Lei Family Tofu Balls

Last updated 2026-11-15 — Legend has it that this dish was first created by a woman named Lei San Niang in Guiyang and has a history of over seventy years. To make it, premium soybeans are soaked for six to ten hours, ground into a paste, then mixed with “vegetable oil residue” (the sediment of vegetable oil). The mixture is boiled and combined with sour soup, then after being taken off the heat, it is blended with a five-spice powder made from Sichuan peppercorn, star anise, fennel, cinnamon, and other seasonings, as well as monosodium glutamate and chopped scallions in precise proportions. Soft tofu is then pinched, gently gathered, and flattened before being slowly deep-fried in hot oil. Lei Family Tofu Balls are golden brown, crispy on the outside and tender inside, with a honeycomb-like center. They are typically served with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, scallions, chili, sesame oil, and vinegar, best enjoyed hot for a crisp, tender, and aromatic taste—perfect as a side dish with rice or paired with alcohol. In the streets and alleys of Guiyang, vendors can often be seen selling them from baskets, sometimes threaded onto thin bamboo skewers in groups of three or five for easy eating.