Shuhe Tofu

Shuhe Tofu

Shuhe Tofu is a protected geographical indication product.

　　Shuhe Tofu is produced in Shuhe Town, Gao County, Sichuan Province, and boasts a production history of several hundred years. Thanks to its unique water quality and traditional craftsmanship, Shuhe Tofu is known for its soft skin, tender texture, and pure color. Nearly a hundred delicious dishes can be prepared with it, and its all-tofu banquet has long been highly reputed. Shuhe Tofu is truly an outstanding "famous dish of southern Sichuan."

　　Shuhe Tofu from Gao County is a renowned specialty of Shuhe Town, Gao County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province. This product has a production history of several hundred years. Owing to its unique water quality and craftsmanship, Shuhe Tofu features a soft skin, tender texture, and pure color, and is celebrated as a “famous dish of southern Sichuan.”

　　The origins of Shuhe Tofu from Gao County:

　　Shuhe Tofu originated before the liberation in 1946. Many people in Shuhe enjoyed making and eating tofu, and there were many ways to prepare it, but no distinctive local cuisine had yet formed. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that Hou Yongkuan from Shuhe made certain improvements to Shuhe Tofu, which then gained favor with many merchants and passing drivers. As a result, the Shuhe Tofu cuisine was promoted to some extent.

　　How Shuhe Tofu from Gao County is made:

　　To make Shuhe Tofu, first select high-quality locally grown soybeans. Then soak the soybeans in local mountain spring water in a wooden barrel for about four hours. After soaking, grind the soybeans using a manual stone mill. Immediately after grinding, boil the soy milk. The first step after boiling is to remove the residue. Then add water and bring it to a boil again before removing the residue once more. After this process, strain the soy milk through a hemp cloth. Next, scoop the soy milk into an earthen jar using a water ladle, and slowly drip diluted bittern water into it while continuously stirring. After stirring around four or five times, the tofu begins to take shape. Then cover the earthen jar with a wooden lid. About ten minutes later, uncover the lid, scoop out the bean curd using a wooden ladle, and place it into a rectangular wooden mold lined with a piece of hemp cloth. Press the surface tightly with a board, and thus the fresh and tender tofu block is formed.

　　The production area of Shuhe Tofu covers the current administrative region of Shuhe Town, Gao County, Sichuan Province.