Sword Gate Tofu Pudding Congee

Sword Gate Tofu Pudding Congee

　　Sword Gate Tofu Pudding Congee

　　Tofu pudding congee is nutritious, delicious, and loved by everyone. But due to the many steps involved in making it, it's not often prepared—usually only when guests visit or during the New Year. The cooking process is as follows: soak the soybeans until they swell (typically for about 8 hours), then grind them with a stone mill, boil the soy milk in a pot, and filter it. Use pickled vegetable water to coagulate the soy milk into soft curds, scoop out the liquid, gently press the tofu into blocks, then cut them into cubes. Add water along with rice and beans, cook them until half-done, and then add broken pieces of noodle dough. By the time the dish is ready, the texture is distinct—some parts dry, some parts soupy. To this day, rural households still serve this as a special dish for guests.

　　Because making tofu pudding congee involves many steps and requires careful preparation, most people opt to cook “sweet soy milk congee,” also known as soy milk porridge. This version is much simpler to make: soak the soybeans overnight, grind them on a bluestone mill, boil the soy milk, skim off the foam, add rice and beans, and once the rice is cooked, it becomes sweet and fragrant. Depending on preference, a small amount of pickled vegetables can be added to make a tasty porridge.