All about tofu

[Hiroyuki]

Does anyone know who made silken tofu first?

Here is what I wrote about silken tofu in the Japan Forum:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=68796

Here is what I found about kinu dofu:

From http://www.kamo-tofu.com/touhu-age-arekore/tohuhistory.htm

QUOTE

現在の「絹ごし豆腐」は、250年ほど前の江戸時代に細乃雪（ささのゆき）という豆腐料理屋さんが発明製造し、将軍に献上したところ絹のように滑らかでツヤがある豆腐ということで「絹ごし」という名前をいただいたとのことです。

The present "kinu goshi dofu" was invented and manufactured by a tofu restaurant called Sasanoyuki in the Edo period about 250 years ago. It was presented to the Shogun, who named it "kinu goshi" because it was smooth and glossy like silk.

I have confirmed from several sources that silk is not used for kinu goshi dofu production.

(Kinu goshi dofu = Kinu dofu = Silken tofu)

I also want to know if silk is used for silken tofu production in China.

[Ben Hong]

The people who invented dou fu did (the Chinese). Silken dou fu (dou fu fa) is the stage of dou fu before the water is pressed out to make regular or firm dou fu. Dou fu fa is a favourite dessert treat or snack in the Chinese teahouse/dim sum restaurant.

[sheetz]

Whenever in doubt, assume the Chinese invented it.

[JasonTrue]

I believe Japanese refer to dou fu fa as oborodoufu, which is different than kinugoshi-doufu because oborodoufu is more soft and custard-like.

The people who invented dou fu did (the Chinese). Silken dou fu (dou fu fa) is the stage of dou fu before the water is pressed out to make regular or firm dou fu. Dou fu fa is a favourite dessert treat or snack in the Chinese teahouse/dim sum restaurant.

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[Ben Hong]

Dou fu fa, silken dou fu, hard dou fu, stinky dou fu, dou fu sheets, dou fu puffs, they are all dou fu or variations on the same theme. Dou fu was first created by the Chinese. Draw your own conclusions. Like so many other things in Japan, Korea, Vietnam etc. dou fu came from China. There is no question in my mind.

Anyhoo it all tastes great.

[Dejah]

So what IS silkened dou fu?

I have seen dessert dou fu with almond syrup, sugar syrup, mango, peach. I have used soft and medium dou fu, deep fried dou fu...but what not silkened.

Is this the stuff you see in tubes?

We are taking our international students for dim sum in Winnipeg at the end of June. I am looking forward to the dou fu fa!

[hzrt8w]

So what IS silkened dou fu?

I have seen dessert dou fu with almond syrup, sugar syrup, mango, peach. I have used soft and medium dou fu, deep fried dou fu...but what not silkened.

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I think we may have a mix of terminologies. I first thought "silken tofu" was referring to soft tofu (for cooking). In this thread, silken tofu is referring to "dou fu fa" (a snack or dessert). Different texture - different degree of softness.

And real silk (from worms, not a metaphor) is involved in making silken tofu??? I thought "silken" was just a metaphorically descriptive term (e.g. soft as silk).

[herbacidal]

Whenever in doubt, assume the Chinese invented it. 

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Although said in jest (dammit, you stole my line!),

it's a good rule of thumb, since most other East Asian and Southeast Asian cultures owe some level of origin/influence to Chinese culture.

Japanese would have branched off the earliest, but even there, one of the three alphabets is Chinese.

[Ben Hong]

Dejah, silken dou fu is the dessert dou fu that you are familiar with. We can buy it labelled as such in those sealed plastic tubs from Loblaws or Superstores. The dou fu fa is similar to silken dou fu but it is a wee, tiny bit softer (more watery).

To satisfy my cravings for dou fu fa, I will warm up a tub of that silken dou fu and add a little simple syrup or maple syrup. YUMMMMMM

[Hiroyuki]

I was referring to soft or silken tofu, as opposed to hard or momen (= cotton) tofu.

To make soft or silken tofu, the bean curd is not drained or streamed after the coagulant is added. To make hard or momen tofu, the bean curd is drained with cotton cloth.

I think that to make tofufa, the bean curd is steamed after the coagulant is added.

[hzrt8w]

Dejah, silken dou fu is the dessert dou fu that you are familiar with. We can buy it labelled as such in those sealed plastic tubs from Loblaws or Superstores. The dou fu fa is similar to silken dou fu but it is a wee, tiny bit softer (more watery).

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Dejah/Ben/hiroyuki:

Now I am even more confused. From what you are saying, your dessert dou fu is NOT dou fu fa? I thought dou fu fa is the dessert dou fu.

I know the different softness scale of dou fu:

From soft to hard:

Dou fu fa is this silken tofu? is this dessert tofu?

Dou fu (soft) is this silken tofu? is this dessert tofu?

Dou fu (hard)

I understand they are products of different stages when the soya milk solidifies and whether you press the water out. I am just very confused on where you crown the term "silken" and what you consider as dessert. It appears that the Dejah-Ben "silken" crown is different from the Hiroyuki "silken" crown.

Edited June 9, 2005 by hzrt8w (log)

[amandasmom971]

Dou fu fa, silken dou fu, hard dou fu, stinky dou fu, dou fu sheets, dou fu puffs, they are all dou fu or variations on the same theme. Dou fu was first created by the Chinese. Draw your own conclusions. Like so many other things in Japan, Korea, Vietnam etc. dou fu came from China. There is no question in my mind.

Anyhoo it all tastes great.  

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Kum Koon has dou fu fa on weekdays now if you are interested. We were just there on Monday. My gf and I had their buffet and no room for dim sum. I believe they have the best fried rice!!! Buffet is from 12-2. Next time I go will be for dim sum. It seems they have a huge variety on weekdays now.

[JasonTrue]

I think "silken" or kinugoshi-doufu is different than doufu-fa.

Except for Mori-nu type, Kinugoshi-doufu (silken tofu) is, to the best of my knowledge, still weighted and drained, but with a much finer cloth. (My Gaku Homma book that said this was "traditionally silk" may have well meant "folklorically silk"). It must be cotton with a finer thread weave than momen (cotton).

When I buy dou fu fa from the Vietnamese tofu shop in Seattle, it is very very soft and high in water content, and apparently not weighted or drained. This texture is almost exactly like oboro-doufu in Japan.

If I use kinugoshi-dofu, it has at least the potential of being torn into rough cubes, but oborodoufu or dou fu fa is best spooned. Kinugoshi-doufu could still reasonably be cut and deep-fried, which works well in Chinese hot pots.

[touaregsand]

Dou fu fa, silken dou fu, hard dou fu, stinky dou fu, dou fu sheets, dou fu puffs, they are all dou fu or variations on the same theme. Dou fu was first created by the Chinese. Draw your own conclusions. Like so many other things in Japan, Korea, Vietnam etc. dou fu came from China. There is no question in my mind.

Anyhoo it all tastes great.  

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Thank you for bringing up Korea. Because we all know silken tofu was invented there.

Sorry the question is a bit weird. I would rephrase it "who invented silken tofu? China, Korea or Japan?"

Doesn't sound like something someone invented independently of other tofus. So the anwers is the local tofu maker.

[Hiroyuki]

Dou fu fa, silken dou fu, hard dou fu, stinky dou fu, dou fu sheets, dou fu puffs, they are all dou fu or variations on the same theme. Dou fu was first created by the Chinese. Draw your own conclusions. Like so many other things in Japan, Korea, Vietnam etc. dou fu came from China. There is no question in my mind.

Anyhoo it all tastes great.  

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Thank you for bringing up Korea. Because we all know silken tofu was invented there.

Sorry the question is a bit weird. I would rephrase it "who invented silken tofu? China, Korea or Japan?"

Doesn't sound like something someone invented independently of other tofus. So the anwers is the local tofu maker.

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I think I get the picture.

Japanese-style silken tofu was invented by a Japanese, and Korean-style(?) silken tofu was invented by a Korean.

Am I right?

Again, in Japan, silk cloth is not used for silken tofu production.

[Ben Hong]

Touaregsand, where ya been?? It took a tangential mention of Korea/dou fu to draw you out, huh?

[touaregsand]

Touaregsand, where ya been?? It took a tangential mention of Korea/dou fu to draw you out, huh?

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I've been around here and there. I didn't come back because of the dou fu. I came back for you.

[Ben Hong]

Now, dontcha go pulling those Oriental, dragon lady, wiles on me, girl.

[touaregsand]

Now, dontcha go pulling those Oriental, dragon lady, wiles on me, girl.  

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Dragon lady? Wiles? I'm a simple porcelain doll. A delicate Ornamental gurl.

Mwah!

[Tepee]

I can foresee the next cook-off dish will be super HOT and SIZZLING!!

[Laksa]

In Malaysia, isn't silken tofu commonly called Japanese tofu?

[origamicrane]

Yeah its gonna be the chinese that invented tofu but its usually the japanese that refine it.

Take paper as an example, no arguement that the chinese invented it

but it was the japanese that turned it into the art form origami

[helenjp]

I've eaten and watched dou fu hua being made many times (it was a popular staff snack at the Chinese grocers' where I worked when I was an undergraduate) - it's not the same as kinugoshi (silken) tofu, it is more similar to oboro-dofu, because you get a definite separation between curds and whey, though the whey is not drained off, and the curds are not pressed.

Silken dofu is made using a coagulant, BUT the whole thing coagulates, like a milk pudding - there is no whey produced. Silk cloth is not used, because the stuff is poured into molds, not drained through cheesecloth like regular tofu. The "kinu" definitely refers to the texture, not the process.

As for who invented it, I'm not going there...

[touaregsand]

Yeah its gonna be the chinese that invented tofu but its usually the japanese that refine it.

Take paper as an example, no arguement that the chinese invented it

but it was the japanese that turned it into the art form origami

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And the Koreans just eat it.

[origamicrane]

Yeah its gonna be the chinese that invented tofu but its usually the japanese that refine it.

Take paper as an example, no arguement that the chinese invented it

but it was the japanese that turned it into the art form origami

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And the Koreans just eat it.

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heheh well we all eat our own country's produce, right?

but having said i wonder which country exports the most amount of tofu?