The taste of tofu milk

From small to large, until now, tofu milk is my favorite, a must-have on my table, a memory I have always had, and a memorable memory.

Born in the late 1960s, I was luckier than my brothers born in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and escaped the "three-year difficult period" hunger my mother often said.

In the 1970s, although there was no "three-year difficult period" as my mother said, there were many brothers and sisters at home and parents' salaries were meager. Rice, oil and salt are supplied by ticket, and vegetables are grown in vegetable fields at home. There is still no possibility of buying whatever you want. Brothers are growing up, and sometimes there is not enough food. It's only a matter of time before you earn a basket of food, let alone good food.

Especially in the second half of the year, the weather is cold, and the vegetables in the vegetable field are either not long or freeze to death, so not all meals can eat fresh vegetables.

It is in this green and yellow time that my mother can always make pickles, dried radish and tofu brain to adjust our dining table and try her best to make us eat well.

I remember every year when I was in the ninth grade, my mother would buy a big basket of tofu and let it drain for two days. We shuttled indoors and outdoors, and the fragrance of old tofu floated in and out with us, which felt wonderful.

After the tofu was moldy, my mother put salt, Chili powder and star anise powder in a small bowl, so that my sister and I could learn to roll tofu milk.

The two of us sat on a small bench, holding a small bowl in one hand and chopsticks in the other. We carefully put the moldy tofu into the bowl and gently stirred it with chopsticks to roll the tofu and the mixed seasoning evenly.

The fluffy and sticky moldy tofu immediately turned into a gorgeous body and put on a gorgeous red dress, as beautiful and charming as a bride. Then we will welcome the little bride into the newly prepared house-a small jar, and wait for her to continue to grow and ferment.

So I look at the bride on the altar every day.

The next day, I suddenly found that the jar of bean curd filled with us was broken a lot, so I asked my mother curiously why. My mother told me that tofu became soft after it became moldy, and its own weight suppressed the gap between the two, so it was broken. Well, I am secretly worried: the bride in the altar, you don't have to be so crowded, because your clothes will not look good if they are crowded.

A few days later, my mother took off the lid of each jar and poured some white wine one by one. At this time, I always shout anxiously: "put less wine!" " Put less wine! "For fear of getting drunk with the sleeping bride on the altar.

It is estimated that the reason is that the wine is drenched, which accelerates the fermentation of tofu and promotes the dissolution of spices such as salt. Soon, more than half of the tofu in the jar was lost by the oozing water.

Finally, half a month passed, and one morning, my mother said that tofu brain was going to be moldy and ready to eat. So when I opened the jar, a unique smell of bean curd came to my eyes, and the bright bean curd jumped into my eyes. Mother slowly put a few pieces of tofu brain in a small bowl and slowly poured sesame oil on it.

I'm already salivating. I can't wait to put out my chopsticks, put a piece of tofu brain in my hand, put a handful on the steamed bread in my hand, then put it in my mouth, take a big bite and chew it carefully. It's fragrant and spicy. Steamed bread, which is like chewing wax on weekdays, suddenly becomes particularly delicious, and the pleasant satisfaction is comparable to eating fish and meat.

Sometimes there is really no vegetable stir-fry at home at night, so my mother will fry the leftovers and our brother and sister will eat a few pieces of tofu milk. I was very playful when I was a child. My mother called for dinner, and my friends and I were skipping outside. Immediately go home and serve a bowl of rice, put on two pieces of tofu brain and carry the bowl out, eat and watch, and continue to watch the friends jump house. At this time, an aunt passed by and deliberately reached over to look at my rice bowl and said, "Poor thing, there is no food to eat, so just eat some tofu milk." And I'm still eating a little tofu brain, mindless, watching my friends jump out of the house with relish.

Sometimes, when there is really no food at home at night, my mother cooks flour bumps, puts some vegetables and scoops up a spoonful of lard. My younger brother and sister can eat two bowls of pimples with a few pieces of tofu milk. They are happy and full, and feel so warm.

Sometimes, my mother will add two eggs to the leftover tofu soup and steam out a big bowl of egg soup. We will also eat two bowls of rice with this egg custard, which is so refreshing and cheerful.

02

Later, when we grew up, we left home one by one and had our own small family. On weekdays, there are only my parents and two old people at home, and my mother is getting older every year, so she no longer makes tofu milk. Occasionally, when I go home, every time I eat, my mother will take out tofu milk and tell me that this tofu milk is bought. This tofu milk is given by Aunt Hu. No matter how hard I try to eat, I can't eat the delicious food I ate as a child.

Later, I asked my mother for advice. I learned to make tofu milk myself, and the better I did, the better I got. Everything in the world is spiritual, so is making bean curd. I love it, do it with my heart, and it will definitely give back our true feelings with the most beautiful taste.

I often share my tofu milk with my friends and get their unanimous praise: your tofu milk is delicious! Sometimes I bring tofu milk to my colleagues in the canteen and say, "delicious!" Delicious! " "Thanks to your tofu, I ate a bowl of rice today." In the end, even the remaining tofu soup was not wasted. I taught the canteen to teach the chef to steam a large plate of egg soup with tofu soup, and it was full in a few minutes, and everyone ate happily.

Tofu not only brings me delicious and happiness, but also cures me. I remember once having a big fight with my husband. I didn't eat any angry food and went straight to bed, no matter what my husband told me to eat. At that time, my son was in the third grade of primary school. After his father went out, he brought me a bowl of vegetables and said to me, "Mom, you have eaten. I know you like tofu, so I took a stool, climbed into the refrigerator, carefully took down the tofu jar on it, and finally put a piece of tofu on it. " Seeing the small piece of tofu on the rice, my throat was blocked and my eyes blurred, so I held my son in my arms.

03

I was so busy talking about how delicious tofu milk is that I forgot to share with you how to make it.

Find a clean cardboard box and spread it with neat and dry straw, with a little more on each floor, so as to prevent the bottom of the box from getting wet. I like being poor and picky, and I have covered myself with a veil. Experience tells me that there will be no black spots like ink marks on moldy tofu when gauze is laid.

Cut the drained tofu into 2-3 cm pieces and put them evenly on the straw. Pay attention to leave some gaps on both sides to facilitate fermentation. When the first floor is finished, lay the second floor and the third floor.

Usually about two weeks, a layer of pink and purple hair grows on the tofu, indicating that the fermentation is almost complete. If I'm not sure if it's moldy, the most practical method my mother taught me is to put a piece of moldy tofu in a small bowl, steam it on rice when cooking, and taste it after steaming. If there is no hard heart in the middle, it is moldy. This process is very critical. If it's moldy, don't mention it, and tofu milk won't be left.

Pour a proper amount of prepared edible salt, Chili powder and white sesame powder into a small bowl and mix well. Now pay attention to scientific diet, older people had better eat less salt and avoid spicy food, so I mixed a small amount of white sesame powder, which not only increased the flavor of tofu, but also reduced the salty and spicy taste of tofu. Seasoning should be adjusted according to personal tastes and preferences.

Carefully put the moldy tofu into the seasoning bowl, roll it evenly, put it in a glass bottle, and cover it when the tofu milk is folded down the next day. After two days, open the glass bottle, pour a little white wine on it, and then tighten the lid.

Wait patiently for twenty days, and the delicious bean curd will be made and ready to eat.

My love for tofu milk begins with taste and ends with feelings.

When we were young, we didn't have a chance to be picky about food because of the lack of material conditions. Everything we eat is so sweet and delicious, and I'm afraid it's just tofu.

When you grow up, take a bite of spicy food and taste your memory. Tofu milk grew up with our brothers and sisters. Some of them entered the factory, some went to the army, and some were admitted to the university.

When I was young, happiness was a thing. If I had it, I would be happy. When I grow up, I find that happiness is a state of mind, and when I understand it, I will be happy.

Now I gradually understand that I love the smell of bean curd, but it turns out to be the smell of infatuation with my mother!