Xialun Old Zhou Ice Tofu Pudding Introduction
Lao Zhou Ice Tofu (老周冰豆花) primarily operates in night markets across various locations. The crowds at the dusk market in Xialun near the Fu'an Temple, along with the Wednesday night market, have made it a must-try snack for the locals. The owner, Cai Yiying (born in 1978), learned the making methods from his uncle, Zhou Wenda, who started the business in 1990, establishing the renowned brand "Lao Zhou Ice Tofu." After obtaining his uncle's permission, Cai Yiying and his wife Lin Yushan began selling traditional handmade ice tofu under the same name in the night markets after learning the production techniques in 2009. Besides the traditional white tofu, Lao Zhou Ice Tofu has also developed various flavors, including glutinous rice balls, taro balls, jelly, sweet potato balls, aiyu jelly, red beans, green beans, and soybeans (sensitive beans), with all ingredients being homemade and not purchased pre-made. The glutinous rice ball tofu is particularly popular, and it is the signature dish of Lao Zhou Ice Tofu. The glutinous rice balls are made by grinding long sticky rice into a paste, filtering the water, removing excess moisture, and kneading to a suitable softness, before being shaped and boiled. They are then placed in ice water, allowing them to cool and contract, giving the balls a chewy and elastic texture. When customers order, they first scoop the glutinous rice balls into a bowl, add the tofu, and pour syrup on top before serving. Lao Zhou Ice Tofu also sets up a stall at the night market in Taizi Village during specific hours.
