Tofu Balls

Tofu Balls

　　　“Fragrance wafts in all directions, white jade turns golden as it meets oil. Boiling beans—thousands of years of history, as across the table drinks are raised to recall past and present. Golden beans whirl in the mill, turning as rich as crab roe, making even the poet Su Dongpo’s mouth water. A child tugging at his mother’s sleeve points below and cries, ‘The Lei family’s tofu balls smell divine!’” This poem praises the Lei family’s tofu balls, which have a history of over 130 years—a testament to their immense popularity.

　　　　Going back to 1874, after the death of Emperor Tongzhi, the imperial court issued a nationwide “meat ban” (prohibiting the slaughtering of pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, ducks, etc.) for three days, during which both officials and commoners were not allowed to eat meat. Guiyang, located on the southwestern frontier, was naturally no exception. At that time, Lei Duanzao, a native of Guiyang who made a living running a tofu workshop, and his wife saw an opportunity to create tofu-based balls. They experimented by adding an appropriate amount of salt, alkali, spices, chopped scallions, and other seasonings to the tofu, mixing everything thoroughly, then forming it into walnut-sized balls before deep-frying them in cooking oil and selling them. “An unintended success,” these small fried tofu balls quickly became a huge hit and were deeply loved by the people of Guiyang.

　　　　After three rises and three falls, the Lei family’s tofu balls have maintained their exquisitely crafted quality and excellent texture.

　　Premium soybeans are selected, soaked, and ground into a slurry, which is then boiled and mixed with sour soup. Five-spice powder made from Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, fennel, cinnamon, and tsao-ko, along with monosodium glutamate, chopped scallions, and minced ginger, are added and stirred evenly to form egg-sized balls. These are deep-fried until the exterior turns golden brown and the inside develops a honeycomb-like texture, resulting in a crispy outer layer and tender interior. Served with soy sauce, pepper, chopped scallions, sesame oil, vinegar, and chili powder, they are crisp, smooth, flavorful, richly aromatic, appetizing, and good for digestion. (Guiyang)