Shiping tofu skin

Shiping tofu skin

Shiping tofu skin is a protected geographical indication product.

Shiping tofu skin is a certified geographical indication trademark.

　　    Shiping tofu skin is a well-known soy product from Yunnan. According to the Shiping County Annals, the production of tofu skin began in the early Ming Dynasty and flourished in the late Qing Dynasty. During the Guangxu period, a brave man surnamed Luo from the county went to the capital to take the imperial examination and passed as the top martial scholar. He stayed on as a sword-bearing guard in Empress Dowager Cixi’s palace, attaining the rank of fourth-grade official. On one occasion, when Luo returned home to visit his family and was about to go back to the capital, he brought some tofu skin with him as a gift for Cixi. After tasting it, she repeatedly praised it and made it an imperial tribute. Shiping tofu skin is made from high-quality soybeans through processes including screening, husking, soaking, pulping, boiling, filtering, steaming, skin-lifting, and drying until fully dry. It features a golden color, glossy finish, fine and uniform texture, delicious taste, tenderness, and a refreshing mouthfeel, making it a premium dish served to guests by locals. (Honghe)

　　The production area of Shiping tofu covers nine administrative regions under the jurisdiction of the following towns in Shiping County, Yunnan Province: Yilong Town, Baoxiu Town, Baxin Town, Longpeng Town, Niujie Town, Longwu Town, Shachong Town, Daqiao Township, and Xincheng Township.

　　I. Raw Material Requirements

　　1. Soybeans: Soybeans harvested within one year, with protein content ≥40%.

　　2. Water: Mountain spring water within the production area, meeting national drinking water standards, with calcium ion ≤50 mg/L, magnesium ion ≤5 mg/L, sulfate ion ≤15 mg/L, and pH value between 6.5 and 8.0.

　　II. Production and Processing Requirements

　　     1. Process Flow:

　　     Soybeans → Screening → Washing → Soaking → Grinding → Boiling → Filtering → Skin Lifting → Drying → Molding → Drying → Packaging.

　　    2. Key Process Points:

　　    (1) Screening: Remove moldy, unripe, sprouted, or otherwise defective beans and impurities.

　　    (2) Soaking: Soak in ambient-temperature water for 7–9 hours in spring and autumn, 6–8 hours in summer, and 8–10 hours in winter. Continue soaking until the soybeans are no longer hard.

　　    (3) Grinding: Soybean-to-water ratio is 1:7. Soy milk concentration is 7–8 degrees.

　　    (4) Boiling: Use steam injection or modern continuous boiling methods. Boiling temperature is 95°C–100°C, maintained for 3–5 minutes. Soy milk protein content is 3.6%–3.8%. Boil until the soy milk is fully cooked and has a rich bean aroma. Boil first, then filter – that is, the cooked soy milk method.

　　    (5) Filtering: Filter the soybean mash to remove okara, using a 150–200 mesh filter.

　　    (6) Skin Lifting: Ensure the soy milk completely covers the bottom of the pot. Heat the molding pot, keeping the temperature at 80°C ± 3°C. Lift the tofu skin roughly every 25 minutes. Repeat until all the soy milk in the pot is used up.

　　    (7) Molding: Stack the prepared tofu skins as needed (slice, shred, or tie into knots).

　　    (8) Drying: Dry in a ventilated, sunlit drying room until moisture content is ≤10%.

　　III. Quality Characteristics

　　    1. Sensory Features: Light yellow to golden in color, glossy on the surface; fine, dense texture, good elasticity, does not disintegrate easily after prolonged cooking; delicious, tender, smooth, and refreshing in taste.

　　    2. Physical and Chemical Indicators: Protein content ≥42%, crude fat content ≥18%, moisture content ≤10%.

　　     3. Safety and Other Quality Technical Requirements: Product safety and other quality technical requirements must comply with relevant national regulations.