Red Oil Rice Tofu

Red Oil Rice Tofu

　　Red Oil Rice Tofu is one of the most popular and distinctive street snacks in Guiyang and even across Guizhou. With crispy soybeans, crunchy peanuts, tender rice tofu, sweet bean sprouts, rich-flavored black mustard greens, and spicy red oil, it’s refreshing in summer and satisfyingly delicious. Summer is peak season for Red Oil Rice Tofu. Whether people are out strolling, shopping, or traveling, they often can’t resist stopping for a bowl to satisfy their cravings and refresh their palate. Families also frequently buy it to serve as lunch, a cold side dish, or a late-night snack. Just pick up one or two pounds of rice tofu from the market, pair it with some seasonings, and the whole family can enjoy a tasty meal.

　　Ingredients and seasonings: rice, soybeans, lime, red oil, scallions, ginger, mung bean sprouts, peanuts, pickled radish, black mustard greens, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and an appropriate amount of MSG.

　　Detailed preparation method:

　　1. For the rice tofu: Wash and soak the rice for four hours, and the soybeans for five hours. Grind them into a paste using a stone mill. The general ratio of rice/soybeans/water is 1:0.5:4. After grinding, cook the mixture in a pot, bring it to a boil, then cool it to about 50°C. Add a small amount of limewater to coagulate it, stir well, and pour it into an enamel basin. Let it cool completely to form the rice tofu.

　　2. Fry the peanuts until crispy; soak the soybeans until softened, then fry them until crisp. Chop the scallions into fine pieces, mince the ginger, and mash the garlic into a paste, which is then soaked in a bit of cold water. Blanch the mung bean sprouts in boiling water, drain them, and dice the pickled radish. Finely chop the black mustard greens.

　　3. When serving, cut the rice tofu into 6 cm long, 1 cm wide and high strips using a knife, place them in a bowl, drizzle with red oil, and add scallions, ginger, mung bean sprouts, fried peanuts, fried soybeans, pickled radish, black mustard greens, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and MSG. Mix well until evenly coated and flavorful.