🍽️ Puning Fried Tofu

Fried tofu, crisp coat fluffy center.

Puning Fried Tofu is a renowned product of Puning, Jieyang, in Chaoshan, eastern Guangdong, famous for its Chaoshan-style fried tofu. Local soybeans are stone-ground and set with gypsum into firm blocks—skin tight, interior white and fluffy as snow. The classic way is deep-frying until the skin turns golden and shatteringly crisp, then cutting it and dipping into a leek-salt brine—chopped leeks steeped in light salt water. Each piece is crisp outside, tender within, rich with bean aroma, and the salty, pungent leek brine cuts the oiliness in a uniquely Chaoshan pairing. Puning people eat it for breakfast with plain congee; street stalls fry it to order, piping hot. It is both a home dish and a must-try on Chaoshan food streets, showing the region's refined touch with soy products.