Meatless March? 4 tofu dishes to try, from appetiser to dessert

Thinking about food in China raises the munchies to the level of Russian roulette – are you sure that’s lamb meat you’re putting in your mouth? Positive? Here’s where tofu, or dofu, comes into play. 

Vegetarians may seem to have it hard, but tofu makes dietary limitations easier to swallow; this simple substance made of soy milk has proven itself to be nothing short of miraculous – manna capable of forming itself of all types of shapes and sizes. Tofu in the East is nothing like the hippy substitute foodstuff of the West. Here’s our tofu tasting course to try some of the most beloved incarnations.

Amuse-bouche: Doufunao豆腐脑

Photo: Flickr

The melting texture of tofu in this particular dish is served different ways in different places. In Guangzhou, this delicate, blossoming sweet dessert is artfully known as doufuhua (tofu flower). Rough-and-tumble Beijingers, on the other hand, deem it the surgical doufunao, or tofu brains. Gruesome, right? It certainly looks like cerebral matter, though it doesn’t taste heady; soy sauce imparts upon the dish a salty, savoury imprint that will certainly get cognitive gears turning. You can find it at most local breakfast stalls for a pittance.

Appetiser: Pidan Doufu 皮蛋豆腐

Photo: Flickr

Thousand-year-eggs, also known as century eggs or pidan, sound like something an Egyptian mummy might eat for his long-deserved breakfast, and their dark green, haunting hue often scares off the living. Despite this, they’re popular throughout China, and here in North China they are often served chopped up and laid on a bed of silky tofu – hence pidan dofu. 

Main Course: Doufutang豆腐汤

Photo: Wikicommons

Okay, yes, it’s just a bowl of tofu. But Korean-style tofu soup – a fragrant stew of steaming, soft silken tofu – slide down the back of the throat smoothly and swiftly. That’s not before each mouthful has enough time to leave a lot of taste in its wake: each variety has its own unique style, from the sour crunch of the kimchi stew to the tingling crimson heat in the spicy seafood soup. Heavy lifters can crack an egg (presented in a tableside basket) over the stew for a bit of texture, enhancing the mouthfeel of the delicate tofu in each bowl.

Dessert: Xingren Doufu 杏仁豆腐

Not actually a tofu dish per se, xingren doufu, or almond tofu got its name from its pleasant nutty flavour and smooth panna cotta-like texture (from almond milk and gelatine, or agar for vegans) which resembles creamy silken tofu. A staple in Beijing, Cantonese and Japanese restaurants and one of the most popular dairy-free desserts especially in the summer, it’s satisfyingly delicious, healthy and cheap, rightfully making it the local champ of vegan-friendly treats. 

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