Ding Lianfang Tofu-Skin Parcels 丁莲芳千张包

Ding Lianfang Tofu-Skin Parcels (丁莲芳千张包) are a Huzhou (湖州) speciality wrapped in thin soybean sheets rather than a flour or rice wrapper. The Ministry of Commerce (商务部)’s heritage-brand museum records the business as founded in 1878 and named for its founder, Ding Lianfang (丁莲芳).

Meat and dried seafood

The museum describes lean meat cut into small cubes and seasoned with yellow rice wine, sugar, salt and MSG. The tofu sheets are cut into triangles and folded around meat, dried scallops and dried shrimp. The triangular-prism shape holds the filling and its juices inside.

Short mung-bean noodles in soup

The parcels accompany specially made short, thick mung-bean vermicelli. The museum describes a clear, savoury soup that is not greasy. Its historical account also records red chilli sauce, rice vinegar, white pepper and scallions as seasonings offered for different tastes.