Tofu skin

Tofu skin (Chinese: 腐皮; pinyin: fǔ pí) also known as beancurd sheet, dried beancurd, paper^[1], yuba or bean skin,^[2] is a Chinese and Japanese food product made from soybeans. During the boiling of soy milk, in an open shallow pan, a film or skin composed primarily of a soy protein–lipid complex forms on the liquid surface. The films are collected and dried into yellowish sheets known as tofu skin.

Preparation

Tofu skin may be purchased in fresh or dried form. In the latter case, the tofu skin is rehydrated in water before use. It is often used to wrap dim sum.

Because of its slightly rubbery texture, tofu skin is also manufactured in bunched, folded and wrapped forms that are used as meat substitutes in vegetarian cuisine. Tofu skins can be wrapped and then folded against itself to make doù baō (Chinese: 豆包, literally "tofu package"). These are often fried to give it a firmer skin before being cooked further.

Forms

Fresh, half-dried, and dried

These are the three basic forms. Each comes in many varieties.

Fu zhu stick

Tofu skin may also be bunched into sticks called dried beancurd stick (Chinese: 腐竹; pinyin: fǔ zhú, lit. tofu bamboo). By bunching fresh tofu skins or rehydrated beancurd skins, then tying it tightly in cloth and stewing it, the bunched tofu skin will retain its tied shape. This bunched tofu skin is then called tofu chicken (Chinese: 豆雞; pinyin: doù jī; or Chinese: 素雞; pinyin: sù jī). In Thai cooking it is referred to as fawng dtâo-hûu (Thai: ฟองเต้าหู้, lit. foam tofu).

Meat substitute

By layering and bunching the sheets in a certain manner, an imitation of chicken breast with the skin on can be created. The effect is completed by frying the "skin" side of the tofu chicken until it is crispy. If stuffed with vegetables, it becomes tofu duck.

Log

Other methods include rolling the tofu skin tightly on a chopstick and steaming the tofu skin to form a log. When the log is sliced, each slice will be circular in form with a square hole in the center, which looks like old Chinese coins.

Benefits

Bean curd, or tofu as it is popularly known, is rich in proteins, unsaturated fats, calcium and iron. Its intake can reduce menopausal symptoms, risk of coronary heart disease and osteoporosis.^[3]

Gallery

See also

• Clotted cream, made from the clumps of cream attached to the protein-lipid matrix floating atop heated dairy milk.

Notes

External links

• The Daily English Show, Show 144 Sunday 24 September on YouTube
• Ellen's Kitchen - glossary of soy related terms
• History of Yuba