Baoyan Fragrant Dried Tofu

Baoyan Fragrant Dried Tofu

　　Baoyan has many local specialties, and fragrant dried tofu is one of the traditional ones. It is a traditional product of Baoyan Wanyuan Sauce Garden, known for being affordable yet high-quality. There are both square and round varieties, dark in color with a yellowish tint, glossy in appearance, tough in texture, with moderate saltiness and a delicious aroma. It is an excellent choice for direct consumption or as an ingredient in cooking.

The production of Baoyan Fragrant Dried Tofu is meticulous. The main ingredient is premium-quality soybeans, to which an appropriate amount of star anise is added (about 2 liang of star anise per 30 jin of soybeans), then ground into soybean milk. After processes such as straining the milk, boiling the milk, adding the coagulant, and flipping into tofu curd, it is shaped into firm tofu. The firm tofu is then wrapped in small cloth bags or pouches, compressed, and pressed into dried tofu blocks. These blocks are boiled in a pot, blanched until white, removed and left to dry. They are then simmered in high-quality soy sauce with a small amount of salt and cinnamon until boiling, after which the heat is turned off. Once the hot soy sauce cools down to around 30°C, the white tofu blocks are soaked in it overnight. Once taken out, they become the colorful, aromatic, and flavorful Baoyan Fragrant Dried Tofu.

Baoyan Fragrant Dried Tofu is both affordable and high-quality, and has always been popular in towns and rural areas across Zhenjiang, Danyang, and even along the Shanghai-Nanjing line. In 1950, when the United States launched the Korean War and brought the flames of battle to the Yalu River, the Chinese people united in opposition and sent their most beloved—the Chinese People's Volunteers—to fight in Korea. After the Chinese People's Volunteers were deployed, food supply became a critical and complex issue—food needed to be easy to transport and carry, yet also delicious, nutritious, and satisfying. The Baoyan Sauce Garden specially processed a batch of fragrant dried tofu, crafted with exceptional care. After delivery, the product was sent to Suzhou for drying and inspection, where none were found to be broken or crumbly, earning high praise. Later, it was transported to the Korean frontlines, where it became highly favored by the officers and soldiers of the Volunteer Army.