Buyi-style stuffed tofu

Buyi-style stuffed tofu

　　The Buyi people of Lian Shan Wan in Libo serve a traditional and ancient dish—stuffed tofu—that stands out as one of the region’s culinary highlights, distinctive in shape, color, aroma, and flavor. This tofu is crafted from white tofu cut into slightly thicker-than-matchbox cubes. A hollow is carved out in the center, filled with stuffing, and then pan-fried. With an attractive appearance, tender texture, and deliciously fragrant taste, it has attracted many locals and even tourists who come specifically to savor this local specialty.

　　A local saying goes: “If you invite guests without serving stuffed tofu, the host lacks sincerity.” This saying further highlights the importance of stuffed tofu in the hearts of the Buyi people. Indeed, this dish plays a significant role on the dining tables of local farmers and is a must-have main course during grand Buyi banquets. Here, it’s common to see that when visitors or tourists dine at rural homes, the first dish served is not meat, but stuffed tofu. Many say the tofu here is soft, tender, sweet, and fragrant—extremely tasty—and they often take a small bag home as a keepsake.

　　The method of making stuffed tofu is a handicraft passed down from ancient ancestors. Though the production process may seem simple, every step requires careful attention and skill. Without proper technique, it's impossible to make high-quality stuffed tofu. Therefore, it's not commonly found around Lian Shan Wan. It is usually made only during festivals, celebrations, or special occasions, and is personally supervised by the farm women.

　　Step 1: Selecting the beans

　　Lian Shan Wan is rich in soybeans and mung beans, ensuring a steady supply of tofu ingredients. However, to ensure the quality of the stuffed tofu, people are very meticulous when selecting beans—any flat (shriveled or dead) beans or grains of sand are removed to avoid ruining the whole batch. Typically, four liters of beans are used for one batch. The selected beans are soaked in clean water for 3–4 hours, then ground into soy milk using a stone mill. The soy milk is then boiled in a large pot and the residue is filtered out.

　　Step 2: Coagulating the tofu

　　Coagulating the tofu is a highly skilled step. According to local tradition, homemade sour water is used for coagulation, yielding tofu that is tender, firm, and has a pleasant sweet-sour bean flavor. If the technique is lacking, the tofu won’t set properly, often wasting the entire batch of soy milk. Some use gypsum to speed up the process, but while gypsum tofu is white and tender, it lacks toughness, is prone to breaking, and can't withstand the repeated handling needed for stuffed tofu. Its taste also clearly falls short compared to tofu coagulated with sour water.

　　Step 3: Pressing the tofu

　　After the soy milk is boiled and cooled, it’s time to coagulate and press the tofu. Coagulation is done by gently stirring the soy milk in a large pot in a certain direction until it begins to coagulate into a cloudy, white-milk-like consistency, at which point stirring stops and the mixture is left to set undisturbed. Once the curd has firmed up and the whey is clear, it is transferred to a rectangular, lattice-patterned wooden box, covered, and pressed under weight. After the water drains out, the box is opened to reveal a large block of white tofu marked with 10 equal divisions—mission accomplished.

　　Step 4: Cutting the tofu

　　One batch of tofu yields 10 square blocks. First, each block is cut horizontally into two. Then, using a vertical and two horizontal knife cuts, each half is divided into 12 pieces, each about as thick as a matchbox. These are neatly arranged in a tray. Thin, flat bamboo strips are bent into a semicircular shape, and a small hole—wider inside than out—is dug out from the center of each matchbox-sized piece of tofu to hold the stuffing. The scrap tofu removed isn’t wasted; it’s mashed into a paste and later used to cover the filling, turning waste into something useful.

　　Step 4: Making the filling

　　The key to making a good filling is selecting the right meat. Don’t just choose lean meat—too much lean meat will make the stuffed tofu taste coarse and tough. Pork belly is a better option—not overly greasy, yet smooth, sweet, and fragrantly delicious. Once the meat is chosen, other seasonings are added, commonly including chives, garlic, scallions, and Sichuan peppercorns. Wealthier families might also add fish, shrimp, wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, five-spice powder, or star anise (preferences vary). After selecting the ingredients, they are mixed with the meat and minced together. Mincing is typically done with two knives simultaneously, moving rhythmically up and down for both speed and quality, until the desired consistency is achieved.

　　Step 5: Stuffing the tofu

　　Place the minced filling in a large bowl. Using three fingers, gently scoop an appropriate amount and stuff it into the hollow in the tofu. Be gentle and ensure the filling is packed firmly and fully, without damaging or deforming the tofu. Repeat this for all the tofu pieces needing stuffing. Then, mash the leftover tofu scraps into a paste, take an appropriate amount, and spread it smoothly over the filling openings to seal them.

　　Step 6: Pan-frying the tofu

　　Once the tofu is stuffed, it’s time to fry. Heat a flat-bottomed pan over a wood fire, add an appropriate amount of cooking oil, and heat until the oil becomes fragrant. Begin frying the tofu (starting with the side that has the filling on top). When first placed in the pan, don’t move the tofu. Once the bottom side turns slightly golden, carefully loosen the edges with a wooden spatula, shift its position slightly, then after a moment, flip it over to fry the other side. To give the stuffed tofu both a rich, aromatic flavor and retain its original taste, frying on just two sides is generally sufficient.

　　Step 7: Simmering the tofu

　　Once the stuffed tofu is fried, how you eat it also matters. To allow the tofu to fully absorb the juices and seasonings from the filling, place it in cold water along with the tofu. Add some salt, sesame oil, peanut oil, or a bit of light soy sauce to the pot, and simmer over low heat. Once the water boils, you can enjoy the delicious, fragrant stuffed tofu.