Burmese tofu
Encyclopedia
Burmese tofu is a food of Shan
origin and is different from Chinese
tofu
in that it is not made from soy milk
and not set with a coagulant. Shan tofu is produced in a similar fashion to polenta
, with its primary ingredient being water and flour ground from yellow split pea
s and the Burmese version from chickpea
flour, also known as besan flour
. The flour is mixed with water, turmeric
, and a little salt and heated, stirring constantly, until it reaches a creamy consistency. It is then transferred into a tray and allowed to set. It is matte yellow in colour, jelly-like but firm in consistency, and does not crumble when cut or sliced. It may be eaten fresh as a salad
or deep fried. It may also be sliced and dried to make crackers for deep frying.
There is no /f/ (as in "French") in the Burmese language
; hence, /pʰ/ (as in "prince") is used in to hpu, the Burmese version of "tofu".
Fried tofu goes very well with kau hnyin baung (glutinous rice
) as a breakfast
option, and also with mohinga
(rice vermicelli
in fish soup) or rice noodles called hsan hkauk swè, especially Shan hkauk swè. Green tea
is the preferred traditional drink to go with all these in Burma.
Shan States
The Shan States were the princely states that ruled large areas of today's Burma , Yunnan Province in China, Laos and Thailand from the late 13th century until mid-20th century...
origin and is different from Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
tofu
Tofu
is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and others. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu...
in that it is not made from soy milk
Soy milk
Soy milk and sometimes referred to as soy drink/beverage is a beverage made from soybeans. A stable emulsion of oil, water, and protein, it is produced by soaking dry soybeans and grinding them with water...
and not set with a coagulant. Shan tofu is produced in a similar fashion to polenta
Polenta
Polenta is a dish made from boiled cornmeal. The word "polenta" is borrowed from Italian.-Description:Polenta is made with ground yellow or white cornmeal , which can be ground coarsely or finely depending on the region and the texture desired.As it is known today, polenta derives from earlier...
, with its primary ingredient being water and flour ground from yellow split pea
Split pea
Split peas are the dried, peeled and split seeds of Pisum sativum. In north India, they are generally known as matar ki daal, sometimes used as a cheaper variation for the very popular chhole on stalls offering it. . They come in yellow and green varieties. The peas are round when harvested and dried...
s and the Burmese version from chickpea
Chickpea
The chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae...
flour, also known as besan flour
Gram flour
Gram flour is a cereal flour made from ground chickpeas. It is also known as chickpea flour, garbanzo flour, or besan . Used in many countries, it is a staple ingredient in Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisines, and, in the form of a paste with water or yoghurt, a popular facial exfoliant in...
. The flour is mixed with water, turmeric
Turmeric
Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive...
, and a little salt and heated, stirring constantly, until it reaches a creamy consistency. It is then transferred into a tray and allowed to set. It is matte yellow in colour, jelly-like but firm in consistency, and does not crumble when cut or sliced. It may be eaten fresh as a salad
Salad
Salad is any of a wide variety of dishes, including vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, eggs, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. They may include a mixture of cold and hot, often including raw vegetables or fruits.Green salads include leaf...
or deep fried. It may also be sliced and dried to make crackers for deep frying.
Varieties and etymology
- Pè bya refers to Chinese tofu and is translated into 'beancurd' in EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
in MyanmarMyanmarBurma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. Stinky tofuStinky tofuStinky tofu or chòu dòufu is a form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor. It is a popular snack in East and Southeast Asia, particularly mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong and in East Asian enclaves elsewhere where it is usually found homemade, at night markets or roadside stands, or as a...
or the fermented form of tofu, however, is called si to hpu, probably a version of the Chinese word chòu dòufu. - Won ta hpo is the yellow form of tofu made from yellow split peas or zadaw bè in Shan StateShan StateShan State is a state of Burma . Shan State borders China to the north, Laos to the east, and Thailand to the south, and five administrative divisions of Burma in the west. Largest of the 14 administrative divisions by land area, Shan State covers 155,800 km², almost a quarter of the total...
. - To hpu gyauk or dried tofu is yellow tofu sliced into a long thin rectangular form and dried in the sun. They are similar to fish or prawn crackers and sold in bundles.
- To hpu made from chickpeaChickpeaThe chickpea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae...
(kala bè) flour or pè hmont is the common version in mainland Burma. It has the same yellow colour and taste but slightly firmer than Shan tofu. - Hsan ta hpo is still mainly confined to Shan regions, made from rice flour called hsan hmont or mont hmont, and is white in colour. It has the same consistency but slightly different in taste. It is as popular as the yellow form as a salad.
There is no /f/ (as in "French") in the Burmese language
Burmese language
The Burmese language is the official language of Burma. Although the constitution officially recognizes it as the Myanmar language, most English speakers continue to refer to the language as Burmese. Burmese is the native language of the Bamar and related sub-ethnic groups of the Bamar, as well as...
; hence, /pʰ/ (as in "prince") is used in to hpu, the Burmese version of "tofu".
Fried
- To hpu gyaw is yellow tofu cut into rectangular shapes, scored in the middle, and deep fried. Tofu fritters may be eaten with a spicy sour dip, or cut and made into a salad. They are crispy outside and soft inside.
- Hnapyan gyaw is so called because the fritters are "twice fried" after the tofu is cut into triangular shapes. It is the traditional form in the Shan States.
- To hpu gyauk kyaw or deep fried tofu crackers, like hnapyan gyaw, are usually served with htamin gyin (lit. "sour rice" balls kneaded together with tomato and fish or potato), another popular Shan dish.
Fried tofu goes very well with kau hnyin baung (glutinous rice
Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, and pearl rice, and pulut) is a...
) as a breakfast
Breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal taken after rising from a night's sleep, most often eaten in the early morning before undertaking the day's work...
option, and also with mohinga
Mohinga
Mohinga is Rice noodles in fish soup and considered by many to be the national dish of Burma. It is readily available in most parts of the country. In major cities, street hawkers and roadside stalls sell dozens of dishes of mohinga to the locals and passers-by...
(rice vermicelli
Vermicelli
Vermicelli is a traditional type of pasta round in section that is thicker than spaghetti.-Vermicelli thickness comparison:In USA, the National Pasta Association, founded in 1904, lists, together with various spelling mistakes, vermicelli as a thinner type of spaghetti.-History in Italy:In...
in fish soup) or rice noodles called hsan hkauk swè, especially Shan hkauk swè. Green tea
Green tea
Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally...
is the preferred traditional drink to go with all these in Burma.
Salad
- To hpu thouk or tofu salad with either to hpu or hsan ta hpo is very popular as a snack or a meal in itself whereas fried tofu on its own is considered a snack. Both may form part of a meal where all the dishes are customarily shared at the same time. Fresh tofu, cut into small rectangular slices, constitutes the main ingredient of the salad, dressed and garnished with peanut oil, dark soy sauceSoy sauceSoy sauce is a condiment produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae molds, along with water and salt...
, rice vinegar, toasted crushed dried chilli, crushed garlic, crushed roasted peanuts, crisp-fried onions, and corianderCorianderCoriander is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae. Coriander is native to southern Europe and North Africa to southwestern Asia. It is a soft, hairless plant growing to tall. The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the...
. - To hpu gyaw thouk refers to tofu fritters cut up and served as a salad as above.
- To hpu nway (warm tofu) or to hpu byaw (soft tofu) is the soft creamy tofu served hot before it sets, usually as a salad dressed and garnished the same way. It may be combined in the same dish with tofu fritters or rice noodles.
Curried
- To hpu gyet - Sliced yellow tofu may also be curried with fresh tomatoes, onions and garlic, cooked in peanut oil and fish sauceFish sauceFish sauce is a condiment that is derived from fish that have been allowed to ferment. It is an essential ingredient in many curries and sauces. Fish sauce is a staple ingredient in numerous cultures in Southeast Asia and the coastal regions of East Asia, and features heavily in Thai and Vietnamese...
, and garnished with coriander and green chilli. It makes a good pescatarian dish to go with rice, but also popular among the poor if meat or poultry is unaffordable.
See also
- Cuisine of MyanmarCuisine of MyanmarBurmese cuisine includes a rich collection of dishes and meals found in various regions of the country, which is also known as Myanmar. Owing to the geographic location of Myanmar, Burmese cuisine has been influenced greatly by China, India and Thailand...
- Jidou liangfenJidou liangfenJidou liangfen is a traditional dish in the Yunnan cuisine of China, made from chickpeas. It is gelatinous in texture and greenish-gray in color, and served in blocks, either cold, fried, or boiled. The dish is particularly popular among the Naxi people, in the region of Lijiang.-External links:*...
- TofuTofuis a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and others. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu...
- PanellePanellePanelle are Sicilian fritters made from gram flour and other ingredients. They are a popular street food in Palermo and are often eaten between bread or on a roll, like a sandwich....
- FarinataFarinataFarinata, socca, or cecina is a sort of thin, unleavened pancake or crêpe of chickpea flour originating in Genoa and later a typical food of the Ligurian Sea coast, from Nice to Pisa.-Names:...
- DotorimukDotorimukDotorimuk or acorn jelly is a Korean food which is a jelly made from acorn starch. Although "muk" means "jelly", when used without qualifiers, it usually refers to dotorimuk...
- MemilmukMemilmukMemilmuk is a Korean food that is a variety of muk made from buckwheat starch, which has a jelly-like consistency. It is light gray-brown in color and is most commonly eaten as memilmuk muchim , a banchan in which chunks of memilmuk are mixed with kimchi, ground sesame seeds, and soy...
- NokdumukNokdumukNokdumuk also spelled noktumuk is a Korean muk, or jelly, made from mung bean starch. In its most commonly encountered form, it is also called cheongpomuk , which literally means "clear froth jelly," owing to its clear white color...
- HwangpomukHwangpomukHwangpomuk is a Korean food which is a yellow jelly made from mung beans. The yellow color comes from dyeing with the fruit of gardenia...
External links
- Burmese tofu recipe
- Large scale manufacture of Shan tofu Inle LakeInle LakeInle Lake is a freshwater lake located in the Nyaungshwe Township of Taunggyi District of Shan State, part of Shan Hills in Myanmar . It is the second largest lake in Myanmar with an estimated surface area of , and one of the highest at an altitude of...
, Myanmar - video