Mashed Tofu

Mashed Tofu

　　Mashed Tofu

　　Mashed Tofu is a unique specialty of the mountainous regions around Yunhe and Jingning. The locals are very hospitable, but due to inconvenient transportation and a tough life, when guests come, besides serving wild vegetables, they often prepare mashed tofu.

　　Mashed tofu has a pure and delicious taste, is highly nutritious, yet simple to make and economical. The main ingredients are homegrown soybeans, and a stone mill is a household essential tool. First, the soybeans are soaked in water until swollen, then washed. The beans and water are ground together in a stone mill into soy milk, which is not filtered but directly boiled in a large pot. Once cooked, garlic and ginger are added, followed by the mashed tofu. Seasonings such as chili, coriander, scallions, salt, and soy sauce are added to taste. Poorer families mix in shredded pumpkin or radish, which increases the quantity and also tastes good. Wealthier households might add shredded ham, dried shrimp, or shiitake mushrooms, adding even more flavor. When made with freshly picked tender beans, the mashed tofu naturally tastes even better—tender but not slippery, fine but not runny, soft but not sticky, thick but not greasy, refreshing and palatable, with an inviting green color and enticing aroma that makes one’s mouth water. In rural areas, there's also an unwritten rule: whenever someone grinds mashed tofu, neighbors will each receive a bowl.

　　Mashed tofu also has special uses in rural areas. Families that raise sows often grow plenty of soybeans for this purpose. When piglets grow to over ten pounds and are about to be weaned, mashed tofu is fed to them to promote rapid growth and give them shiny, glossy coats. Rural people regard mashed tofu as a high-grade nutritional supplement, as well as a fast-growing agent for piglets.

　　According to relevant sources, soybeans are rich in various natural trace elements needed by the human body, greatly benefiting children’s growth and development, helping prevent osteoporosis in the elderly, and enhancing the body’s disease resistance. Mashed tofu, made from soybeans and including both the residue and the soy milk, retains the original nutritional components of soybeans, with authentic flavor and a balance of coarse and fine textures. It is easy to digest without causing indigestion concerns, making it an affordable and naturally flavorful nutritional product with a rustic charm.

　　In the early 1970s, after I started working, many families in my workplace also had small stone mills and often made mashed tofu. Those without a stone mill would borrow one from neighbors or take their beans to relatives or friends to grind. Our family also bought a small stone mill. On weekends, holidays, or when hosting helpers at home, we often made mashed tofu, grinding several jars at a time to last three to five days. With the market economy, mashed tofu also became a commercial product. Many stalls in markets sold it at one yuan per jin (500g)—affordable and delicious. The calls of mashed tofu vendors could be heard all over the city and outskirts, and people could buy it right at their doorstep. As a result, most families stopped grinding their own. Visitors to Yunhe can enjoy this unique local mashed tofu in hotels, restaurants, and food stalls of all sizes.