The Aroma of Huaiyin Tofu

Last updated 2026-11-15 — Huaiyin City in Jiangsu Province, especially counties such as Shuyang and Guanyun, are major soybean-producing areas with a wide variety of soybean dishes, among which making tofu is the most common. Every Spring Festival, every household makes several batches of tofu, and tofu dishes are indispensable on the dining table every day, continuing to be eaten through January and February. There are also many ways to cook tofu. First, the method differs from that in the city. In the countryside, tofu is made by soaking soybeans until they swell, then grinding them with a millstone. Every two turns of the millstone, six or seven soaked soybeans are poured into the hole, ground very finely. The millstone always rotates clockwise, ensuring the fiber structure of the soy milk is uniform. In the city, tofu is made by using machines to crush the soybeans into powder, then soaking the powder in a vat to turn it into slurry, which is filtered. The fiber structure of the soy milk is largely destroyed, resulting in soft but flavorless tofu. Second, the coagulation process differs. In the countryside, salt brine is first collected and then dripped to make salt coagulant. After boiling the soy milk, it is stirred with a spoon while the coagulant is added. Once the soy milk reaches a tofu curd state, it is poured into a prepared basket lined with cloth. The cloth is then tied tightly, a lid is placed on top, and something is pressed on it. Gradually, the whey drains out, and the tofu becomes both firm and tender, with the fiber structure forming tiny, invisible pores. In the city, the soy milk slurry is steamed open with steam, then coagulated with gypsum, forcibly pressed, and quickly drained. Although the tofu is soft, it is coarse. Additionally, in the city, the layer of rich oil skin on top of the boiled soy milk is skimmed off and dried into tofu skin, which is also one of the reasons affecting the taste of the tofu. Third, the cooking heat differs. When making tofu dishes in the countryside, especially pan-fried tofu, iron pots and firewood are used. The strong flame quickly firms up the outer layer of the tofu, forming a shiny yellow crust, preventing the moisture inside from escaping. This results in fragrant and tender tofu. In city households, tofu dishes are often cooked with aluminum pots and coal stoves, where the heat is weaker, making it difficult for the tofu’s outer layer to set and causing excessive moisture loss. Pan-fried tofu turns into boiled tofu, and despite the use of many seasonings, the inherent aroma of the tofu is completely lost, making it unappetizing. Fourth, the type of oil used differs. In the countryside, dishes made with tofu are mostly fried in soybean oil or peanut oil, whereas in the city, lard is commonly used. Lard is rendered from pork fat, and people tend to develop an aversion to eating pork fat, which is also one of the reasons it affects the taste. (Huaiyin)