Learn how to make sour bean curd, besides called “ Chao ”, from incision ! This 4-ingredient condiment is cheesy, tangy, and can be used to add plenty of spirit to soups, marinades, dipping sauces, and more !
Since discovering fermented bean curd, I have been using it a set. Whether it is in soups, marinades, or as a dip sauce, it can be used in many dishes to add extra season, umami, and some cheesiness .
The thing is, ferment bean curd is not that easy to find and let ‘s be honest, I wanted to learn how to make my own. here is a guidebook on how to make sour bean curd ( besides called chao ) from scratch !
???? What is Chao?
Chao ( which is its vietnamese name ) is bean curd that is fermented for at least 1 month in a brine that consists of water, salt, and normally rice wine. According to some books, the proficiency to make ferment bean curd appeared 200 BC in China .
It is quite salty, sometimes hot, and has a identical soft texture, about like a paste that you could compare to blue cheese. When chao is fermented for a long time, it takes a firm relish, that reminds me of a strong camembert .
What ‘s bang-up about chao is that it keeps for months, if not years in its seawater !
???? How to Make Chao?
Making chao is easy but requires some patience !
Before starting: As with most ferment recipes, taking caution of hygiene is critical to the achiever of the zymosis march. So I recommend using gloves while handling the bean curd to prevent bad bacteria .
Preparing the tofu
It starts with the bean curd that is boiled for a pair of minutes in salt water. This step not only helps kill some bacterias, but it besides helps the bean curd enfeeble more water .
following, you want to place your bean curd on several sheets of kitchen newspaper towel, cover with more newspaper towels, and place a weight on it to press it and remove excess water. I normally use a large iron frying pan that is quite intemperate. Leave your bean curd like this for about 1 and a half hours and change the newspaper towel as needed if it becomes besides wet .
Fermentation
following, cut your bean curd into 1-inch cubes. Place them on a plate lined with kitchen paper towel, then home another man of composition towel on top, and cover the solid plate with plastic film .
now you want to let the tofu ferment for about 2 days at 77-86°F ( 25-30° Celcius ). so as you can guess this recipe works well in the summer, but can besides be done during winter if you have a quick position in your house .
After 2-3 days, the bean curd should be slenderly orange and a piece malodorous ( see photograph below ). It may have some white mold a well, that ‘s approve. If you see black or blue shape, just scrape it off. Quick tip: if the bean curd is not malodorous enough when you put it in the seawater, you will end up with a meek chao, if it is already stinky your chao will be stronger .
The hardest separate is now done !
Adding to the Brine
The bean curd now contains some natural cultures and molds that will work during the zymosis summons .
To prevent the bean curd from going bad, we need a brine. It consists of boiled water shuffle with salt, sugar, and rice wine ( or vodka ). Place the bean curd cube in glass jars and cover charge with the brine .
optionally, you can dip each bean curd cube in chili flakes, it makes the chao more flavorful and gives it an appealing orange color. If you plan on using chao to make cheeses, plainly omit the chili .
once your jars are filled, dependable with a hat and place them in a benighted place at around 68°F ( 20°C ) for at least 3 weeks .
The longer you let it long time, the stronger and softer it becomes. I found that after 6 weeks, the bean curd is already creamy and has a courteous cheese flavor .
???? FAQ
- Can I omit the wine? I would not recommend it, it helps with the preservation of the tofu.
- I am getting a lot of black mold on the tofu, is this normal? No, you shouldn’t have any black mold. If that is the case, start again and make sure all of your tools and plates are clean. Use very clean hands while handling the tofu, or handle with clean chopsticks.
- How long can I keep Chao? You can keep chao in your refrigerator for up to a year. I personally had a jar that I kept for over a year and the chao was still perfectly good!
???? How to Use Chao?
Chao can be used in a handful of ways :
- Dipping sauces: Mash a cube of chao and mix it with some lime juice, sugar, chili, and a little bit of water to dilute. The sauce can then used as a dipping sauce for steamed veggies.
- Vegan cheeses: Since chao is packed with umami and cheesiness, it’s perfect to add flavor to your vegan cheeses! Add half of a cube to vegan camembert or smoked cheese when blending the cashews for a deeper flavor!
- On top of rice: Add some chao on top of steamed white rice and slightly mash it using chopsticks. Chao will add saltiness and cheesiness!
- Stirred into soups: Perfect to take your soups to the next level, you can use it in place of miso.
- Marinades: Combined with soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil, this fermented tofu can be used as a base for marinades.
I hope you enjoyed this usher and you will start to make your own ferment bean curd !
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe !
???? Recipe
How to Make Fermented Tofu (Chao)
author :
Learn how to make fermented tofu, also known as chao, from scratch! It’s the perfect condiment to use in sauces, marinades, soups, and more!
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Prep Time
2
hrs
Fermenting Time
21
d
Total Time
21
d
2
hrs
Course
Condiment
Cuisine
Vietnamese
Servings
2
medium jars
Read more: Best Chinese Food in DC
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Ingredients
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1 lebanese pound firm bean curd, cut in half
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4 cups urine
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1 tablespoon salt
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optional : ¼ cup chili flakes
Brine
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1 and ½ cup water
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3 tablespoon salt
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1 tablespoon carbohydrate
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¼ cup vodka ( or ½ cup rice wine )
Instructions
- Before starting : I recommend using gloves when handling the bean curd to prevent bad bacterias and mold from growing .
- Bring 4 cups of water with one tablespoon of salt to a boil in a medium size sauce pan. once boiling, add the bean curd and boil for 4 minutes .
- Remove the bean curd from the urine and put it on a few sheets of kitchen paper towel. clear with more kitchen wallpaper towel and topographic point a arduous weight on it to press the bean curd and remove surfeit water. I normally use an cast-iron frying pan. Let it drain for about 90 minutes, changing the newspaper towel as needed if it becomes besides moisture .
- Line a large denture with two layers of kitchen newspaper towel, or a clean towel. Cut the bean curd into 1-inch cubes and put the cube on the plate, leaving about 1 edge between each cube, so they do n’t touch each other. clear with another sheet of kitchen wallpaper towel and cover the whole plate with plastic movie. The plastic film will prevent bad bacteria from reaching the bean curd .
- rate the plate in a night locate at 77-86°F ( 25-30°C ) and let it ferment for 2 to 3 days. The bean curd will have taken a light orange tinge and will have a malodorous smell. You may besides see some white cast vitamin a well, this is approve. If you see blue or blue cast, scrape it off .
- Prepare the brine : aggregate 1 and ½ cup of water system with the salt and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a seethe and seethe for 1 minute. once boiling, remove from heat and let it cool completely. Add the vodka and stir to combine .
- Transfer the malodorous bean curd to clean glass jars. If you want to make it piquant, dip each bean curd block in chili flakes before putting it in the jars. Pour the brine into the jars to cover the bean curd. Close the jars with a lid and place in a dark cool place ( around 68°F – 20°C ) for at least 3 weeks. The longer you let it ages, the stronger and softer your bean curd will be .
- For extra season, you can add about ½ teaspoon of sesame anoint into each jar after the 3 weeks have passed .
- Use this ferment bean curd to make dip sauces, to top rice, add to vegan cheeses, practice in marinades, soups, etc .
Notes
For a quick dipping sauce, mash one cube of fermented tofu in a small bowl. Add about 1 teaspoon of lime juice, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and sliced chili to taste. Feel free to add a couple of tablespoons of water to taste if it’s too salty. Use this sauce to dip steamed or roasted vegetables.
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