Shuiche Tou Tofu

Shuiche Tou Tofu

　　As the saying goes: "The tofu of Shuiche Tou is made with one flavor." This means that the water in this village is so good that the same beans yield more tofu, and of higher quality.

　　Legend has it that Emperor Wu of Han, during his northern campaign, specifically sent people to buy tofu from Shuiche Tou while stationed in Wannian Village—proof of the long history and natural deliciousness of Shuiche Tou tofu.

　　To talk about the tofu of Shuiche Tou Village, we must first start with the surnames of the villagers. It is said that during the Qing Dynasty, there was a small stream southeast of Shuiche Tou Village, and to the east of the stream lived a prominent family surnamed Che. The stream flowed from the alley of the Che family southeastward, hence the name "Shuiche Tou" (literally “Waterwheel Head”). During the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, Heyang County had a population of about 456,000, and the county town was particularly bustling, with heavy foot traffic and thriving street businesses. Several villages to the south of the county formed an industrial supply chain. Tangzhuang Village produced sugar for children, known as "glasses" and Qiongguo candy. Nanzhuang produced liquor, and Guanzhuang was famous for its sweet potato noodles. But the most famous of all was the tofu from Shuiche Tou.

　　The tofu of Shuiche Tou is famous because of its water. The small stream of Shuiche Tou disappeared due to geographical changes, but the hardworking and brave villagers dug wells to draw water. With the creaking sound of the well pulley, the water drawn was as clear as a mirror, sweet to the taste, and rich in various minerals and trace elements. The tofu made with this well water is even more naturally delicious.

　　Due to the early formation of the urban industrial supply chain, Shuiche Tou had more than ten specialized tofu workshops. Gradually, 90% of the households in the village began making tofu during the agricultural off-season to supplement their income. As more people started making tofu, selling it became a challenge, leading to market competition. Most households could not match the quality of the professional old workshops. As competition intensified, product quality improved, and the tofu of Shuiche Tou became increasingly premium and renowned. Good tofu can be hung on a scale hook. Especially when cooked, it becomes richer the longer it boils and can float on top of the soup. A local saying goes: "Shuiche Tou tofu is weighed on the scale, boiled in the pot it swims like fish, soft and tender in the mouth, delicious beyond compare."

　　The making of Shuiche Tou tofu is meticulous and refined: the beans are dried well, the hulls are cleaned thoroughly, the grinding is evenly stirred, the soy milk is filtered finely, and the use of clean, mineral-rich well water results in tofu that is snow-white, delicate, soft, and rich in bean flavor.

　　There are six steps to making tofu. The first is soaking the beans. Remove the husks, wash the beans, and soak them in water—about 6 hours in summer and 12 hours in winter. The second step is grinding and filtering. After soaking, the beans are taken out and ground with a stone mill at a ratio of 6 kg of water per 1 kg of beans. The resulting slurry is put into a cloth bag (sewn from tofu cloth), the bag is tightly tied, and the soy milk is squeezed out. After filtering the soy milk, the bag is opened again, 3 kg of water is added, mixed well, and filtered once more. Typically, 10 kg of beans yields about 60 kg of soy milk. The third step is boiling the soy milk. Pour the extracted raw soy milk into a pot and bring it to a boil, maintaining a temperature between 90–110°C without covering the pot, skimming off foam as it boils. Keep the heat high but not too fierce to prevent the soy milk from overflowing. Too low a temperature or too long a time will affect the quality. The fourth step is coagulating the soy milk. To solidify the boiled soy milk, a coagulant is added. If using gypsum, first roast it until just heated through, then grind it into powder, mix with water to form a gypsum slurry, pour it into the freshly scooped soy milk, and gently stir with a spoon. In a few minutes, the soy milk will coagulate into tofu curds. This is the key step in making tofu. Under-coagulated tofu yields more but cannot be fried or eaten raw; over-coagulated tofu is rough and unpalatable. The fifth step is pressing the tofu. To turn curds into tofu, within 30 minutes of coagulation, scoop the curds into a square wooden box or other container lined with cheesecloth. Once full, wrap the curds with the cheesecloth, cover with a wooden board, and press for 10–20 minutes to make soft tofu. The sixth step is uncovering the cloth. When removing the cloth, sprinkle cold water on the outside and slowly peel it away to avoid sticking and maintain the tofu’s appearance.

　　As the reputation of Shuiche Tou’s handmade tofu grows, it is sold to surrounding counties and cities, gaining fame throughout the province and beyond. Today, with the global rise of vegetarianism, vegetables and tofu are increasingly cherished. Mr. and Mrs. Tong Hongbin and Gao Juan of Shuiche Tou Village have innovated boldly while preserving tradition, launching the "First Banquet of Shuiche Tou Tofu," offering you extraordinary flavors from the same tofu. By stir-frying, steaming, stewing, roasting, braising, and simmering tofu, you embark on a tofu feast—soupy or dry, meaty or vegetarian, red, green, yellow, or white. There’s tofu broth simmered in an iron pot for clearing heat; spicy red-oil tofu tossed with broad bean paste and chili; bean dregs and millet as the main ingredients, celery and green beans as sides, made into bean dregs wheat rice; jade tofu, tofu dumplings, pregnant tofu, tofu strips with sweet potato noodles, and dry-fried tofu. The most heartwarming and unforgettable is the steaming hot black coarse-sand casserole tofu, combining meat and vegetables, rich but not greasy, with thick, flavorful, brightly colored broth—hot, tender, and fragrant, leaving a lingering aftertaste. It’s nutritious, healthy, and focuses on beauty, skin care, and nourishment. (Text by Luo Zhufang)