Doujia Ba, a traditional snack originating from Sichuan and Chongqing, is popular because of its unique flavor and texture. It is made from soybean dregs as the main ingredient, and refined through fermentation, steaming and other processes, with a golden and crispy outer skin and a soft and glutinous inner lining, which makes people savor the taste of it.

The secret of making douzhi po

Making douzhi po may seem simple, but there is actually a lot to be said for it. The choice of dregs is crucial. Fresh soybeans produce just the right amount of moisture, which makes the bean curd better. The next step is fermentation, mixing the dregs with a small amount of flour and then adding yeast to ferment the dregs, which makes the dregs fluffy and soft.

When steaming the dregs, it's also important to control the heat. Steaming over high heat will easily scorch the outer skin of the bean curd pudding, while low heat will make the pudding pudding raw. Therefore, you need to use medium heat to steam, and pay attention to the color of the bean curd pudding.

Tasty dipping sauces

Doujiaopa is light on its own, but its flavor is greatly enhanced by dipping sauces. Common combinations include red oil chili peppers, garlic soy sauce, and sesame sauce. The spiciness of the red oil chili contrasts with the sticky flavor of the bean curd, which makes you want to eat more. The fresh aroma of garlic soy sauce enhances the taste of the bean curd poha, while the denseness of the sesame sauce neutralizes the spiciness of the chili.

How to make a homemade version of bean curd poha

It's not that hard to enjoy bean curd poha at home. Here's an easy-to-follow home-cooked version:

Preparing materials: 500g of fresh soya bean curd, 50g of wheat flour, 5g of yeast, salt, and red oil chili pepper (or other dipping sauces)

Making the dough: Mix the soya bean curd, flour, yeast, and salt together, and stir with a little water until it forms a dough that's not too dry or too wet.

Fermentation: Place the dough in a warm place to ferment for 1-2 hours, until the dough is noticeably larger in size.

Shaping: Take the appropriate amount of dough and roll it into a long strip, then cut it into small dosages and knead it with your hands to form a flat shape.

Steaming: Put the bean dregs into a steamer basket and steam over high heat for 15-20 minutes.

Eat: Serve while hot, with dipping sauces such as red oil chili peppers for better flavor.

Tips

The fermentation time should not be too long, otherwise the bean curd poop will easily become sour.

Watch the color of the bean curd pudding while steaming to avoid oversteaming or understeaming.

With different dipping sauces, you can try different delicious experiences.