🍽️ Tingzhou Dried Tofu

West-Fujian Hakka dried tofu.

Tingzhou Dried Tofu is a Hakka staple from Changting, in Longyan, Fujian, the old town of Tingzhou. Local soybeans are ground, curdled, cut into blocks, pressed, braised in seasoned stock and sun-dried through several steps. The finished cakes are even in thickness, brownish-yellow in color, firm and chewy on the outside while holding the savory braising liquor inside; the more you chew, the more the natural sweetness of soybeans comes through. Salty, chewy and easy to carry, it is a Hakka side dish served with porridge, as a drinking snack or for casual nibbling in western Fujian, and it is also a common local souvenir. Compared with soft tofu, Tingzhou dried tofu emphasizes a satisfying chew that rewards patient eating.