Barely-set silken tofu, soft as custard, scooped into bowls and bathed in clear ginger syrup (sweet) or soy and pickles (savory). It quivers on the spoon and dissolves on the tongue.
Douhua is a Chinese sweet or savory snack of silken tofu dating to the Han dynasty; southern China favors sweet ginger syrup while northern China serves it savory with soy sauce.
It barely holds its shape, trembling as you lift the spoon, then melts into warm, faintly beany silk. The ginger syrup is clean and spicy-sweet, warming you from the inside. It is the gentlest dessert imaginable, more sensation than substance.
Gluconolactone slowly hydrolyzes into gluconic acid as the hot milk sits, lowering the pH gradually so the soy proteins set into an exceptionally smooth, fragile gel rather than firm curds. Pouring from a height disperses the coagulant evenly for a uniform set.
Variations
Sweet with sugar syrup or brown sugar, savory northern style with soy and chili, with sago or red beans
On the Palate
Where Douhua (Tofu Pudding) sits in the Chinese flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
8 steps · 15 min
- 1480 min
Soak soybeans overnight, then blend with water and strain to make raw soy milk.
- 212 min
Boil the soy milk thoroughly, skimming foam, then let it cool to about 80C.
Watch outLet the boiled soy milk cool to about 80度 before mixing — too hot and the gel sets grainy, too cool and it won't set at all.
- 32 min
Dissolve gluconolactone in a little water in the bottom of a large bowl.
- 41 min
Pour the hot soy milk in from a height in one steady stream to mix the coagulant.
Watch outPour the hot milk in from high up in one confident stream — the height and speed scatter the coagulant evenly for a silky, even set.
- 520 min
Cover and leave undisturbed until the tofu sets into a soft custard.
Watch outThen don't touch it — any jiggle while it's setting breaks the fragile custard into loose curds.
- 68 min
For the sweet syrup, simmer water with sugar and sliced ginger.
- 72 min
Scoop thin sheets of tofu into bowls with a flat ladle.
- 81 min
Ladle warm ginger syrup over and serve immediately.
