Dou Fu Nao (Savory/Sweet Silken Tofu Brain)
Tofu Brain Spills from Spoon to Support Chinese Morning
Description
One of the most popular breakfast items in China. True to its name 'Tofu Brain', it features ultra-silken tofu hovering just at the edge of setting. Served in a bowl, the North drenches it in a 'savory soy gravy', while the South eats it with 'sweet ginger syrup'.
Restaurants serving Dou Fu Nao (Savory/Sweet Silken Tofu Brain)
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We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Rich soy milk
- Coagulant(Lactone)
- Soy sauce
- Dried shiitake
- Wood ear mushrooms
- Daylily
- Potato starch
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe & Differences]
- (Tofu) Extract incredibly concentrated soy milk and bring to a boil.
- Dissolve a tiny amount of coagulant (Glucono delta-lactone or gypsum) in a bowl. Pour the boiling soy milk from a height to mix aggressively.
- Cover and let set for
- mins. This creates the ultimate silken 'Tofu Brain', impossible to pick up with chopsticks.
- [Northern Style (Savory)]: Stir-fry pork, dried shiitake, wood ears, and daylily. Boil with soy and broth, thickening heavily into a hot 'Lu Zhi' (soy gravy). Pour over the tofu and top with chili oil, garlic, cilantro.
- [Southern Style (Sweet)]: Drench the tofu in a ginger-spiked black sugar syrup, topped with boiled peanuts or red beans as a dessert.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Soy gravy umami packed with dried shiitake broth
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
(Warm up Japanese 'Oboro Tofu' / silken curds)
Pairing
You Tiao (Fried dough) / Meat Buns
Trivia
[Trivia] On the Chinese internet, the debate 'Should Tofu Brain be sweet or savory?' is a fierce, eternal 'North vs. South' war, equivalent to the greatest food debates in any culture.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Use a spoon to scoop the tofu and gravy (or syrup) together, sliding it down your throat without chewing. It is the ultimate Chinese comfort food that gently permeates a morning stomach.
Allergen
Soybeans, Wheat (Soy sauce)