Yucheng Zhonghe Tofu Pudding

Yucheng Zhonghe Tofu Pudding

　　Yucheng Zhonghe Tofu Pudding is a famous specialty from Zhonghe Town, Yucheng County, Guang'an City, Sichuan Province. The technique for making Zhonghe tofu pudding originally came from Beibei and Sanhuiba in Chongqing's Hechuan District. Tofu pudding shops in Zhonghe Town are well-known both within and beyond Guang'an.

　　How Yucheng Zhonghe Tofu Pudding Is Made:

　　Soybeans are ground with a stone mill to make soy milk, which is then filtered through a cloth. The residue and swill are fed to pigs. The soy milk is poured into a large pot and boiled to remove foam. Gypsum is ground into a paste and dripped evenly into the soy milk using a rice scoop. The heat is kept low, and this results in a pot of tofu pudding. The pudding is scooped into bowls, and a separate porcelain dish is used to serve condiments: red chili oil, sesame-flavored oil, green chili and broad bean paste, mashed ginger and garlic, salt, mustard, chopped scallions, and roasted sesame seeds (no MSG is used).

　　In the rural areas of Yucheng County, tofu pudding is often served with homemade liquor as a treat for guests or as a side dish. Today, tofu pudding shops can be found all over Yucheng County’s urban and rural areas, and there are also several restaurants offering meaty tofu pudding hotpot. The tofu pudding shops in Zhonghe Town, Yucheng County, are quite famous both within and outside Guang'an City.