5 mouth-watering tofu dishes to try, from appetiser to dessert

Photograph: shermankcm via Unsplash

Tofu in the East is nothing like the hippy substitute foodstuff of the West. This simple substance made of soy has proven itself to be nothing short of miraculous – capable of forming itself of all types of shapes and sizes – and it is delicious. From Sichuan mapo to almond dessert, here's some of its most beloved incarnations. 

Amuse-bouche: Doufunao

豆腐脑

Photograph: Alpha via Flikr

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

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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 in North China they are often served chopped up and laid on a bed of silky tofu – hence pidan dofu. 

Main Course: Korean Tofu Soup

豆腐汤

Photograph: Korea.net via Wikimedia Commons

Okay, yes, it’s just a bowl of tofu. But Korean-style tofu soup, or Sundubu Jjigae – 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 over the stew for a bit of texture, enhancing the mouthfeel of the delicate tofu in each bowl.

Mapo doufu

麻婆豆腐

Photograph: Wikimedia Commons

A classic that's on pretty much every Chinese menu but originates in Sichuan. Cubes of soft tofu are simmered in a sauce of soybean paste, ginger, garlic and, of course, Sichuan pepper oil. The resulting stew is fiery on the eye and the palate, but it's generally mild enough to be enjoyed by the spice-shy as well. When it’s not served with the traditional minced pork, it's a standout vegetarian Chinese dish.

Dessert: Xingren Doufu 

杏仁豆腐

Photograph: DragonSamYU via Wikimedia Commons

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, which resembles that of creamy silken tofu. A staple in many lao Beijing restaurants, or some Japanese and Cantonese joints, this is a no-frills, popular vegan-friendly dessert that's satisfyingly delicious, healthy, and cheap. 

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