Apricot kernel jelly, known as apricot kernel tofu in Chinese (杏仁豆腐 Xìngrén dòufu) is a traditional snack in Jiangsu Province, but found all over China.
Read on to find out more about this delicious delicacy.
It’s not actually tofu
The Chinese name is apricot kernel tofu (杏仁豆腐 Xìngrén dòufu) but in fact it is a kind of jelly, and not made with soy milk as tofu is.
It can be made at home with a few simple ingredients
Sweet apricot kernels (not the bitter ones!) are soaked ground and boiled with water and a gelling agent (agar agar or gelatin). After chilling the tofu becomes firm and can be cut into pieces. Exact recipes vary by province, but if you search online for ‘almond tofu’ or ‘almond jelly’ (so called because in Chinese apricot kernel and almond are both 杏仁) you can find plenty of recipes.
According to TCM, it’s good for you.
Almonds contain 20% protein, are nourishing and good for the lungs. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, moderate consumption of almonds can help produce saliva and slake thirst, moisten the lungs and calm asthma.
The history of apricot kernel jelly can be traced back to the Three Kingdoms period.
During the Three Kingdoms period (220-280AD), there was a famous doctor named Dong Feng(董奉). He was highly skilled but charged nothing for treatment, only asking the cured patient to plant an apricot tree for him. Over time, people planted thousands of apricot trees for him, creating a forest of apricot trees. Many hospitals in China are named Xinglin, meaning apricot forest (杏林), after it. Apricot kernel tofu was invented by the locals using the fruit of this apricot forest. Later, almond tofu was introduced to the court.
It is one of the dishes included in the Manchu Han Imperial Feast (满汉全席).
The Manchu Han Imperial Feast is a type of banquet that combined elements of Manchu and Han cuisine in the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and a style of cooking derived from it. Although the origins aren’t clear, one possible origin is a huge banquet for thousands of people given by Emperor Kangxi in 1714. The feast featured 320 dishes, some featuring now-rare or endangered animals, and would have been eaten over several days.
Have you ever tried this dish? Are you going to try making it at home? Let us know in the comments below. We always love hearing your thoughts and insights!
Photo Credits
– Akira Yamada, Kanesue and nekotank on Flickr
– ShuaiGuo on Pixabay
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