Red and White Tofu

Red and White Tofu

　　Shifang Red and White Tofu has a long history and is famed throughout western Sichuan for its snow-white color, tender texture, delicious taste, and smooth appearance resembling white jade. In Hongbai Market, tofu-making and selling have a history of nearly 2,000 years. Especially during festivals or when entertaining family and friends, tofu is always a must. There are many ways to enjoy tofu, such as braising, stir-frying, pan-frying, stewing, serving cold in salads, or making into soup; every winter and early spring, households make sausages stuffed with tofu, produce dried tofu, and freeze red tofu. Whether it's family and friends, merchants, or tourists from out of town, they all specifically ask for Red and White Tofu. The reason why Red and White Tofu tastes so good is mainly because the soil in the Red and White mountainous area is ideal for growing high-quality soybeans, and the clean, cool, and refreshing mountain water there makes the tofu exceptionally delicious.

　　Production method of Red and White Tofu:

　　1. Soaking. Select high-quality soybeans, remove impurities through screening, wash them clean with water, and then soak them (over 10 hours in winter, 6–7 hours in summer). Well-soaked beans will have full surfaces and smooth skins; you should be able to pinch off the skin (dehull) easily with two fingers.

　　2. Grinding. Use a stone mill with fine grooves, turn it at a steady pace, and add water appropriately—this is called water milling. The finer the grind, the better. Use clear mountain stream or ditch water for the best results. Use a wooden basin or bucket to hold the ground slurry.

　　3. Pressing. After grinding, pour the slurry from the basin or bucket into a cloth bag to press out the milk. When no more liquid can be pressed out, add some clean water, stir well, and continue pressing until fully drained. Collect the raw soy milk in a wooden basin or bucket.

　　4. Boiling. First, apply a bit of cooking oil to the bottom of the pot, then pour the raw soy milk from the basin or bucket into the pot (reserve a small amount of raw slurry for later use), and boil over high heat. While boiling, skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Once it boils, mix in some of the previously reserved raw slurry, then transfer it into a wooden bucket or stone vat to make cooked soy milk.

　　5. Coagulating. The ideal temperature for coagulating is around 75°C. Depending on the coagulant used, it is divided into gypsum coagulation and brine coagulation. Gypsum coagulation: Mix gypsum powder with cold water in a ratio of 2 taels of gypsum per 5 kg of soybeans, stir gently while slowly pouring the gypsum mixture into the hot soy milk. Stop when fine, sesame-sized curds form. Brine coagulation: Prepare the brine by mixing 1 liter of common salt brine with 4 liters of water. The coagulation method is the same as above; after coagulation, the hot soy milk turns into tofu curds.

　　6. Pressing. Use a square wooden mold with a removable base as the tofu press. Line the mold with white cloth, pour in the tofu curds, slightly thicker in the middle, wrap the sides with the cloth, and gradually add weight to press. Once enough water is drained, tofu is formed. The firmness of the tofu depends on how much weight is applied—more weight yields firmer tofu, less yields softer tofu.

　　The finished Red and White Tofu is snow-white, delicate, smooth, and resilient, resembling white jade.

　　7. Production of Red and White Five-Spice Tofu. To make Red and White Five-Spice Tofu, start by using mature tofu—that is, during the “pressing” stage, add salt, Sichuan peppercorns, and spices to the tofu curds in the mold, then apply even heavier pressure to form and dry it. Cut it into pieces about 4 cm wide, 8 cm long, and 0.6 cm thick, then simmer in a secret-seasoned broth over low heat until flavorful. Remove, drain, and bake dry to make five-spice tofu slices. Among them, the "Dan’s Tofu" brand of Red and White Five-Spice Tofu is the most famous. Its products are sold far and wide, reaching Chengdu, Guangzhou, Gansu, and almost all parts of the country, beloved by consumers.