Wood Shredded Pork Tofu Pudding in Gravy

Wood Shredded Pork Tofu Pudding in Gravy

　　“Tofu pudding” is made by soaking soybeans, grinding them into soymilk, boiling the milk, curdling it with brine (or gypsum), and then setting it into a soft curd. This is then served with various gravies and seasonings to create a tender, fragrant tofu pudding. There are different varieties such as plain, shrimp roe, lamb and mushroom, wood shredded pork, and halal flavors. Among them, the October Food Service Basic Store in Hebei District innovated the wood shredded pork tofu pudding in gravy, which won the “Group Star Cup” Grand Prize in the snack category at the 1987 Tianjin “Group Star Cup” Tianjin Cuisine Cooking Competition. Its most prominent feature was breaking from the traditional vegetarian gravy by adding a pork-based meat gravy. Another variety is “old tofu.”

Instead of pouring gravy over it, tender tofu is scooped into a bowl, then topped with a prepared mixture of sesame paste, mashed garlic, chili oil, Sichuan pepper oil (made by frying local Sichuan peppercorns in small mill sesame oil until burnt, then splashing them into soy sauce), and chopped Chinese chives. These five seasonings can be adjusted according to personal taste.