Xialun Lao Zhou Ice Tofu Pudding Introduction
Lao Zhou Ice Tofu is primarily sold at night markets across various locations. Observing the crowd at the dusk market in Xiàlùn, especially in front of Fuan Temple, as well as the weekly night market on Wednesdays, it has become a must-try snack for the locals. The owner, Cai Yiying (born in 1978), learned the production methods from her uncle, Zhou Wenda, who started the business of selling tofu in 1990 and established the well-known "Lao Zhou Ice Tofu" brand. In 2009, after learning how to make it, Cai Yiying, with her wife Lin Yushan and with the consent of her uncle, began selling traditional handmade ice tofu under the same name at various night markets. In addition to the traditional white tofu, Lao Zhou Ice Tofu also offers a variety of flavors including glutinous rice balls, taro balls, rice cakes, sweet potato balls, aiyu jelly, red beans, green beans, and soybeans (known as "min beans"), all of which are homemade and not purchased from suppliers. The glutinous rice balls are particularly popular, with Lao Zhou Ice Tofu specializing in their glutinous rice ball tofu. The process for making the glutinous rice balls involves grinding glutinous rice into a batter, filtering the water, drying it, kneading it to the right softness, and then shaping and boiling them. Once cooked, they are placed in cold water to create a chewy texture. When customers order, they first scoop the glutinous rice balls into a bowl, then add the tofu and pour syrup over it before serving. Lao Zhou Ice Tofu also has a stall at the night market in Taizi Village, and operates on...
