A bowl of bean curd rice in the early morning is the standard breakfast for taxi driver Master Chen before his shift.
A new day begins with a bowl of tofu curd, a secret sea pepper dipping sauce with fish flavor, and a solid bowl of steamed rice. Master Wang at the next table is also a frequent visitor here. He works at various construction sites all year round, making money through his own efforts. The white and red food in front of him not only brought him abundant energy supply, appetizing and refreshing taste stimulation, but also injected fresh vitality into his new work with full energy.
This is an ordinary alley in the Zigong market. It is one-way, narrow and short, and even a little tight when passing cars; but it is a place where many taxi drivers are willing to make a special trip to eat.
Almost all the stores on one side of the alley bear the sign of "Fushun Douhua". There is no fancy facade to attract business. A few wooden tables are spread out in the small open space in front of the store, which is the beginning of business. The big iron pot on the stove is steaming hot, and the milky white bean curds are singing a little tune in the pot, exuding a unique fragrance to the surroundings.
Bean curd is not outstanding among many soy products. Northerners like to eat soybeans and drink soybean juice, while southerners like to eat tofu and make dried tofu. Chinese people in different regions have their own unique understanding and processing of foods transformed from soybeans through various methods.
Fushun Tofu Pudding is famous all over the world and occupies a place in Sichuan cuisine because of its characteristics of "white as snow, soft but not old, tender but not runny, and long-lasting fragrance".
Boss You has opened a shop here for 16 years. From a small shop to today, almost all the shops on the street are owned by him. The catering business has always been difficult. Old stores that can last for more than ten years often rely on consistent good quality.
Even though he has become the owner of several stores, it is Boss You’s unshirkable insistence to get up before dawn every day and order bean curd. Because the tenderness and tenderness of a pot of bean curd all depend on his fingers.
There is actually no essential difference between tofu pudding, tofu curd, and tofu. It all depends on the coagulant point. There is no absolute difference between the tofu pudding here and the tofu pudding elsewhere, but Boss You said If you want to do business under the banner of "Fushun Bean Curd", you must work hard on the "point" of "ordering the braised pork" to create a real pot of Fushun Bean Curd.
At what temperature should you order the brine, at what speed should you inject the brine into the soy milk, how to stir the forming tofu curd, and finally how to let it sit and how to transfer... are all key.
The origin of Fushun Douhua is actually very interesting. It is said that Fushun County was established as a county because of a Fushi salt well that "produces the most salt". The booming development of the salt industry attracted many foreign merchants.
One day, a businessman who came to sell salt came to a local restaurant to eat. Since he had no patience to wait, he ran to the kitchen to order the food. When he saw that the tofu he ordered had not yet formed, it was steaming in the kitchen. While the pot was slowly cooking, he became anxious and begged the shopkeeper to sell him the "soft tofu" directly. Because it is not fully solidified, it is difficult to pick up the "soft tofu" with chopsticks. Naturally, it cannot be processed by frying. So the shop owner asked the cook to prepare some chili pepper water with salt for the guest to dip it in with his rice.
After eating this bite, not only did it not ruin the restaurant's sign, but it made the customers praise it. Compared with fried old tofu, this kind of "tofu" tastes more delicious and delicious.
After the customer left, the owner was inspired by this and repeatedly studied the technique of "ordering the marinade" to find the right level of freshness. He then improved the dipping formula and finally achieved this delicious dish. "Fushun Douhua" is something that people never tire of eating and has endless aftertaste.
Look, it is as white as curdled milk and can be broken with a snap of the fingers; it is as crystal clear as liquid ointment, delicate and gentle. Let the "meat of the field" soybeans, which are rich in various proteins and amino acids, be stone-milled to remove the bones and muscles, then quenched in a large cauldron to transform into soy milk like agar liquid; then thrown into salt brine to separate out the essence, and with the help of time, Falling into the iron pan, snowflakes rolled out. The cooking of a bowl of authentic "Fushun Tofu Pudding" is not as simple and innocent as it looks~!
There are also things to pay attention to when eating douhua. You have to take advantage of the heat, fill a bowl with it, gently pick up a small lump with chopsticks, and move it shakily to the dipping plate. Let the ruddy color of spicy oil and the emerald green of fish flavor blend into the bright whiteness.
Stir it a little more, file it slightly into the bowl, and quickly fill your mouth with a mouthful of steamer rice. The medullary tofu pudding clings to the slightly rough rice grains. Through chewing and stirring, the rich and mellow aroma of the beans mixed with the slight sweetness released by the initial digestion of starch fills the lips and teeth, and everyone feels that this simple food in front of them is a delicacy in the world.
Anyone who loves tofu pudding knows that the taste of Fushun tofu pudding depends on dipping it in water.
Boss You said, "I'm not bragging, but the bean curd here is absolutely delicious when dipped in water. For ten years, even the fish flavor has never been out of stock, and the supply will be guaranteed all year round."
At this time, the waiter in the store jokingly said: "That's not true~ Our boss does the dipping behind closed doors every day.
A unique secret recipe that will never be shared~! ”
Boss You smiled and interrupted the clerk: “It’s not as mysterious as you said. It’s just that we do it more seriously and authentically.” ”
The traditional and authentic Fushun bean curd dipped in water is completely made from hand-made chili sauce. Use the best dried chili peppers, boil them in water until soft, pour them into a stone mortar, and make them soft. Mash it with a hammer; add salt, spices and other auxiliary ingredients, pour in four or five mature clear oil, and stir thoroughly. A vat of chili sauce filled with rich chili aroma is successfully made.
This is just tofu dipped in water. On the base, you need to add fresh pepper sauce prepared in a similar way. Pick a small plate, pour a little soy sauce, pour a layer of Sichuan pepper oil cooked separately, sprinkle with a pinch of chopped green onions and a pinch of white sesame seeds, and finally grab it. A small handful of minced fish flavor can become an authentic "bean curd rice companion"
"I have been making bean curd rice here for many years! "Boss You said with great emotion.
"I came here more than ten years ago with a small shop. When I started, I didn't know if I could do it well. I just kept doing it until I was bored. Up to now, several storefronts on this street are owned by me, and I am definitely not opportunistic. Many out-of-towners, especially from Chengdu and Chongqing, look for ours when they come looking for bean curd rice. There are also many people who go out and come back during the Chinese New Year and holidays and have to take time to eat a bowl of bean curd (bean curd). The business here during the holidays is even hotter than usual! ”
“Then haven’t you thought about opening a store in other places and making it bigger?” ! "
"I have thought about it. Now my son and nephew have come back to learn the craft from me. But I can't leave, because this is the root. The cold dishes, stir-fried dishes, and steamed dishes here all taste very good, but no matter how many dishes people order here, they can’t miss the bowl of white and tender bean curds~”
This is the Zigong people The obsession with bean curd rice is always there, whether you are born and raised in this city or living in other places.
Here, you made a fortune selling bean curd rice. The family, no matter how big the business is, will never forget that the spread of word-of-mouth depends entirely on the regular customers who come here to eat here year after year, nor will they forget that the success of the business is ultimately about being loyal to the original intention of passing down the food.
As the saying goes, "A bowl of tofu pudding speaks of innocence, and half a cup of spicy oil makes the fire red." The rich life of Zigong people also comes from their persistence in traditional delicacies and their simple satisfaction when enjoying...