🍽️ Blood Tofu Ball

Smoked tofu-blood balls, central Hunan cured food.

Blood Tofu Ball is a traditional cured specialty of Shaoyang in central Hunan. Cured tofu, fresh pig's blood and minced pork belly are kneaded together, shaped into round cakes, then smoked or sun-dried. Cut open, it shows alternating dark red and black, with a firm, compact texture; it can be pan-fried, steamed or stir-fried. Sliced and fried until the edges crisp, it releases a woven aroma of soybean, meat and smoke, salty and chewy. It is a standby dish for winter feasts, rice and drinks in Shaoyang households, with a single ball going a long way over a bowl of rice. In local markets, strings of blood tofu balls hang from stalls once winter arrives, carrying a strong New Year atmosphere. Today it is also a representative cured-food souvenir for visitors wanting to taste central Hunan's farmhouse flavors.