Xiakou Tofu Pudding

Xiakou Tofu Pudding

　　Xiakou Tofu Pudding, also known as tofu brain, is a unique dish and delicious snack from the Xiling Gorge of the Yangtze River. Thanks to the high-quality water and meticulous preparation, the tofu pudding here is famed for its snow-white, delicate texture, smooth as milk and rich as cream.

　　Tofu pudding and tofu belong to the same family but have some differences — tofu is a solid coagulated form, while tofu pudding is semi-solid and semi-liquid. The production process of tofu pudding is very particular: first, the soybeans are ground into soybean dregs using a stone mill. After removing the skins, they are soaked in clean water until the dregs swell and turn white, then they are taken out. The dregs are then ground again with clean water into fine soy milk, which is filtered through a coarse white cloth to remove the okara. The filtered soy milk is poured into a large iron pot and boiled over high heat. It is then poured into a special wooden bucket, basin, or ceramic jar, and cooked gypsum dissolved in water is added to the hot soy milk. After stirring gently with a wooden ladle for about five minutes, the tofu pudding is ready.