Traditional production techniques of dried tofu with horns
The traditional production techniques of Yangjiao dried tofu have a long history. Because the production area is concentrated in Yangjiao Town, Wulong District, it is named after its geographical features. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China, Yangjiao Town was called "Yangjiao Qi", named after the Qi dam formed by the rock collapse on the Wujiang River, which resembles a "sheep horn". With the gathering of shipbuilding industry and various types of people in the market town, the town's business has become increasingly prosperous. In order to meet the needs of various types of people for leisure or fast food on the road and to showcase the rich local specialty foods, some small shops have inherited the craftsmanship passed down from their ancestors and used local high-quality soybeans to produce dried tofu for the market. In order to win the favor of customers, each store strives for excellence in production, and puts a lot of effort into quality, color, fragrance and taste, making the tofu series products a well-known food in Yangjiaoqi market town. As long as merchants and passers-by come to Yangjiaoqi and other ships (cargoes) to pass Wulitan of Wujiang River, they must buy the tofu with good color, fragrance and taste to taste or as a condiment for drinking and eating. When leaving, they also don't forget to buy some to take home or give to relatives and friends. As a result, "Yangjiao tofu" began to become famous all over the world and has remained prosperous for hundreds of years. Yangjiao tofu is made from local high-quality soybeans. After soaking, grinding, boiling and filtering, bile water decomposition, extrusion molding and other processes, it is cut into white tofu of varying sizes and thicknesses. Then, it is repeatedly marinated and dried 35 times with spice bags made of star anise, pepper, grass fruit, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, Sannai, and angelica, and then stewed and colored with white sugar slurry, edible salt and brine spice bags. Finally, it is sterilized at high temperature and vacuum packed for consumption. Yangjiao dried tofu has a unique taste and is loved by consumers and is well-known in the region. In 2011, it was included in the third batch of Chongqing's intangible cultural heritage representative projects. (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.) (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.)