Fermented Tofu Sheets

Fermented tofu sheets are a traditional Shaoxing soy product: thin tofu skins are rolled into small rolls, bedded on rice straw and left to grow a white mold, yielding a soft, clean and delicately fragrant delicacy within the city's family of fermented foods.

The version from Songxia in Shaoxing's Shangyu area is the best known, with a long history; Qing-era Songxia rolls were reportedly prized at court as a 'curious dish,' part of the watertown's fermenting tradition.

It is usually steamed — cut into lengths and seasoned with lard and salt — or fried crisp and dusted with five-spice, a homely accompaniment to wine and rice.

Plain yet fragrant and soft on the palate, it is the refined member of Shaoxing's fermented soy foods.