Shangqing Tofu 上清豆腐

Shangqing Tofu (上清豆腐) is the bean curd of Shangqing (上清), an old town in the Longhushan (龙虎山) scenic area of Yingtan (鹰潭), Jiangxi. In a 2013 round-up of Longhushan food, the Economic Information Daily (经济参考报) named it the area's most distinctive and best-known dish, with a taste unlike tofu made elsewhere.

How it is made

The curd is made by traditional hand methods from good-quality local soybeans, and the soy milk is filtered finely. The Economic Information Daily credits its quality to the water of the Luxi River (泸溪河), which rises from mountain springs. In the past the old town was lined with bean mills, and its tofu was sold far beyond Shangqing.

Flavour and texture

Shangqing Tofu is white, tender and smooth, with a clean, fresh fragrance, and it slips easily down the throat. The same paper sums up its qualities as fresh, tender, white, smooth and fragrant, and notes that it takes well to boiling, pan-frying, deep-frying and braising.

How it is eaten

A well-known local dish braises the tofu with huangyujiao (黄鱼角), a fish from the Luxi River, and gives a fresh, savoury broth. It is called 'Yellow Robe Pays Homage to the Sovereign' (黄袍拜君王). Legend says that when the Qianlong Emperor (乾隆) came to Shangqing in disguise, the Celestial Master Zhang (张天师) invited him to a banquet and served fish braised with tofu. Asked its name, the master answered with a double meaning, calling it 'the yellow-robed censor pays homage to the sovereign', and the delighted emperor praised the flavour.

Where it comes from

The Yingtan municipal bureau of culture, radio, television and tourism counts Shangqing Tofu among four local intangible-heritage items presented in the programme Intangible Heritage in China (非遗里的中国), alongside Guixi (贵溪) chiselled copper carving, She (畲族) mountain songs and Yujiang (余江) dragon boats.