Shrimp Ball Stew

Today we are making my famous Shrimp Ball Stew that my guests, even my Taiwanese grandma, always rave about. The shrimp balls are juicy and tender and cooked in a perfectly seasoned umami tomato stock. It is a super healthy dish that is easy to make at home. Today, I’m sharing 2 different methods of making this broth: using shell-on shrimp OR using peeled shrimp!

My Grandma Loves This Shrimp Ball Stew, So Will You!

Welcome to Day 4 of cooking Soups and Stews for 7 Days! Growing up, my grandma has always been one of the best cooks I know, so being able to cook for her now is a dream come true! This Shrimp Ball Stew is a recipe of mine that she particularly enjoyed when she visited Canada. If a foodie like my grandma loves this dish, i’m confident you will too! This dish is perfect for serving with rice. I make this at all my family and friends gathering, and it is always a dish that everyone raves about. No one will ever believe how easy it is to make with simple, easy-to-source ingredients. 

Shrimp Ball Stew Ingredients 

Making the Broth

The key to the best Shrimp Ball Stew is broth using fresh prawns with the shell on to make the soup. By slowly toasting the shell, natural umami flavor is released once you simmer the shell to make the broth. Once you remove the shell, you can add the tomatoes in and simmer until they dissolve. If you’re using peeled shrimp and don’t have any shrimp shells, you can still get a delicious flavorful broth base using sautéed tomatoes. This will give the broth that same level of toasted flavor.

Handmade Shrimp Balls

These shrimp balls are actually really easy to make completely by hand. Whenever you buy shrimp paste at the store, it is always 40% flour. By making it yourself, you get 100% shrimp paste, which is healthier and a lot tastier. You can mince the shrimp today by hand, but I actually find the food processor easier because it makes the shrimp into a stickier paste, which helps all of the seasonings mix together better later. Then, just mix the shrimp paste with white pepper, egg white, 1 tbsp of dashi stock, chopped green onion, and corn starch. The egg white and corn starch here also help the paste stick together when cooking.

Soft Tofu

The soft tofu in the Shrimp Ball Stew completes the dish. It soaks in all the seafood flavor, and is super easy to eat, especially for aging adults like my grandma. There’s no need for chewing, so you can slurp it down easily with the yummy soup.

How To Make Shrimp Ball Tofu Stew

Making Shrimp Balls

1. Prepare the shrimp: If you’re using shell-on shrimp, peel the shrimp and make sure to save all of the shrimp shells for the broth. Use a knife or the food processor to finely chop the shrimp until it becomes a sticky paste. I find the food processor easier because it makes the shrimp into a stickier paste, which helps all of the seasonings mix together better later.
2. Make the shrimp ball mixture: Transfer the shrimp paste to a bowl and add white pepper, egg white, 1 tbsp of dashi stock, chopped green onion, and corn starch if using. Mix everything together in one direction until the shrimp mixture becomes sticky and well combined.

OPTION #1: Shell-on Shrimp Broth

1. Make the shrimp shell broth: Add the shrimp shells to a pot and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant and the shells turn pink. Add water and bring to a simmer. Let the shrimp shells simmer for around 10 minutes to release all of their natural sweetness and seafood flavor.
2. Strain the broth: Strain out the shrimp shells and discard them. Return the shrimp broth to the pot.
3. Cook the tomatoes: Add the tomatoes to the shrimp broth and simmer until the tomatoes have softened and released their juices.

OPTION #2: Tomato Broth (Peeled Shrimp)

1. Sauté the tomatoes: Add the tomatoes and the white parts of the green onion to a pot. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened and started releasing their juices.
2. Season the tomato base: Add white pepper and ketchup. Mix well and cook briefly until everything is combined.
3. Add the dashi stock: Pour in the dashi stock, bring everything to a simmer, and cook for around 10 minutesso the tomatoes can flavor the broth.
4. Choose your broth texture: For a cleaner, smoother broth, strain out the tomatoes and green onion after simmering and return the broth to the pot.If you like a heartier tomato stew, you can completely skip this step and leave all of the softened tomatoes in the broth. This is what I would do for an easier weeknight dinner!

Finish the Stew

1. Add the tofu: Gently add the tofu to the broth and bring everything back to a simmer.
2. Add the shrimp balls: Use two spoons or slightly wet hands to form the shrimp mixture into balls. Gently drop each shrimp ball directly into the simmering broth.
3. Cook until done: Let everything simmer for around 2–3 minutes, or until the shrimp balls are fully cooked through.
4. Serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Finish with plenty of chopped green onion and enjoy!