Soft, snowy curds that are unique to Chinese cuisine

Backgrounder

Tofu, also known as soybean curd, is made by coagulating fresh hot soymilk with a curdling agent. The precise origin of the first tofu is disputed, but Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) herbalist Li Shizhen, in his classic pharmacopeia Compendium of Materia Medica, wrote that tofu was invented by King Liu An.

Around 164 BC, Liu An succeeded his father's title as King of Huainan in eastern China. He believed in immortal life and spared no effort chasing the elixir. In the process, he financed thousands of alchemists to refine the elusive pills that would give him eternal life. Once when the alchemists were making pills with soybean milk, they accidentally dropped in some plaster, and the milk became a soft, smooth delicious curd.