Soft Tofu with Glass Noodles 豆花粉丝

Soft Tofu with Glass Noodles (豆花粉丝) is a savoury Zhangzhou (漳州) snack assembled with braised toppings and their cooking liquor. A spoonful of tofu forms the base, with glass noodles added before the meat, offal or egg accompaniments.

Building the bowl

Vendors scoop the tofu from an insulated container. The selection of braised ingredients can include large intestine, stuffed intestine, blood-filled intestine, meat, pork skin and eggs. These are snipped into manageable pieces before braising liquor is poured over the bowl. Coriander, chopped spring onion and MSG complete the seasoning.

The sound of a travelling stall

Shishi Daily writer Chen Yanlan (陈嫣兰) records local memories of sellers carrying their tofu through the streets. They attracted attention by clinking a porcelain spoon against a bowl. Their toppings included shredded bamboo shoots, lean pork, cuttlefish or mushrooms, together with bean vermicelli; customers mixed the toppings into the tofu themselves.