Mafu Tofu is a specialty of Beijing and also a traditional snack in a few northern regions of China such as Chaoyang, Liaoning. Here is a detailed introduction to it:
Historical Origin:
Mafu Tofu first emerged in the early Ming Dynasty. At that time, poor families would use the by-products of mung bean starch and vermicelli production and stir-fry them with mutton tail fat. Later, it gradually became a popular specialty loved by the public.
Ingredients:
Main Ingredient: It is the by-product of making mung bean vermicelli and starch. After fermentation, it has a special sour aroma.
Accessory Ingredients: Authentic Mafu Tofu must be accompanied by potherb mustard, mutton tail fat, soybean paste, and green Chinese chives. Potherb mustard can enhance the texture and flavor of Mafu Tofu; mutton tail fat can impart a rich aroma; soybean paste plays a role in enhancing the flavor and freshness; green Chinese chives, which are very thin and have a green core like scallions, add a particularly distinctive flavor. Once cut with a knife, the whole room will be filled with the aroma of Chinese chives. However, green Chinese chives are now rare and can be replaced by a kind of purple-rooted Chinese chive called "Yejibo".
Appearance Characteristics: The color is off-white, slightly greenish, and usually turns grayish-green after being stir-fried.
Taste and Texture:
Taste: It tastes slightly sour, richly fragrant, and has a pleasant balance of sourness and saltiness. Since it is a fermented mung bean product, it has a unique sourness, but this sourness is not pungent and blends with the flavors of other seasonings to form the unique flavor of Mafu Tofu.
Texture: Because it has been stir-fried and added with mutton fat and other accessories, the texture is relatively thick and gooey. When eaten, it has both the smoothness of tofu and the richness of mutton fat.
Production Process:
Prepare soybeans in advance and cook them until done. Soak potherb mustard in water to wash away most of the salt. Add an appropriate amount of water to Mafu Tofu and stir it into a paste. Cut mutton tail fat into small cubes and set aside.
Put mutton tail fat into the pot and stir-fry it until it turns golden. Add chopped scallions and ginger and a spoonful of broad bean paste and stir-fry until fragrant. Then add potherb mustard and soybeans and continue to stir-fry.
Add Mafu Tofu and continue to stir-fry. After stir-frying for a while, add a spoonful of light soy sauce and turn to medium heat and keep stir-frying until the water is completely evaporated.
Cultural Connotation: Mafu Tofu is a folk snack that appeals to both the refined and the vulgar. It is loved by ordinary people, as well as the rich, famous actors in the opera world, etc. It reflects the love of Beijingers for traditional cuisine and their pursuit of unique flavors, and is also an important part of Beijing's dietary culture.
