Suizhong Water Tofu

Suizhong Water Tofu

　　Suizhong water tofu is quite famous—not only do locals love to eat it, but visitors from other areas also rush to try this delicious dish.

　　 The way Suizhong water tofu is prepared is also unique. High-quality soybeans are required. The beans need to be selected first, removing any that are spoiled or infested with insects. Then the beans are soaked in cold or warm water until they are fully swollen, after which they are ground into a fine slurry—the finer, the better. In the past, stone mills were used, but nowadays electric mills are common, though people still have a special preference for stone-ground tofu. The resulting soy milk is filtered through a tofu cloth, then boiled. The heat must be carefully controlled—burning the bottom of the pot will give the tofu a bitter taste.

　　 The boiled soy milk is then scooped into another insulated container and coagulated with brine. Coagulating the tofu is a skilled task and is key to making good water tofu. A basin and a willow-straw strainer are placed on the table, and a special spoon is used to scoop the tofu into the strainer, releasing an inviting aroma. It is typically served with a side of seasoning made of minced garlic, chili flakes, Chinese chive flower, and coriander leaves. The chili flakes are made from dried red chilies that have been deep-fried, and the coriander must consist of tender leaves without any stems.

　　 Tofu is also best enjoyed with a savory brine, usually a meat-based one. The staple food is sorghum rice. When eating water tofu, first scoop some brine into a dish and season it to your taste with minced garlic, chili flakes, Chinese chive flower, and coriander. Then use chopsticks to place the tofu into the dish, and you can fully enjoy this delicious dish. When you're about 80% full, mix some sorghum rice with the tofu and brine for a simple "cat meal"—a uniquely tasty experience.

　　 Tofu actually comes in many forms—you can make it into water tofu, block tofu, or dried tofu. If you have leftover block tofu, you can preserve it by salting and air-drying it into tofu jerky.