A block of tofu sits quietly on the kitchen counter, white as snow and soft to the touch. The beauty of this unassuming mass is that it is a completely blank slate — just waiting to be shaped into something marvelous. Tofu can be pan-fried until crispy and golden, gently sauteed in chili oil, simmered in soup, or simply served with soy sauce and scallions.
Chinese people have enjoyed tofu for over 2,000 years, savouring it in countless ways. Almost every household carries it, yet few stop to wonder: Who made the very first block of tofu?
Liu An, a prince of the Western Han dynasty (206 BC to 9 AD) is traditionally credited with discovering tofu.
He was the grandson of Liu Bang, the founding Emperor of the Han dynasty. Born in 179 BC, he became Prince of the Huainan at the age of 16 after his father died. Prince Liu An was fascinated by the search for immortality and surrounded himself with scholars and practitioners of various arts. At Bagong Mountain, near his domain, they discussed philosophy, explored Daoist practices and experimented with elixirs.
According to popular legend, one day Liu An and his followers were grinding soybeans with spring water to make soy milk, perhaps as part of their experiments. A bit of gypsum or bittern accidentally fell into the soy milk, and, to their surprise, the liquid began to thicken. One brave individual sampled the white curds and discovered that it tasted remarkably fresh and delicious.
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At first, the new creation was said to have been called shuru (菽乳), which translates simply as “bean milk.” Over time, it became known as the tofu (doufu 豆腐), or “bean curd,” we are familiar with today.
Various sources support some truth in this legend. The Song dynasty scholar Zhu Xi mentioned in a poem that, according to tradition, tofu-making was a technique developed by the Prince of Huainan. Centuries later, the famous Ming dynasty physician Li Shizhen wrote in Compendium of Materia Medica: “The method of making tofu began with Liu An, the Prince of Huainan.”
Similar accounts appeared repeatedly in notes and medical texts from the Five Dynasties through the Ming and Qing periods. Even today, Huainan in Anhui regards Bagong Mountain as an important birthplace of tofu and holds cultural events celebrating its long tofu-making tradition.
Soy milk is naturally rich in protein. Heating and adding a coagulant simply transforms these proteins from a dissolved state into a network-like structure that traps water inside it. The amount of water left behind determines what kind of tofu emerges. A gentle press leaves more moisture, creating soft, delicate tofu. More pressure removes more water, resulting in firmer tofu.
Ancient people may not have understood the chemistry behind protein denaturation, but they learned how to make tofu through observation, experience and repeated experimentation. Li Shizhen’s Compendium of Materia Medica describes a method for preparing tofu that is remarkably similar to the one used today.
It is unlikely that ancient tofu would have had the same neat, uniform appearance as the plastic-wrapped blocks sold in supermarkets today. Its colour and texture could vary, depending on both the quality of the water and the type of beans used to make it.
That’s right, soybeans were not the only beans ever used to make tofu. Historical records suggest that black beans, white beans, peas and even mung beans were sometimes used to make tofu. The ingredients used to set the curd also varied, with acidic coagulants joining bittern and gypsum.
As time passed, tofu gave rise to an expanding family of foods. From the Ming and Qing dynasties onward, tofu skin, dried tofu sticks, fermented tofu and other variations became part of the culinary landscape.
As tofu travelled through Chinese kitchens and generations, it took on many different personalities, including the fiery mapo tofu, the rich and savoury homestyle tofu, and the bold, fermented, stinky tofu.
Tofu’s texture also varies tremendously. Soft tofu is so delicate that it almost melts in the mouth, while firm tofu has a meaty density that holds up to stir-frying.
Tofu itself has very little flavour, but that is precisely what makes it so versatile. It readily absorbs sauces, spices and seasonings, allowing each dish to give it a completely different character.
As tofu travelled across Asia, it became part of different food cultures, taking on new forms and flavors along the way.
Buddhist communities played an important role in spreading the use of tofu. Since they often encourage vegetarianism, tofu became a useful source of protein in meat-free meals. Its versatility also made it easy to adapt to different regional cuisines.
In Japan, tofu was recorded by the Heian period, and later developed into varieties such as silken tofu, cotton tofu and Koya tofu. Korea developed its own tofu dishes and soups, while the ingredient later travelled to Southeast Asia through trade, migration and cultural exchange.
Today, with a growing interest in plant-based diets, tofu can be found almost anywhere. Even in India, tofu has found a place in vegetarian and plant-based diets, and is sometimes used as an alternative to paneer by people looking for an alternative source of protein.
Alas, Prince Liu An only lived to the age of 57. Although he never discovered the secret to immortality, his memory lives on in each nutritious, delicious, and enduring block of tofu.
Translated from the Chinese original, written by Xiao Fan.
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