Bai ye facts for kids
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Stuffed bai ye
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| Alternative names | Tofu skin |
|---|---|
| Course | Jiangsu cuisine |
| Place of origin | China |
Bai ye (also known as English: tofu skin) is a special food from China. Its Chinese name, 百叶 (bái yè), means "hundred pages." It is a key ingredient in many traditional Chinese dishes.
Tofu skin is made from tofu that has been pressed. Imagine taking soft tofu and squeezing out a lot of its water. This makes it firm and gives it a unique texture. In China, you can find pressed tofu in many different shapes and sizes.
What is Tofu Skin?
Tofu skin is made from soybeans. When soybeans are cooked and processed to make tofu, a thin layer forms on top. This layer is carefully collected and then pressed. This pressing process creates the "skin" or "sheets" that we call bai ye.
How is Tofu Skin Used?
People use tofu skin in many different ways. It can be rolled, folded, or tied into knots. It's known for soaking up the flavors of other ingredients. This makes it a great addition to soups, stews, and stir-fries.
Tofu Skin Roll (百叶包)
One popular way to enjoy tofu skin is in a roll. These are called bai ye bao in Chinese. They look like little bundles or cylinders.
- The outside is made of a thin sheet of tofu skin.
- Inside, you'll find tasty fillings. These can be vegetables, pork, or beef.
- Sometimes, salt, sugar, or oil are added for extra flavor.
- Tofu skin rolls are often served in a warm soup. They might even come with wheat gluten, which is another plant-based food.
Tofu Skin Knot (百叶结)
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Another common form is the tofu skin knot. These are strips of tofu skin tied into small knots. They look really neat!
- These knots are great at soaking up sauces.
- They are a main ingredient in a famous dish called Shanghai-style red-braised pork belly.
- In this dish, pork belly is slowly cooked with tofu skin knots.
- The sauce is made with sugar, soy sauce, Chinese wine, and spices.
- The tofu skin knots soak up all these delicious flavors, making them super tasty.
"To make it go further, add more stock or water and a vegetarian ingredient that will soak up the sauce most deliciously. Puffy, deep-fried tofu is a fine addition to red-braised pork, as are hard-boiled eggs, dried tofu "bamboo" and the little knotted strips of dried tofu skin that can be found in some Chinese supermarkets (the latter two should first be soaked in hot water until supple)."
—Fuchsia Dunlop, Epicurious
