Tofu is very common in Vietnamese cuisine. It is not only an ingredient for many dishes but also served as a delicious and nutritious dish on Vietnamese table. Tofu is made all over the country, but the most famous is tofu in Mo Village, which has been known as Hanoi traditional food for many years. It is also the ingredients of many other famous Hanoi street food.
Mo Villagers and the know-how in making tofu
People said that tofu making business originated in Mo Village, Mai Dong Ward, Hai Ba Trung District. This traditional business was created by the General Tam Trinh under the reign of Trung Sisters and handed down to Mo villagers. The villagers have kept the tradition of making tofu up to now.
Despite the same process and way to make tofu as many other regions, Mo village is filtered more carefully and wrapped more cleverly. Therefore, it is much softer and greasier in comparison with tofu in other places. It is also said that Mo tofu is famous for the deliciousness and unique flavor thanks to the water in the well of Mo villages used to make tofu.
Tofu makers often get up very early, around 3 am to start their work. In order to have a good batch of tofu, the choice of soybean is the first important step, the soybean must be carefully selected, the seeds are evenly round, yellow and dried, they are crushed into halves to peel the skin. After that the seeds are soaked to give the extracts before being put in a cheesecloth canvas bag, squeezed to remove the fiber and get the liquid of uncooked soybeans. The uncooked liquid is boiled until done. This a decisive step of all making process. The liquid is boiled over a high heat will have burnt smell. The cooked liquid is poured into big jars; after being cooled down, it is mixed with a little sour water to turn solid. The liquid precipitates into “tofu brains” (or bean curd) which has light yellow color.
The bean curd will be scooped up with round metal spatula with a in curved bottom and put into the cheesecloth, then placed in a wooden mold. The molded bean curd will be pressed; this process usually takes about thirty minutes. After being pressed, tofu is peeled out of the coat of cheesecloth. The finished products are still hot and ready to be delivered to the consumers. If it is sold in the afternoon market, the tofu will be soaked in cold water to preserve.
Mo tofu and dishes of tofu
Tofu and dishes of tofu is always the cheap dish. However, to the gourmet Hanoians, tofu is the characteristic of Hanoi culinary culture.
There are lots of way to make tofu the tasty dishes. Without going through the complicated process, many people like to eat the tofu right after being taken out of the mold. The pieces of hot and soft tofu are dipped into shrimp sauce, fish sauce with garlic or salt, pepper and lime sauce. This simple dish is suitable for the hot summer.
Fried tofu is very popular in the main meals of Hanoians. Tofu fried in boiling oil has the crispy yellow skin covering the greasy fillings inside. Vermicelli with fried tofu is the dish that you should not ignore when joining Hanoi local food tours. This dish costs reasonably but it is still delicious with the greasy taste of tofu, the cool of vermicelli and the fragrant scent of marjoram, a kind of good herb.
In the past, Mo tofu is grilled on the charcoal oven and sold to the audiences in the open-air classic drama theater as a snack. The tofu was grilled when the customers ordered. At present, grilled tofu is an interesting snack on the cold days. Tofu, marjoram and shrimp sauce is the fantastic combination.
There are also many soup dishes with tofu that you can learn with Hanoi cooking class. Tofu soup with tomatoes, green banana soup with snail and tofu… Each of them brings the different feeling to the diners.
Tofu is not only present in the meal of the families but also the food served by the restaurant even the luxury ones in spite of its simplicity. In the high class restaurant, Mo tofu seems to transform. The eye-catching decoration and the harmonious blend of color really make the soft white tofu of the small village because more luxurious and elegant.
Whether being in the ordinary meals or in the luxurious tables, Mo tofu leaves the unforgettable imprint in the heart of the people. It is worth being one of the famous branches of Hanoi cuisine.