Overview
Chinese Name: 文思豆腐
English Name: Wensi tofu
Category: Suzhou Cuisine苏州菜
Main Ingredients: Tofu
Wensi Tofu文思豆腐, originated in Yangzhou扬州, Jiangsu Province江苏省, is a traditional specialty dish of Jiangsu Province, belonging to the Jiangsu cuisine江苏菜. This dish has a long history, with strict selection of materials, fine knife work, soft, tender and mellow, instant melting in the mouth, and also has the effects of recuperating malnutrition, nourishing the body, etc. It is a good menu for the elderly and children to choose.
Tofu, called “Fuli福黎” in ancient times, was first invented and manufactured in China, and later spread to all parts of the world. Bean curd is the main raw material of vegetarian dishes in China. It has always been welcomed by people and is known as “plant meat植物肉”. Bean curd is mainly processed from soybean, which contains more protein and fat, so the nutritional value of bean curd is also high.
Tofu can be produced all year round without seasonal restrictions, so in the off-season of vegetable production, dishes can be adjusted. Tofu can be divided into south and north tofu. The main difference lies in the amount of gypsum (or bittern). South bean curd uses less gypsum, so it is delicate and has a moisture content of about 90%; The north tofu uses more gypsum, and its texture is older than that of the south tofu, with a moisture content of 85-88%. Tofu is a traditional food in China, which is delicious and healthy.
Tofu has a history of nearly two thousand years since the beginning of the Han Dynasty汉代 Huainan King 淮南王Liu An刘安. In ancient Chinese poetry, records of tofu are common. According to Tao Gu陶谷’s Qing Yi Lu清异录, tofu was once called “small slaughter sheep小宰羊” in the Five Dynasties. Su Dongpo苏东坡 once said, “Boiled beans are creamy and crisp煮豆为乳脂为酥”, which also refers to tofu.
Wensi Tofu is a traditional famous dish, which was created by Wensi Monk文思和尚, a monk in Yangzhou during the reign of Qianlong乾隆 in the Qing Dynasty清朝. Yu Yue俞樾 of the Qing Dynasty wrote in the Tea Scent Room茶香室丛钞: “Wensi has the character of Xifu, an industrial poem, and is good at making bean curd soup and sweet paste porridge. Those who follow this method are called Wensi tofu文思字熙甫，工诗，又善为豆腐羹甜浆粥。效其法者，谓之文思豆腐.” In Tiaoding Collection调鼎集, it is also called “Assorted Tofu Soup什锦豆腐羹”.
This dish is made of strictly selected materials and finely cut. Its taste is soft, tender and mellow, and the thin bean curd shreds melt in the mouth, leaving a lasting aftertaste.
How to make Wensi Tofu?
Tofu is an ideal food for the elderly, pregnant and lying in women, as well as an important food for children’s growth and development. Tofu is also good for menopause, recuperation after illness, obesity and rough skin; Brain workers and those who often work overtime are also very suitable for eating. Tofu is digested slowly, and children with dyspepsia should not eat more. In addition, tofu contains more purines, and patients with gout and high blood uric acid concentration should be careful to eat it.
Ingredients：
- 450g bean curd
- 10 grams of winter bamboo shoots
- 50 grams of chicken breast meat
- 25g ham
- 25g fresh mushrooms
- 15g lettuce
- 4g salt
- 3g MSG
Instruction:
- Step 1, Peel the old tofu, cut it into thin shreds, and boil it with boiling water to remove the yellow water and beany smell; Remove the stalks from the mushrooms, wash them, and cut them into thin shreds; Peel, wash, cook and shred the winter bamboo shoots; Rinse the chicken breast with water, cook it, and cut it into thin shreds; Cut the cooked ham into thin shreds.
- Step 2, Clean the lettuce leaves, blanch them with water, and cut them into thin shreds; Put mushroom shreds into a bowl, add 50ml chicken soup, and steam until done.
- Step 3, Put the pot on the fire, ladle 200 ml chicken broth into the pot and bring it to a boil. Add shredded shiitake mushrooms, shredded winter bamboo shoots, shredded ham, shredded chicken, shredded green vegetables, add salt and bring it to a boil. Put a little MSG in the soup bowl.
- Step 4, Put another pot on the fire, scoop 500ml chicken broth into it, boil it, put shredded bean curd into it, wait for the shredded bean curd to float onto the soup, then scoop it up with a spoon and put it into the soup bowl to finish the preparation.
Tips:
- This dish is made of 3 pieces of bean curd made of brine, weighing about 450g.
- This dish is exquisite and requires highly skilled chefs. Mushrooms, winter bamboo shoots, ham and chicken breast must be cut into thin and thick strands of hair.
Video Guide
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