Shan Tofu Salad
“Cubed Shan yellow chickpea-tofu tossed with garlic oil, dried chili, and lime. Vegan Shan-highland staple.”
Where it comes from
Shan-state highland dish from Taunggyi and Hsipaw, eaten daily in Shan tea-shops and at the Inle Lake floating-market vendors. Distinct from tohu thoke in that tofu is cubed (not sliced) and dressing is sharper.
On the plate
Bright-yellow cubes glossed with garlic oil, dried-chili speck red, lime acid sharp, no sweetness. Cool, clean, vegetal — the antithesis of rich Bamar coconut curries on the same table.
How it works
Garlic oil is the workhorse — cloves are slow-fried in peanut oil at 110°C until just gold (overshoot to brown and the salad turns bitter). Tofu is cubed warm, not cold, so it absorbs the oil before setting hard.
Taunggyi market vendor Daw Khin Khin Lay has sold it from the same stall since 1987 — she sets 30 trays of tofu nightly to slice for next-day salads.
Variations
Hsipaw village version adds chopped tomato and is dressed warmer. Inle Lake floating-market version uses dried-fish-powder funk (broken vegan rule) and chopped pickled mustard.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 2How it's made
3 steps · Show ↓9 min active
How it's made
3 steps · Show ↓- 15 min
Cube Shan tofu (#2352).
- 23 min
Toss with 4 cloves fried garlic + 60 ml chili oil + lime + salt.
- 31 min
Garnish with cilantro; serve cold.
