Tofu curd (Đậu hủ)

introduce

There is a kind of delicacy that has different names in the three regions of North, Central and South Vietnam. People in Hanoi call it tofu nao, people in Haiphong call it daohua, people in central China call it bean paste, and people in the south call it dao paste... no matter what it is called. Despite its name, it is still a cheap, refreshing and easy-to-make snack...

Tofu pudding is a summer snack enjoyed by all ages, not only in Vietnam but also in other countries in Asia. No one can explain the origin of its name. Some say it comes from the word "tofu", which means "tofu" in Chinese.

Gourmet features

Like other delicacies, there is also a special craft village for making tofu. An Phu Village (now part of Ngai Do Fong, Zhiqiao District, Hanoi) is considered to be the birthplace of this delicacy in Hanoi. Now, diners can also find many tofu nao shops here. The seller uses a spoon or mussel shell to scoop the thin tofu brains into a bowl one by one, then pours sugar water and adds crushed ice cubes. In Hanoi, a bowl of authentic tofu is slightly sweet with sugar water, fragrant with jasmine, and has a light and refreshing taste. The tofu puffs in the central region will be sprinkled with some mashed ginger or sliced ​​ginger on top. The tofu in the southern region is thicker and sticky, and coconut milk is usually added.

In the hot summer, it takes a lot of work to make tofu puffs that are refreshing, sweet, and refreshing. In order to open the door on time to welcome customers, production usually starts at midnight. Ms. Pei Thi Thu is a native of An Phu Village and has 20 years of experience in making tofu puffs. Three generations of her family have been in the industry. In order to make a sweet and delicious delicacy that is different from ordinary desserts, Pei Thi Thu's family has to carry out multiple processes. First, wash the soybeans and peel them carefully so that the tofu curd will be white and delicate. Pei Shiqiu said that many places that make tofu curd still retain the tofu skin, which can increase the volume and make it faster, but the color of the tofu curd will turn into light yellow and the cool and soft taste will be lacking. In the past, she and her family used to rub off the bean skin by hand, but now that they have a machine, the job has become easier. Rubbing and drying the beans need to be done on a sunny day, so that the soybeans can dry and lock in their fragrance.

After washing, soak the soybeans for more than 3 hours to allow them to fully swell. Generally, people soak from midnight to 3 am every day. The water-saturated beans are ground into soy milk, filtered and boiled. It takes about 15 minutes to boil. The soy milk must be taken out of the pot as soon as it starts to boil, otherwise it will affect the aroma of the whole pot of tofu. During the boiling process, the person holding the spoon must constantly skim off the foam, so that the surface of the tofu brain will be delicate and shiny.

Tofu curd in sugar water with fresh jasmine sauce is considered to be the most authentic tofu curd. The tofu puff is as smooth as silk and melts in your mouth. With the sweetness of sugar water and the faint fragrance of jasmine, it has become an unforgettable memory for many people.

Nowadays, tofu pudding has evolved into more diverse ways to cater to everyone’s preferences. It is not limited to the concept of old-fashioned flavor and traditional tofu. On a hot summer afternoon, you can enjoy a rich and interesting experience brought by various flavors of tofu, from green tea tofu, aloe tofu and pearl tofu. Brain, soy milk tofu, palm syrup tofu, to fruit tofu, fresh cream tofu, etc. No matter what flavor it is, diners can feel the unique and refreshing taste of tofu, which cannot be replaced by other ingredients.

Although many desserts have been introduced now, tofu pudding, bean paste, and dao paste still have their own place, and they are still a folk delicacy that Vietnamese people think about every summer.