Vegetable Dishes 33: Tofu skin

Soak the tofu skin¹ until supple, and mix with autumn sauce, vinegar, dried shrimp to make dish well suited for summer. The household of Jiang Shilang makes a nice dish by adding sea cucumbers to it. It is also good in a soup with laver and peeled shrimp. It can also be braised with mushrooms and bamboo shoots for a very good clear soup. Cook the tofu skin until soft.

Monk Jing Xiu of Wu Lake rolls the tofu skin into a cylinder, cuts them into segments, lightly browns them in oil, and braises them with mushroom for an excellent dish. Do not add chicken broth.

豆腐皮
將腐皮泡軟，加秋油、醋、蝦米拌之，宜於夏日。蔣侍郎家入海參用，頗妙。加紫菜、蝦肉作湯，亦相宜。或用蘑菇、筍煨清湯，亦佳。以爛為度。蕪湖敬修和尚，將腐皮卷筒切段，油中微炙，入蘑菇煨爛，極佳。不可加雞湯。

Note:
¹ Tofu skin is not technically a tofu but rather made from the membrane of soy protein that forms on the surface of simmering soy milk. This is similar to what happens when one simmer cow’s milk on the stove. This thin membrane is lifted off the milk, folded, dried, and then shipped and sold everywhere you can buy Chinese dried goods. However, like many things, it is best to get them fresh. The Japanese make something more or less the same known as “yuba”.