Pinghu Tofu Soup

Pinghu Tofu Soup

　　Pinghu is a large town on the northern route of Gutian. It is a land of fish and rice, abundant in produce and bustling with merchants. The locals are warm and hospitable, often hosting guests at their homes, with houses frequently filled with visitors. On the dining tables where guests are entertained, a large bowl of tofu soup is always present. This is a specialty dish of the Pinghu people. After tasting Pinghu’s tofu soup, visitors from other places will no longer find the local water and soil disagreeable, as the soup combines spicy, numbing, and hot flavors. Pinghu’s tofu soup is a perfect blend of color, aroma, and taste. As someone born and raised in Pinghu, I’ve tasted many kinds of tofu soups, but there is one particularly sweet and delicious version said to embody the essence of a hundred Pinghu tofu soup recipes. Now, let me try my best to describe, in my humble writing style, how I cook a large bowl of tofu soup, using it as an example.

　　First, prepare three pieces of fresh, tender tofu, 100 grams of fresh pork, 150 grams of live clams, 50 grams of celery, a small amount of minced ginger, and seven or eight mushrooms. Seasonings include clam sauce, MSG, salt, sugar, oil, cooking wine, pepper, and sweet potato starch. Next, you’ll also need a bowl of second-boiled pig’s head broth. Once all these ingredients are ready, you can start cooking.

　　When cooking, first turn up the heat until the bottom of the wok is nearly red-hot. Then add half a spoonful of oil. When the oil starts to sizzle, add the fresh pork and stir-fry. Then add the clams, mushrooms, and clam sauce to the wok and continue stir-frying. When the clams open wide, pour in a spoonful of boiling water and also add the previously prepared bowl of meat broth. Once the soup in the wok begins to boil, crumble the tofu into the pot. Then add the prepared ginger, salt, sugar, and cooking wine. When the aroma of the soup fills the air, add the celery, MSG, and sweet potato starch. By this point, all the prepared ingredients have been added to the wok, and you’re almost done. At this stage, taste the saltiness—if it’s too salty, add some boiling water; if it’s too bland, sprinkle in a bit more salt; if it’s just right, then add some pepper to the tofu soup. Finally, scoop it into a large bowl and serve it at the table.

　　The tofu soup cooked this way is both piping hot and slightly spicy; it’s sweet and refreshing without feeling greasy. Of course, tastes vary—if you like garlic, you can add it when stir-frying the mushrooms at the beginning, or you can replace the celery with garlic leaves. Naturally, the cooking method I’ve described is just how most people in Pinghu do it. I’m sharing it here for chefs to critique and improve upon.

　　Nowadays, many streets and alleys in Gutian County display signs for Pinghu Tofu Soup, Pinghu Fish Soup, and the like—this shows just how popular these local snacks are in the county town. As someone from Pinghu, seeing these beloved dishes so well-represented fills me with joy.