Dongsha Pressed Tofu
Firm, dark-brown squares of pressed tofu from the old fishing town of Dongsha on Daishan island, simmered in soy and spice, eaten sliced as a cold snack or stir-fried with greens.
How to eat it
From the pack it is ready to eat: slice each square thinly and eat it as it is, or with a drop of sesame oil and chilli, as a snack with tea or beer. The texture is dense and springy, closer to a firm cheese than to soft tofu, and the flavour is concentrated near the dark outer skin. Restaurants slice it into strips and toss it with celery or peppers; in that form it is a side rather than a main. It keeps for weeks unopened, which is why it is sold as a gift.
The story behind the dish
Dongsha was a prosperous fishing port on Daishan island in the Qing dynasty and the early twentieth century, and its old street of grey-brick shops survives as one of the best-preserved townscapes in the archipelago. Pressed tofu became the town's specialty for a practical reason: it gave the fishing fleet a protein that kept without ice, and it fed the many Buddhist and fasting households of the islands. Local makers speak of recipes handed down over several generations, and while the exact age is not documented, the tofu is still made in small workshops in the town and sold across Zhoushan.
For reference
Every kitchen does it its own way. What follows is the typical version — ingredients, heat and price shift from city to city and from one restaurant to the next, so take it as a guide rather than a fixed recipe.