Chinese people have been eating delicious food for thousands of years. Moldy tofu has to go through a period of natural deterioration to have a special taste. #Longmeimei #Tofu #MoldyTofu
Man... you know some time back in history, someone was REALLY hungry when they remembered they had forgotten they left tofu out, came back to find it completely covered in hairy mold, and really said "... if I remove the hair and fry it, it should be safe to eat, right?"
brings back the senario that someone looked at a cow and said "I wonder what that white stuff tastes like" Im realizing none of yall have a sense of humor and are just dipshits
@@C0rvidC4rrion i mean all cultures have their own food safety standards, they just arent the same as modern ones. Ancient people had their own concept of what was and wasnt safe to eat.
Fermented tofu has the texture and taste reminiscent of blue cheese, if anyone is wondering. I've tasted a jar of it from my local asian grocery, but never knew how to prepare it like she did!. I'm glad to have seen this video for reference!
This is called 毛豆腐! I’ve had it once when I visited the hong village in Anhui, China, and it tastes like regular tofu but with a mushier and grainier center. It was pretty scary at first seeing all the “fur” on it but it tasted good and my stomach had no problems so 👍🏻
These kinds of videos are always so peaceful, and the food looks delicious. Something about seeing people from other cultures embracing their heritage by continuing on what their ancestors have taught them and preparing food from scratch is always so fascinating and it leaves me wishing I could be there to give these foods a try.
I hope you do not think that she lives like this. This is a set made just for this channel. There is a trend in the west to watch people in Asia do some cottage core. They know this and capitalized on it. Pretty smart imo. 😄
@aliceDarts Do I think this woman makes tofu from scratch every day? No...Maybe. She could definitely sell it. Just like people sometimes bake bread from scratch or make pasta from scratch. It's not necessarily something you could live off of but it's cool that she's still doing it
@@portobeIIa how about you hear me out before deciding if my take is so wild. (long post below, sorry) who do you think makes these types of videos and why? do you think these channels are run by individuals? there is professional style, lighting, camera work, and sets. heck, the scenes sometimes look like they been blocked out to get the most pleasing shot. to me, the videos have a similar visual style as chinese dramas and they certainly arent a one-person team. they are unconvincingly idealistic. this is very different than the korean cooking videos for the most part because, despite those videos also being high quality and calming, they are very obviously make by one person or a small team. there are dozens of extremely popular channels exactly like this and they pop out of nowhere with high production levels. some of them are clearly made in china (or at the least, are meant to resemble china), the first example that comes to mind is liziqi, who makes videos about living in the chinese countryside in the same "relaxing" style. only one problem, youtube is blocked in china. so how are these chinese citizens getting access to youtube and openly posting on a youtube channel? clearly theres something strange going on. china is working really hard on their image and reinvigorating chinese pride and culture. not to mention, theyve been desperately trying to get more tourism. i think this accomplishes both and also cultivates an audience that they can use in the future. ill send you an article about this topic in a separate comment, but it might get deleted because youtube doesnt like links. heres a quote from the article: "Their content is produced with the help of special influencer-management agencies known as multichannel networks (MCNs) that run their accounts and funnel a cut of the ad revenue back to them. Unlike MCNs elsewhere, those in China are enmeshed with the Chinese Communist Party, in the same way that most other significant businesses in the country are. Some MCNs have internal party committees. All MCNs are required by Chinese law to ensure that their talent adheres to the values of the party and promotes its agenda."
always amazes me that people learned how to make things like tofu and cheeses thousands of years ago, just because of the sheer number of steps and the labour involved. clearly they had an intimate understanding of the process of fermentation. very impressive
For me it's learning plants and such that's crazy. Like many cultures made Ayahuasca and you need to combine multiple plants to make it work even orally. So like did they make poison ivy soup at some point? Just sample everything in every way they can think of until they find remedies and spices?
@@CkyGuy69 nuts to think about, right? part of me thinks we are becoming much less smart and creative than our ancestors were, because we don't have to come up with new and unique solutions to things every day. there must have been so much trial and error involved to refine each process... we can't really grasp or appreciate quite how much work all the humans that came before us did, that makes our lives so straightforward now!
@@froogsleegs absolutely! I think the fact that we have so much information at our fingertips is such a blessing but also seems like a curse cuz like you said we don't problem solve or think critically as much as we did.
its so fascinating how some food is created! id never thought in my life that would be edible, but thats just because of how I was raised. I am so glad it is an enjoyable food experience for many!
People who originally ate it probably thought it wasn't edible either, they were just hungry and had spent too much time and energy making this food to let it go to waste unnecessarily 🤔😂 *all fermented and aged food enters conversation*
There are edible molds all over the place, and one of the most common people forget about is blue cheese. All sorts of molds are normal, and all depend on the type of food it gestates on and what type of mold their of. Really awesome to see a video on something like this.
All cheese that is aged pretty well has mold production that gives it unique flavors, but they are special molds that they usually introduce nowadays to ensure that the proper types of mold propagates so no one gets sick.
So the thought of it makes my stomach uneasy, but watching the process she takes is absolutely stunning. This is such an informative, relaxing, and beautiful video despite the mold part.
Also, any mushroom is a fungus just like this mold. Without mold, we’d probably all be dead because of the medical benefits. Mold, fungi, mushroom, mycelium, it’s all part of one thing and it’s beautiful. Most all mold/fungi is harmless. But the ones that aren’t, are incredibly dangerous. That’s why people are wary. If you learn how to identify fungi, you’ll fare well and eat even better. Always double check an ID though, especially when it is a mimic of a deadly fungi
As an adoptee from China, I’m content where I’m at in life. But sometimes, I see stuff like this and I miss this culture that I do not know nor ever got the chance to know. I wonder what I would have been taught, what I would have been like had I not been adopted Edit: Thanks to everyone for the support. Also wow, there are so many people from various cultures who have a similar experience to mine. I wish you all the best on your journey however it may play out. On another note, I have started learning Mandarin (sort of) though it’s kind of overwhelming and I don’t really know how to go about it.
@Harichu I definitely want to go to China one day. And I’m trying to learn the language on my own. They don’t teach it at my school and I’m quite academically and extracurriculy involved, so I can’t seek out other sources unless it’s on my own time. One day. One day…
If there's one nearby, you can visit a local Chinatown. Though my parents are Chinese, I never grew up around a lot of Chinese culture outside of family. But visiting the local Chinatown helped me understand what my folks are like because some of them are from the mainland and lived a long time.
“Awesome I didn’t die! So I’ll do the same exact steps next time and I’ll add one more step at the end see if tastes good this time” how I imagine people discovering this kind of food process back in the day. It’s amazing this one process can produce so many different dishes. People need to learn to be more open. The more we learn, the more we evolve.
I love seeing videos around Hairy Tofu actually. I've had it several times at local restaurants. It's actually delicious and reminds me of blue cheese because of the taste and texture. Edit: Oh, my word. My first comment with over a thousand likes! Thanks! 😊
@@AzrailTrinity333 It is. As long as you can get pass the smell and strong taste because of the fermentation process it tastes pretty good. The taste is quite strong so I wouldn't recommend it for those with weak stomach. The hairy part is mold on them but it is safe to eat. I think that's what deters most away minus the smell. I definitely try them though. I love them fried or with Asian Spices.
@@ayakotami3318 kimchi smells pretty bad to me but I still like it, is it comparable to this tofu or the tofu smell worse? I'm curious if I can tolerate the smell coz it looks good😂
@@Help22222 It can be slightly worse but it depends on how well it was prepared. I've eaten at two restaurants and one time it was quite stinky and the other I barely smelled it.
This is such a fascinating process! I've never had this dish, but I'd definitely be willing to try it if I ever get the chance! A lot of love and care is put into so many culture's foods that it would be a shame to dismiss it simply based on what you are used to! Beautiful process and super insightful video!!
Mom and daughter together eating is so beautiful. Great video, never thought moldy hairy tofu would be a thing I’d wanna tante. That egg bowl looked sooooo good too
I know that maybe a lot of people foreign to Asian cuisines might find it unappetising, but it is really good. They sell fermented tofu at Chinese supermarkets and it is really good as a condiment for hotpot, or just for flavouring and marinating meat before cooking. I’m unsure if it is exactly the same thing as the ones in the video but it is similar.
<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="160">2:40</a> - Is she using pickled cabbage/mustard brine as a tofu coagulant? That's really interesting. I've never seen a method like that. I imagine it also makes the pH more favorable for mold growth, so that the tofu itself ferments properly.
I think I would die from just from how spicy this dish is. The moment I saw her add the chilli, a part of my soul left me haha. It looks really delicious and I want to try some but I don't have such good spice tolerance
You can start really small like I did like eating mild ramen or adding a little more black pepper than usual ^^ then you can go to different ranges of hot sauce
My husband has had this. If you like very strong cheeses, you'll probably like it. I haven't had the opportunity to try it yet, but look forward to having it one day. It is always amazing to see what people can create.
This is so fascinating. I went from Ooh to Ahh to Huh? to Hmm. The way it's prepared, all the steps taken, it's so interesting. I've had tofu before and it's good. This definitely is an odd dish in my eyes, but I would like to try it someday.
Im honestly deeply interested in the science behind tofu and how the process of it molding can be safe for consumption cause i was taught all mold is bad and to never consume. But cheese is technically mold as well especially specific cheeses so i assume its similar but the process of how foods change and decay and how they can still be safe for you these videos are so fun because i learn the process of how something is made and prepared and can learn more about different foods
It's the same with yogurt, pickling, fermented foods like kimchi and Sauerkraut, and alcoholic drinks! Even though the latter turned out to be a mixed blessing...
Really dry and dense food is safe for consumption as long as the mold is removed. Better cut a bit of the molded place off. Best example of one such food is parmesan. Its density and lack of water hardens the spread of mold. 🤙
Wow! I never knew about this and the process alone is intriguing. I have to admit it must be a blessing to live in such a tranquil beautiful place. Maybe in another life, I will be able to experience this.
Happy women's equality week!! Thank you for the gorgeous recipe. I wish I could come visit and try it, because I'll never be as amazing and cool and you two! ❤️
There's something about traditional asian food made with wooden implements that you just can't get out here in the west. So calming the way wooden tools sound when cooking. I've even started using wood in my own kitchen (but sealing it properly first)
There are channels with historical western cooking too, for example Townsends. Depending on what period they're covering, they often use wooden implements -- at _least_ wooden spoons and whisks. I think you have to go a bit farther back in time to find that in the west, though, I'm not sure. And traditional dishes from the west (especially France) have been so enshrined into fancy "cuisine" in the collective consciousness that it's harder for us to see it as romantic and calming. For example, I forget where it was, but I saw a video on the making of traditional Italian mozzarella-type cheeses. It was remarkably similar to how she made tofu here, actually, except it started with milk and cheese curds instead of soybeans. But with cheese there's so much drama like, oh, if you don't follow the exact steps dictated by tradition, or you don't call the final product the exact right name according to its size and shape and age, you'll be Wrong. Edit: I just realized how long my comment is, so I'd like to say, I hope you don't take this as a criticism or anything, it's just very interesting to think about these things!
Это так мило, спокойно, одухотворенно... Для Европы и России это, конечно, непомерно остро. Мы бы такое навряд ли смогли съесть, не превратившись в огнедышащих драконов 🤣 даже не представляю, как малышка ест с аппетитом настолько острые блюда. Но... Это культура азиатских стран и люди к этому привыкли как раз-таки с раннего детства. Видео очень доброе. Хозяйка нежная, работящая, аккуратная, заботливая и красивая. Всё очень чистенько и уютно вокруг. Такой должна быть мама в моём представлении! Низкий поклон!
@@user-st4pr5nz3m Плесень может убить человека, а плесень что с сыром специально выведенная вроде, а если вы вдруг с этим не согласны, то попробуйте вырастить на хлебе похожую по длине плесень, и тоже съесть это, посмотрим что с вами будет.
@@goldfel4388 а почему я должна быть не согласна с прописными истинами? К чему ваш комментарий? Зачем мне выращивать плесень на хлебе и есть? Сами выращивайте и ешьте, если вам хочется.
*In no way is this meant to be offensive* This did initially repulse me (the actual tofu and the mold) but then seeing how much love, care and time you put into that made me so happy, it's amazing to see the technical side of cooking and to know you and your family will eat well, thank you for sharing this ❤️
Don’t forget! Many of the foods that people enjoy in America are moldy/fermented, or just insanely old! For example chocolate, cheese and some meats like salami. Even slim Jim’s!
To be fair this looks extremely similar to blue cheese and I hate blue cheese too XD With so many commenters saying that moldy tofu also _tastes_ like blue cheese, I can confidently say I wouldn't like to eat it myself, but I can still appreciate watching her craftsmanship as she makes it!
you got done cooking and your kid was like “Mom wasn’t fast enough cooking 😤”. Then she can cook all that herself. 😂 Anyways, amazing process! It takes a lot of hard work, and I’m glad you and your child will be living on such healthy dishes!
The part where the moldy tofu sits in the glass bowl... I didn't think I'd ever think of food this way... But they look cute, like little pillows huddling together for warmth
I had a science teacher that loved molds, protists, and weird life. If you got in trouble, he would make sit at the front, facing the classroom, and you had to eat some mold to get your seat back. He had several growing in jars around the classroom. I always picked a super bitter one. :P Legend has it that there was one jar that had a variety that tasted good.
@@aaameyaliii That is what other kids said back then. However I trusted him. It was his bag to know about it. He would not let or force kids to eat something that would harm them. Or no worse for them than eating blue cheese. A few mycotoxins perhaps but ye good old adage "dosis sola facit venenum" applies and we are taking a very small amount.
all this talk about how it tastes like blue cheese makes me wonder how long until American Vegans find out the recipe and start calling it "vegan blue cheese" lol I really want to try moldy tofu, it looks amazing!
I have OCD and an irrational fear of fermented food (I won't even eat dairy yoghurt and stuff) as a result. Videos like this give me more motivation to challenge that fear because people talk about how delicious these foods are. I miss yoghurt and blue cheese etc from before I flared up, and I rly want to try food like this. Here's to healing ig Edit: it's been nearly two years and people are still responding! I'm about 80% recovered from OCD now, can easily eat yoghurt and cheese, and am working up to stuff like blue cheese and intentionally moulded foods. Thanks for all the support!
I also have OCD. You are already doing so great by exposing yourself to your fermented food stressor voluntarily! I am rooting for you and I hope your healing continues to progress :)
@@bloodorange7428 thank you so much! Honestly it feels like when I challenge one theme, another one comes up 😅 wishing you the best too! OCD is rly horrible and we don’t deserve to be struggling with it
OCD is rough. My fiance has it. I hope that one day he will feel comfortable enough to try cognitive-behavioral therapy to help with it. Best of luck to all of you!
When I was a kid, there’s a tofu factory nearby my house. I always came there just to smell the processed tofu. This video brings back my old memories 😌
It’s amazes me how we in America eat cheese, raisins, pickles, dry aged steak, hard salami, yogurt, sour cream, drink wine, etc, but find this repulsive.
People are sheltered. That's actually how vegans become vegans. They had no idea where the bacon came from and when they found out, they stopped eating it.
Very true, it’s crazy to see my fellow AMERICUNS be grossed out by this even thought we eat all these delicious food here in America that we don’t realize is fermented
As someone who only eats unfermented cheeses, doesn't drink alcohol, has a penicillin allergy and lactose intolerance, and is from a culture where fermentation really isn't a thing, this was challenging to wrap my head around. I'm normally repulsed by anything slightly moldy, so this challenged my whole definition of edible. The closest I've ever gotten is eating button mushrooms, but even those I fry into oblivion. However, the meals created at the end looked delicious, and I have the utmost respect for the hard work and history that goes into this tofu. While I don't think I'd ever try the moldy tofy as is or with just the chilli seasoning, I would definitely try the version that was fried in the hot oil. Seeing it cooked puts my mind more at ease, and I'm sure the texture and taste would be very interesting.
The music, the camera work, the aesthetically pleasing sounds. It makes me love experiencing these simple pleasures that I get to call peaceful. And since im only human, why shouldn’t I? If I can’t enjoy the littles things such as this video, than how can I enjoy life to its fullest? 😇 Thank you for reminding me that even the smallest of things bring the biggest of smiles
Brooo I love tofu, even if I was raised to be very picky with food I am just obsessed with tofu. I don’t get to eat it often though, only in miso soups :( I never knew there was more than one type though, so this is very interesting.
You should definitely look around for different types of tofu and tofu dishes! There's so many ways it can be prepared and enjoyed. Deep fried tofu is great in soups because you can tear it open and hollow/spongy inside will soak up soup for the perfect bite. I also like pan fried firm tofu, you just fry it until you get a golden crust and then it can be as simple as adding some soy sauce or you can get a bit more adventurous with also adding sesame oil, black vinegar, chili crisp, or whatever else you might enjoy. You can use silken tofu instead and not pan fry it, so it's really light and refreshing and perfect for a hot day. There's so many tofu dishes because of all the cultures that use it, and with all the variety I'm sure you'll find a bunch that you'll love
This is why food is so interesting to me. Things like this where someone goes, "Hang on let me cook you something. Come back in a month or 2 after my tofu is moldy and ill fry it up for you. Such an interesting experience and a truly beautiful and fascinating country. Wish i could live there dood... so peaceful.
@@imb5128blue cheese is absolutely vile and makes me nauseous. You’re literally eating mold. Mold is not healthy, no matter what. Don’t care if some people like the taste. It’s. Disgusting.