FU RU - Fermented Tofu/doufu

[hzrt8w]

First, a grilled country style pork ribs in a foo yu marinade. The second dish is grilled eggplant with a miso and honey glaze.

Those ribs and eggplants look absolutely fantastic! I wish we can smell them.

You may also use Nam Yu in place of Foo Yu as a marinade too. Taste slightly different but just as good.

[hzrt8w]

Whenever I've eaten in restaurants, they use a "sweet soya" on spring onion crispy chicken and cheung fun. Any suggestions on brands? I haven't found one yet

Worry not. The "sweet soya" sauce you had is very easy to make.

- 1/2 cup dark soy sauce

- 1/2 cup light soy sauce

- 2 to 3 cups of water

- 3 to 5 tsp of sugar (adjust to your taste)

I usually heat up 1/2 cup of water first (microwave high 15 seconds), desolve the sugar, then fold in the dark and light soy sauce and the rest of the water, adjusting to my taste.

Note: This soy/water blend can also be used as condiment for boiled shrimp, boiled geoduck clam, etc.. For that purpose, need to add scallions (green onions) and chili pepper (or jarapeno).

Slice 1 scallion to long and narrow threads diagonally. Slice 1/2 chili pepper (thin slices). Place the scallion and chili pepper in a bowl. Heat up 3 tsp of cooking oil to red hot (when it starts fuming). Quickly pour the hot oil onto the scallion and chili pepper mix. (This process will cook the scallion and chili pepper). Pour in the pre-mixed soy/water blend. Ready to serve as condiment to boiled shrimp.

[hzrt8w]

aprilmei, I believe that the red nam yu is not normally made with soy beans, but with a fermented rice. Nam yu is generally not chili-fied, but the red colour is traditional.

Ben: I think Nam Yu and Foo Yu are both soy bean based. You are right in that the coating of Nam Yu is made with Fermented Red Rice. ( 红曲米 ) The core of Nam Yu is still soy bean.

[trillium]

Really? Lo Bak Gau is made with Daikon not a turnip? I've always called them turnip cakes. So use Daikon in the recipe eh?

Actually, just to add a little more to the confusion, there is a Chinese "turnip" that kinda looks like daikon, but is shorter, squater and has green around the top. That's what the Cantonese grannies I know like to make low bak with.

And when a SE Asian is talking about turnips, they mean jicama not daikon.... daikon and its cousins get called carrots as in "carrot cake"....which is something similiar to low bak but stir fried with egg and other goodies.

That's why I love books with latin names and Chinese characters along with a good photo illustration.

regards,

trillium

[Ben Hong]

We've always called the ordinary BugsBunny carrot "hung lo bok", or red lo bok. If you really want to roil the waters, I could call the small round red salad radish " hung lo bok" also, it is after all a radish or lo bok and it is red. , . To clear up muddy waters, does anyone know the Chinese words for the more common round red radish that is used in salads?

Green lo bok is a lot sweeter than the ordinary white longer type (daikon), and has a slightly "heavier " mouth feel.

Edited July 13, 2004 by Ben Hong (log)

[Gary Soup]

To clear up muddy waters, does anyone know the Chinese words for the more common round red radish that is used in salads?

I think it may be "xiao luobo" (not to be confused with "xiao laopo").

[Dejah]

To clear up  muddy waters, does anyone know the Chinese words for the more common  round red radish that is used in salads?

I think it may be "xiao luobo" (not to be confused with "xiao laopo").

...perhaps hung lo bak jie? for the little red salad radishes.

Regardless of what they SHOULD be called, I am, at this moment, making savory cake with those big, long white suckers.

Edited July 13, 2004 by Dejah (log)

[Ben Hong]

"xiao laopo" In my dreams, Gary, in my dreams.

[lperry]

After reading through threads that mention fermented tofu, I decided to take the plunge and use some to season some stir fried greens. When I got to the grocery, however, I was stumped. There are glass jars, pottery jars, red types, yellow types, chili types, yikes !

I need some expert help. Which types are for which dishes? How do you use them? What should a beginner try? I can't read Chinese characters, but I can write them down and match them to the jar.

Thanks-

Linda

[hzrt8w]

You typically would want to use the yellow types. The red types (red fermented bean curd) are used in special dishes and are used less often.

Whether you want to pick the plain kind or the ones with chilies is a personal preference. If you like hot and spicy food like me, pick the ones with chilies. If not, pick the plain ones.

Glass jars or pottery jars would not make a difference in their tastes. But I suspect that the ones in the pottery jars are red fermented bean curds.

The Chinese label for regular (yellow) type of fermented bean curds is:

腐乳

My favorite brands are "Mei Mei" and "Superb Food".

Edited October 22, 2005 by hzrt8w (log)

[lperry]

Thanks!

What sort of "special dishes" are the red fermented tofus used for?

[Tepee]

Here's 3. Another famous dish usually using nam yue is kau yoke...steamed pork belly sandwiched with taro root.

[hzrt8w]

What sort of "special dishes" are the red fermented tofus used for?

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lperry: Here are some more examples of recipes/dishes that use the red fermented bean curds:

"Mutton cooked with Tsing Tao beer" (青島啤酒羊)

Stir-fried Bitter Melons with Foo Yu

Steamed Chicken with Black Mushrooms

Edited October 28, 2005 by hzrt8w (log)

[hzrt8w]

Another recipe that uses nam yu (red fermented bean curds):

Stir-Fried Lotus Roots with Dry Conpoy and Hairy Moss Fungi (連年發財: 瑤柱發菜炒蓮藕)

[Chris Amirault]

Does char siu use red fermented bean curd? Is that how it got its red color originally?

[hzrt8w]

Does char siu use red fermented bean curd?

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Nope.

Is that how it got its red color originally?

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You don't want to know... Food coloring.

[Dejah]

Does char siu use red fermented bean curd?

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Nope.

Is that how it got its red color originally?

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You don't want to know... Food coloring.

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As Chris said "originally", perhaps at one time nam yu WAS used ?

There is a version called nam yu jee yuk bao.

[Tepee]

Does char siu use red fermented bean curd? Is that how it got its red color originally?

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I've seen in a couple of places (one of them here) that curing salt aka saltpeter aka sodium nitrite gives char siu its characteristic color.

[chappie]

My friend brought me a jar of fermented tofu back from Guilin, China, where he lives, only he knows it there as "do fu ru." It must be the same product. Cubes of funky, blue-cheesy tofu packed in blistering chili oil. I love it, but I've already finished the jar in a week and a half.

Is this or products like it readliy available at asian markets in the U.S.? I am addicted and must, must find a source so I can stock and entire shelf with it.

[Dejah]

My friend brought me a jar of fermented tofu back from Guilin, China, where he lives, only he knows it there as "do fu ru." It must be the same product. Cubes of funky, blue-cheesy tofu packed in blistering chili oil. I love it, but I've already finished the jar in a week and a half.

Is this or products like it readliy available at asian markets in the U.S.? I am addicted and must, must find a source so I can stock and entire shelf with it.

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Did you cook with it or did you eat it with rice?!

It is readily available at Asian markets. I haven't found one that has "blistering chili oil" tho'. That sounds good!

[chappie]

I cooked with it once, some bok choy, but mainly I've been eating it straight-up and also mashing it into a pretty amazing dipping sauce I've concocted. The chili oil is key for me, though, and I want to find it like this again. If I do, I'll report back. I really don't want to be without this stuff, and that marinade for the ribs posted above looks unbelievable. (Imagine it with the chili oil...).

[hzrt8w]

My friend brought me a jar of fermented tofu back from Guilin, China

[...]

Is this or products like it readliy available at asian markets in the U.S.? I am addicted and must, must find a source so I can stock and entire shelf with it.

←

It sounds like you are talking about Fu Yue (fermented bean curds) as discussed in this thread. They are very common and readily available in just about any Asian grocery market. There are many different brands, with or without red chili added. My personal favorite brand is "Mei Mei". Not sure if it is available in your part of the world. They are fairly generic but I do notice some taste better than others.

[chappie]

I made it to Great Wall grocery in Fairfax, Va. this morning and tracked down several varieties of jarred fermented tofu packed in chili oil. Unfortunately, none that I've tasted so far come even remotely close to the stuff my friend brought back from Guilin. The oil in the Guilin jar was thick and full of chili; the ones I bought this morning have a weaker, thinner oil mixture that doesn't pack nearly the heat.

Also, the tofu chunks themselves are considerably softer, less "blue-cheesy," sweeter (not a good thing for me) and have an off aftertaste.

I'll eat them nonetheless, but when I visit him in Guilin (hopefully this summer), I'm packing a suitcase full of the good stuff.

[hzrt8w]

I'll eat them nonetheless, but when I visit him in Guilin (hopefully this summer), I'm packing a suitcase full of the good stuff.

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These stuff are heavy, with preserving liquid and all! And if any of the jars breaks, it will stink up your luggage. If you do buy and hand-carry them back, I suggest you put them in a separate box.

Have you tried the "Dragonfly" brand or "Mei Mei" brand? Picture of "Dragonfly" brand included here.

[AzianBrewer]

I have used it as a marinate for my roast chicken.

Hoisin Sauce, Fermented Tofu, Light Soy, Oil, Salt & White Pepper Garlic, Ginger and couple of dashes of Shao Shing Wine.

Rub the bird with the mixed and let it air dried for few hours before popping it in the oven at 420 for 1 hour.

Edited January 11, 2006 by AzianBrewer (log)