Ma Tofu

Ma Tofu is a specialty of Beijing, and also can be found in a few regions in the north of China like Liaoning Province. It came from the soybean vermicelli workshop in old Beijing. The soybean vermicelli workshop was originally a place where soybean vermicelli starch was produced. Soybeans are put in a stone mill, and then water is added when the mill is working. At this time, the beans are divided into three kinds of things. The fine soybean powder on the top is used to make starch; the bean juice at the bottom is used to make fermented bean drink. The dense bean paste in the middle is used to make Ma Tofu. Because of the fermentation, Ma Tofu has a special flavor as Beijing fermented bean drink does.