Yi Tofu Dish

Yi Tofu Dish

　　The tofu dish of Dali County first became famous thanks to the people of Zhaoyi. The ingredients are not complicated, and the cooking method is quite home-style — it basically involves deep-frying and shredding firm tofu, and preparing a seasoned broth (stock). Next comes the stir-frying of seasonings: the oil temperature is kept around 70–80 degrees Celsius, then dried chili peppers and minced ginger are stir-fried until fragrant, and two spoonfuls of water are added and brought to a boil. Finally, the shredded tofu, along with other vegetables, is placed in the water, then seasoned with salt, ground Sichuan pepper, ground white pepper, and sesame oil. It’s ready to be served after two or three minutes of cooking. If one or two slices of fatty pork are added during cooking, or if the dish is prepared directly using the (seasoned) broth (stock), incorporating some meatiness, the flavor will be even more delicious.

　　The tofu dish of Dali can be made at any restaurant, but making it truly distinctive and delicious is not so easy. This largely depends on the method of making the tofu, the tenderness or crispness of the fried tofu, and the control of heat during the cooking process. High-quality fried tofu should be made from old-style Zhaoyi firm tofu, and it needs to be fried to an even thickness, with a crispy outside and tender inside. The tofu shreds should be of uniform thickness and not too thin, to better absorb the flavors. If they’re too thin, the flavor won’t have enough time to penetrate before the shreds fall apart.