Tofu: The meat alternative that originated 2000 years ago in China
If you are someone who love to eat both cheese and paneer, you should also try out tofu, that is if you haven’t already. Nicknamed bean curd and soy cheese, it’s a protein rich food product that is derived from curdled soy milk. In addition, tofu comes in various shapes, forms and sizes, few of the popular ones being: Silken, extra soft, medium, firm and extra firm. But do you know when and where tofu originated? No? Well, no need to worry. We will tell you the story.
Tofu was born in China
That’s right. The roots of tofu can be traced all the way back to ancient China, more specifically somewhere around 206 and 222 B.C. as part of the Hans dynasty. But those are the only two things about tofu’s birth that is known for sure – two centuries ago and China. Other than that, its inception is a mystery till date. However, there are four popular legends and fables surrounding its birth.
The first theory suggests that tofu was accidentally invented when a royal chef of the Hans dynasty (after he was commissioned to come up with a meat substitute) was experimenting with flavoured, boiled and ground soybeans and one day ended up adding a kind of impure seasalt called ‘Nagari’ (native to Southeast Asia). Nagari may have contained calcium and magnesium salts, turning the soybeans into a curdle. Guess what the end result was? Bean curd!
The next theory also has a royal line to it as people for ages have believed that tofu was a brainchild of the Chinese King of Huai-nan named Liu An who just plainly wanted to discover a dairy-based product, as he was fond of milk.
A more popular version is that, in prehistoric China, one day a man who was a cook by profession decided to try out different methods of cooking soybeans, especially the one that would make it easier for his elderly parents to chew. Long story short, he came upon a fine method in which he first blended the soybeans, passed it through a soft material, seasoned it, heated it and finally cooled it down, thus creating tofu.
There’s also another group that believes that tofu was born in the hands of a native Mongolian tribe who lived in the northern region of China. Now, unlike most Asians in those days, this tribe preferred to drink milk and make milk products in the process. They tried all kinds of techniques, from churning to curdling and ended up producing cheese and well of course, tofu!
Evolution of tofu
Although born in China, tofu entered the global scene right after it arrived in Japan during the 8th century AD. It was the efforts of Zen Buddhist monks that made it happen, who often deemed tofu as “Chinese curd.” Experts believe that these monks were always looking for meat and fish alternatives, and found the right option in tofu. In fact, tofu became so popular among Buddhist community of Japan that it was served as an offering at the famous Kasuga Shrine in Nara, Japan.
Later, tofu spread all across South east Asia for the same reason. It came to be known as ‘tahu’ in Indonesia, ‘tauhu’ in Malaysia and Singapore, and ‘taho’ in Philippines and Thailand – where it gradually became a staple part of everyday diet.
Fast forward to the 18th century, American philosopher-inventor Benjamin Franklin while touring Southeast Asia came upon tofu and was impressed by its healthy potential. Guess what he called it? Cheese from China! However, it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that Americans embraced the idea of tofu as a form of mindful eating, that too vegan in nature.
Fun fact: When tofu freezes, it turns yellow. In addition, large ice crystals form within the pores which results in the development of large cavities and gives it a shape of sponge.