Fermented bean curd
Fermented bean curd | ||
---|---|---|
Hanyu Pinyin fǔrǔ | | |
Hakka | ||
Romanization | fu nen | |
Yue: Cantonese | ||
Yale Romanization | fuh yúh | |
Jyutping | fu6 jyu5 |
Transcriptions | |
---|---|
Wu | |
Romanization | zy vu |
Transcriptions | |
---|---|
Southern Min | |
Hokkien POJ | tāu-jú/tāu-lú |
Transcriptions | |
---|---|
Southern Min | |
Hokkien POJ | tāu-kiâm[1] / tāu-tāⁿ[2] |
Fermented tofu (also called fermented bean curd, white bean-curd cheese, tofu cheese, soy cheese, preserved tofu or sufu) is a Chinese
History
According to the 1596
Names
In Mandarin, the product is generally known as dòufǔrǔ (豆腐乳), "dòurǔ" (豆乳) or fǔrǔ (腐乳) — though in southwest China it is often known as lǔfǔ (卤腐). In English it is sometimes referred to as "soy cheese".
Nutrition
Nutritional value
Fermented bean curd contains
Ho et al. (1989) compared the volatile flavor compounds of red fermented bean curd and white fermented bean curd. Red fermented bean curd contains much larger amounts of alcohols, esters, and acids than the white variety. This may be due to the fermentation of red rice by Monascus spp.[6] The differences in nutritional properties and fermentation between the two varieties are accompanied by differences in flavor and colour.
Health care function
The Food Encyclopedia, written by Wang Su-Hsiung (1861) of the
It has been suggested that fermented bean curd may have certain health benefits, although there is insufficient data to confirm these claims. One report claims that the fermentation process generates
Characteristics
Fermented bean curd has a special mouthfeel similar to certain dairy products due to the breakdown of its proteins which takes place during the air drying and fermentation. Lacking strong flavor prior to fermentation, fermented bean curd takes on the aroma and flavor of its marinade. The flavor is salty with mild sweetness.[10] The texture and taste of fermented bean curd resembles a firm, smooth paste not unlike creamy blue cheese. (Indeed, this kind of tofu is sometimes called "Chinese cheese" in English.)[11] Refrigerated, it can be kept for several years, during which time its flavor is believed to improve.
Culinary use
Fermented tofu is commonly used as a condiment, combined into sauces to accompany hot pot, or consumed at breakfast to flavor rice, porridge, gruel, congee, or erkuai. Usually[citation needed] either several bricks are placed in a small bowl covered in the flavored brine or one to one half bricks are placed into a bowl. Then, chunks are broken off the brick and consumed with a mouthful of porridge or gruel. The brine may also be used for flavoring. Fermented bean curd can also be added in small amounts, together with its brine, to flavor stir-fried or braised vegetable dishes (particularly
Comparison with cheese
Both tofu and cheese are made from curds obtained from the coagulation of soy milk and dairy milk respectively. However, soybean curds are formed from the chemical destabilization of the
Varieties
White preserved bean curd is the most common type and can be described without the white adjective. The flavor, color and aroma can be altered using various combinations of spices and seasoning in the brine with alterations in the commonly used combination of 10% rice wine and 12% salt.
Red fermented bean curd (紅腐乳; hóngfǔrǔ, or 南乳; nánrǔ) incorporates red yeast rice (cultivated with Monascus purpureus) with the brining liquor for a deep-red color and distinctively thickened flavor and aroma. This variety may also contain chili. A popular derivative of this variety has an appearance of ketchup and is seasoned with rose wine, caramel and natural sugar.
Stinky fermented bean curd is fermented for over six months and is also popular due to its strong creamy flavor. However, due to its strong acrid smell, this variety is an acquired taste.
Chiang fermented bean curd (Chiang-doufu) is made with cubes of tofu soaked in either Chinese-style miso (Chiang) or soy sauce for several days. Usually reddish-brown in color and salty, it may be dried and fermented further and may also be mixed with sake lees. In Japan, miso is used.[13]
Production
In order to produce fermented bean curd, cubes of dried tofu are allowed to fully air-dry under hay and slowly ferment from aerial bacteria and fungal spores. Commercially available fermented bean curd is made by using dry firm tofu that has been
The dry fermented tofu is then soaked in brine, typically enhanced with Chinese rice wine, vinegar, chili peppers or sesame oil, or a paste made of rice and soybeans. In the case of red fermented bean curd, red yeast rice (cultivated with Monascus purpureus) is added for color.[a] Fermented bean curd is generally sold in small glass jars.
See also
- List of fermented soy products
- List of tofu dishes
- Lufu (food) – Type of fermented bean curd
- Stinky tofu – Chinese fermented tofu with a strong odor
References
- ^ The Hwang Ryh Shang Company of Taiwan, a major producer of fermented bean curd, mislabels this ingredient as "red date" (jujube) on the English-language list of ingredients on its product labels [1], although the Chinese list of ingredients on the same product lists 紅糟 (literally "red lees", i.e. red yeast rice).
- ^ "Entry #3530 (豆鹹)". 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan]. (in Chinese and Hokkien). Ministry of Education, R.O.C. 2011.
- ^ Iûⁿ, Ún-giân (2006). "Tai-gi Hôa-gí Sòaⁿ-téng Sû-tián" 台文/華文線頂辭典 [On-line Taiwanese/Mandarin Dictionary] (in Chinese and Minnan).
- ^ "Chao/Doufu Ru (Fermented Bean Curd)". 19 April 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-21.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8247-9352-4.
- ^ Li, Y.J. (2006). "Modern research on Chinese sufu". China Brewing. 1: 4–7.
- ^ Hwan, Chou, C.H, C.C. Volatile components of the Chinese fermented soya bean curd as affected by the addition of ethanol in ageing solution. J. Sci. Food Agric. pp. 243–248.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - S2CID 248802396.
- ISBN 9781928914419.
- ^ Lao, W.X. (2012). "The production and nutrition value of "fuyu"". Biology Teaching Chinese. 37: 19–20.
- ^ "Fermented bean-curd". Retrieved 2009-11-21.
- ^ "China's 'vegetarian cheese' has health benefits". Retrieved September 29, 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-521-65270-4.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-58008-013-2.
- ^ "Stinky Tofu". Retrieved 2009-11-21.
External links
- Li, X.; He, Y.; Yang, W.; Mu, D.; Zhang, M.; Dai, Y.; Zheng, Z.; Jiang, S.; Wu, X. (2021). "Comparative analysis of the microbial community and nutritional quality of sufu". Food Science & Nutrition. 9 (8): 4117–4126. PMID 34401063.
- Jang, C. H.; Oh, J.; Lim, J. S.; Kim, H. J.; Kim, J. S. (2021). "Fermented Soy Products: Beneficial Potential in Neurodegenerative Diseases". Foods. 10 (3): 636. PMID 33803607.
- Guide to making fermented bean curd (archived 16 December 2006) (in Chinese)
- ISBN 9781928914402. The history of fermented bean curd is provided in this book as well as recipes for dishes that it can be used in. There is also a brief section on the production and how it is made.
- Mintz, Sidney W.; Tan, Chee Beng (2001-01-01). "Bean-Curd Consumption in Hong Kong". Ethnology. 40 (2): 113–128. JSTOR 3773926. The consumption of fermented bean curd in China is examined in this article. It shows the ways that both the consumption and market has changed over time.