Shiwu Town Five-Spice Tea-Flavored Dried Tofu

Shiwu Town Five-Spice Tea-Flavored Dried Tofu

　　Shiwu Town Five-Spice Tea-Flavored Dried Tofu is a specialty of Yizheng City, Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. This dried tofu boasts a delicious taste, with a well-balanced saltiness, aroma, and sweetness. It tastes exceptionally fresh when bitten into roughly and fills the mouth with fragrance when chewed slowly, leaving a lingering aftertaste that stimulates the appetite and is enjoyable even after many servings.

　　The riverside ancient town of Shiwu, which produces this five-spice tea-flavored dried tofu, is under the jurisdiction of Yizheng. It was an important hub for the collection and transit of Huai salt during the Qing Dynasty and is known as the "Salt Capital." Originally produced by the local "Dou Tianchang" Tea Tofu Sauce Shop, Shiwu's five-spice tea-flavored dried tofu flourished during the Guangxu era and has over 100 years of history. Along with the tea-flavored dried tofu from Jieshou in Gaoyou and Caishi in Dangtu, Shiwu’s product is recognized as one of the "Three Great Fragrant Bean Curds" of the lower Yangtze River. Over time, Shiwu dried tofu improved through competition, with continuously enhanced quality, and its market expanded to cities such as Shanghai, Wuhan, Xuzhou, and Bengbu. It was sold on trains running along the Shanghai-Nanjing and Pukou lines, as well as on various river ferries. Merchants transporting salt via boats that stopped in Shiwu often carried the dried tofu, using it both as a local specialty gift and as a snack during their journeys.

　　In its production, Shiwu Town Five-Spice Tea-Flavored Dried Tofu adheres to traditional craftsmanship, using premium ingredients and rigorous processes. It goes through six carefully controlled procedures. The final product is glossy and moist, aromatic, and has a delicate texture with a satisfying “chew.” It offers an unforgettable aftertaste and is suitable for both elegant dining and everyday meals.

　　The production process of Shiwu dried tofu isn’t particularly special at first glance. First, the purchased soybeans are soaked for a day, then soy milk is extracted. After boiling the soy milk, traditional gypsum is used for coagulation. The coagulated soy milk is then poured into molds. The dried tofu often bears the imprint “Shiwu,” signifying its prestigious origin. What sets Shiwu dried tofu apart is the precise blend of spices—a so-called secret recipe. Nowadays, Shiwu’s dried tofu is produced on industrial assembly lines and sold across broader markets. Sometimes, you can even hear train attendants announce, “Dried tofu, Shiwu Town dried tofu.” Today, it's rare to find the old workshops that once made this product in Shiwu. Most that remain are used by locals for personal consumption, typically by the elderly. In a western alley of Shiwu lives an elderly man surnamed Qian, who must be in his eighties. Those lucky enough to have tried his homemade dried tofu describe it as incredibly tasty. When asked why his version is so good, the elderly man, hunched over, raised five fingers and said, “My dried tofu requires five types of spices—none can be missing. Unlike others, I never cut corners.”

　　A bite of Shiwu dried tofu offers a savory, oily richness, with a moist texture and enticing aroma. Its delicate taste leaves a lasting impression. You can also slice hot dried tofu into strips or pieces, mix with sesame oil, add chopped cilantro, or combine with riverside wild vegetables and a pile of peanuts. Paired with a sip of wine under the sunset, that’s what ambiance is all about. As a child, it was common to see vendors carrying shoulder poles with bamboo baskets covered in blue floral cloths, neatly stacked with Shiwu dried tofu. The sellers would ring bells and call out, “Shiwu dried tofu, Shiwu dried tofu…” These sights have become rare these days—a true relic of time-honored simplicity.

　　The production process of Shiwu Town Five-Spice Tea-Flavored Dried Tofu is as follows:

　　1. Ingredient Selection: Whether using green beans or soybeans, they must be plump with full, uniform grains, free of impurities.

　　2. Soaking. The soaking time of the beans must be well controlled; they are ready when the skin can be easily pinched off.

　　3. Rinsing. The soaked beans are rinsed in water and stirred continuously with a wooden rake until the bean skins are completely removed. Otherwise, although more soy milk may be extracted, it could compromise taste and quality.

　　4. Grinding. Traditionally, a fine-toothed large stone mill pulled by livestock was used at an even, steady pace to thoroughly grind every bean, allowing soy milk to overflow and improving the concentration. Now, semi-mechanized methods are used, which are simple, efficient, and maintain the same high quality.

　　5. Boiling the Soy Milk. The soy milk is poured into a pot and boiled using fuel made from reeds mixed with rice husks. The flame is steady—not too fierce—and can be adjusted as needed. When boiling, the bottom must not scorch, or the taste will deteriorate. Also, avoid making tofu skin at this stage, as it would affect the quality of the dried tofu.

　　6. Coagulating the Soy Milk. Once the soy milk is boiled, it is continuously stirred with a spoon. Gypsum water or brine is sprinkled in to coagulate the proteins into a tofu curd-like state.

　　7. Pressing. The curd is shaped into square blocks with accurate weight, a tin logo placed in the center, and stacked neatly in layers for pressing. A single-log hydraulic press applies gradual, segmented pressure. Though time-consuming, patience ensures the tofu holds together without cracking or breaking.

　　8. Simmering. The pressed tofu is returned to the pot and simmered in a broth made from sweet diluted sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, five-spice powder, dried bamboo shoots, and tea leaves until flavored. After removing from heat, it is left to soak for about two hours, then taken out to cool slightly, sprinkled with light sesame oil, mixed evenly, and finished.