Smoked Tofu 熏豆腐

Smoked Tofu (熏豆腐) is a traditional food of Qufu (曲阜), also listed as Kongmen smoked tofu (孔门熏豆腐) by the Jining Culture and Tourism Bureau (济宁市文化和旅游局). Smoking gives it a brown-yellow surface and a firm outer layer, enclosing fine, white, tender tofu.

From beans to smoked tofu

The bureau outlines eight stages: soaking the beans, removing impurities, grinding, filtering, cooking the soybean milk, adding coagulant, pressing and smoking. The finished tofu carries a strong woody or grain-husk aroma.

Boiled and dressed

In an essay published by Lightning News (闪电新闻), Bai Xiangwei (柏祥伟) describes a preparation eaten around Qufu and Sishui (泗水). Tofu blocks are smoked over fruitwood until yellow, then soaked in water for several hours to temper the smoky smell. They are boiled until the interior becomes honeycombed, removed and cut up. Chilli sauce, soy sauce, fragrant vinegar and sesame oil finish the dish, which he describes as tender, aromatic and spicy.