Mongolian milk tofu

Mongolian milk tofu

　　Milk tofu — known as SuunHuruud in Mongolian — is primarily made from cow's milk. Fresh milk is filtered through coarse gauze and poured into a wooden barrel or clay pot, then left to sit in a cool place for several days until it naturally coagulates. After removing the cream (known as zhehei) that rises to the top, the curdled milk is poured into a pot and gently simmered. As the protein coagulates due to heat, the whey gradually separates, and the whey is pressed out while the thick curds remain. The heat is then increased to fully extract the whey. Once the whey is completely removed, the thick curd is promptly kneaded with a spoon until it no longer sticks to the pot. It is then placed into wooden molds using a small spoon or special wooden tool, compacted firmly, and set aside in a cool place. To make sweet milk tofu, sugar is added during the kneading process. This is how milk tofu is made.

　　Milk tofu is yellow in color, semi-transparent, and glossy. The thin strips cut from it are called milk tofu strips. After half a day, the milk tofu is removed from the mold and left to slowly air-dry in a cool place. Sometimes, a small amount of zhehei or butter is added to give the milk tofu a chewier and smoother texture. The wooden molds used to shape milk tofu vary by region — some are very large, resembling big tiles; others come in diverse shapes; and some resemble traditional Chinese mooncake molds, featuring elaborate carvings with beautiful patterns. Most designs reflect ethnic traditional motifs and patterns, which are quite charming. Milk tofu made with such molds resembles exquisite artworks. Thick pieces of milk tofu are soft and rich in milky flavor, while thinner ones are more oily, melting in the mouth with an especially sweet taste. In cases where some herding households have few cows or face dry weather leading to poor pasture and insufficient fresh milk, there may not be enough raw material to make milk tofu in time. In such situations, they preserve the milk. Due to the inconvenience of conditions in pastoral areas, without refrigeration, the curdled milk is lightly simmered and then stored in containers — this is called "milk preservation." Once enough raw material is available, the preserved curds are used to make milk tofu. When milk tofu becomes hard after being stored for a long time, it can be steamed to soften it before eating.