Rice noodle in Yunnan is eaten in all sorts of variants, such as small-pot rice noodle, cross-bridge rice noodle, marinated rice noodle, and cold rice noodle, among which tofu pudding (Douhua)  rice noodle is very special to those who first see it but traditional to the local.

Soft tofu pudding. [Xinhua/Xu Hualing]

Tofu pudding is also named jellied bean curd, beancurd jelly, and tofu jelly. It tastes fresh and a little bit sweet. After scalding rice noodle in boiling water, slippery tofu pudding is added with other ingredients like sweet soy sauce, salty soy sauce, leek, chili oil, pepper, peanuts, braised minced meat, etc..

There is an old and famous restaurant in Kunming, named Deshengqiao Douhua Mixian. It was founded in 1984, and dozens of branches have been opened in Kunming. The brand’s founder is Yang Meihuai, who used to carry a shoulder pole to sell tofu pudding in the 1970s. Yang also sold some snacks such as cold rice noodle roll on Deshengqiao bridge at that time. Then she rented a seven-square-meter shop for selling tofu pudding rice noodle as her business got better and better. Now, she has over 30 branches in Yunnan.

 Tofu pudding rice noodle. [Xinhua/Xu Hualing]

Scalded rice noodle. [Xinhua/Xu Hualing]

It is easy to cook a tofu pudding rice noodle as long as ingredients are added properly. “The key is seasoning.” A chef said. Sweet and salty soy sauce are essential to enhance the flavor. Preserved dried cabbage full of vitamins has an appetizing effect. Leek and chili oil can improve the color and flavor, and peanut adds crispy taste. The combination of the ingredients and tofu pudding makes the rice noodle delicious, smooth, spicy, and fresh.

Seasonings of tofu pudding rice noodle. [Xinhua/Xu Hualing]

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(Editors: Christine, Sam)