Fushun Tofu Pudding

Fushun Tofu Pudding

Fushun Tofu Pudding is a protected geographical indication product.

　　The origins of Fushun Tofu Pudding can be traced back to a long history and an interesting legend: during the Three Kingdoms period, the Jinchuan Post area (now Fushun County) had a salt well known as the “richest in salt,” coupled with a climate and geographical environment suitable for growing soybeans. When tofu spread to Fushun, it quickly became very popular. Later, due to the thriving salt industry attracting merchants from all directions, Fushun became the economic and cultural hub of the Zigong area for a long time, bustling with activity and seeing a significant rise in demand for tofu-based foods. By the time of the Republic of China, one day, a merchant who came to Fushun to trade in salt visited the famous Zhu’s Restaurant. Growing impatient while waiting, he went to the kitchen to urge the chef to serve his stir-fried tofu more quickly. When he saw that the tofu, not yet fully formed, was slowly cooking in the pot steaming hot, and with no time to wait any longer, he asked the owner of Zhu’s Restaurant to sell him the “soft tofu” as it was. Since it hadn’t fully solidified, it couldn’t be stir-fried, so the old man instructed the chef to prepare a spicy dipping sauce for the guest to eat with rice. To everyone’s surprise, he didn’t find it unappetizing—in fact, he thought it tasted even more delicious and refreshing than the usual stir-fried firm tofu. Inspired by this, the old man began experimenting repeatedly to perfect the tenderness of the tofu pudding, the recipe for the dipping sauce, and the best type of rice to pair with it. Eventually, the irresistible and unforgettable “Fushun Tofu Pudding” was born, becoming a classic signature dish in Sichuan cuisine.