Rice tofu with chili sauce (红油米豆腐) is one of the most popular and distinctive snacks in Guiyang, and even across Guizhou Province. Its signature chili oil is made using a unique secret recipe, resulting in variations in flavor depending on the method of preparation. The rice tofu itself is tender, complemented by crispy soybeans, crunchy peanuts, sweet bean sprouts, and flavorful pickled vegetables, all soaked in fragrant and spicy chili oil.
Summer is the peak season for rice tofu with chili sauce, as people enjoy it while leisurely shopping or traveling. It’s a must-have snack to satisfy cravings and refresh the palate. Many families also regularly incorporate it into their meals, whether as lunch, a side dish, or a late-night snack.
Despite its name, “rice tofu” is not made from soybeans like traditional tofu. Instead, it is made from rice that is ground into a slurry, resembling the appearance of tofu but with a unique taste and texture.
Preparation Method:
- Making Rice Tofu: Wash and soak rice for 4 hours and soybeans for 5 hours. Grind them into a slurry using a stone mill, with a ratio of rice/soybeans/water typically being 1:0.5:4. Cook the slurry until it boils, then let it cool to around 50 degrees Celsius. Add a little lime water to coagulate the mixture, stirring evenly. Pour the mixture into an enamel basin and let it cool completely to form rice tofu.
- Preparing Ingredients: Fry peanuts until crispy and fry soybeans until golden brown. Chop scallions into small pieces, mince ginger, and crush garlic into a paste, soaking it briefly in cold water. Blanch mung bean sprouts in hot water and drain. Cut pickled vegetables into small cubes and chop pickled cabbage into fine pieces.
- Assembling Dish: Cut the rice tofu into long strips, about 6 cm in length and 1 cm in width and height. Place them in a bowl and drizzle with chili oil. Add chopped scallions, ginger, mung bean sprouts, fried peanuts, fried soybeans, pickled vegetables, pickled cabbage, sesame oil, soy sauce, crushed garlic, vinegar, and monosodium glutamate. Mix everything thoroughly to combine the flavors, and it’s ready to serve.