The Soul of Sufu: Science, Flavour and Culinary Wisdom
Sufu — the creamy, fragrant, deeply savoury treasure of Chinese fermentation — is more than an ingredient. It’s a legacy. Behind every jar lies a millennium of craft, an intimate dance between artisans and microbes, and a transformation that turns humble tofu into something extraordinary.
But sufu isn’t just cultural poetry. It’s a living food you can explore, cook with, and savour — provided you know what’s in your jar, how to store it, and how to make it sing in your kitchen.
Let’s lift the lid, breathe in the aroma, and journey from its science to its soul — with a few practical tips along the way.
🧬 Phase 1 – The Cube Before the Canvas
Every sufu story begins with tofu, cut into cubes and gently air-dried. This creates the firm, porous surface that invites life in.
Then, artisans dust the cubes with moulds from the Rhizopus, Actinomucor, or Mucor families — the same kin that help create tempeh, miso, and other Asian ferments. Within days, a snowy coat of mycelium appears, known as pehtze.
To the untrained eye, it may look odd. To the sufu maker, it’s a promise — the prelude before fermentation turns this modest bean curd into a flavour symphony.
🌊 Phase 2 – Brining: The Microbial Orchestra
Once moulded, the tofu is submerged in brine. Recipes vary, but often include:
Salt – the microbial gatekeeper, keeping harmful bacteria at bay.
Rice wine – deepening aroma and complexity.
Aromatics – chilli, sesame oil, red yeast rice, rose wine, or other regional signatures.
In the brine, three transformations unfold:
Proteins break down into amino acids — not just glutamate for umami, but also sweet notes (alanine, glycine) and bitter notes (methionine, leucine) that balance depth with edge.
Fats convert into free fatty acids and aromatic esters, lending sufu its buttery, sometimes cheesy, mouthfeel.
Carbohydrates break down into sugars, adding a faint sweetness or tang.
The final flavour is never one-dimensional — it’s layered, balanced, and evolving with every week of ripening.
🔬 Nutrition: The Nuance
Fermentation changes more than taste.
Easier digestion – Proteins are partially pre-digested by enzymes.
Mineral absorption – Anti-nutrients like phytic acid are reduced, unlocking more calcium, iron, and zinc.
Balanced perspective – While phytic acid can block minerals, it also has antioxidant properties and may protect against certain diseases.
About probiotics: Not all sufu contains them. Many traditional and commercial methods heat the curds to ~80 °C during production, which destroys live bacteria. Only certain artisan methods that skip this heating step can preserve probiotic activity — and this isn’t always disclosed on labels.
🧠 Sufu and Cheese – Parallel Masterpieces
Sufu is often called “Chinese cheese,” and the comparison is apt:
Both undergo proteolysis and lipolysis, softening texture and deepening flavour.
Both build complexity through aromatic aldehydes, esters, and ketones.
But the path is different. Cheese curds form through rennet’s action on dairy milk; tofu curds form when soy proteins are set with coagulants like magnesium chloride or calcium sulfate. Sufu is also unique in its two-stage ripening — solid-state mould fermentation followed by brine maturation — a combination found in no Western cheese.
🌏 A World of Sufu Varieties
Not all sufu is created equal. Here are some you might encounter:
🍳 Cooking with Sufu
Think of sufu as a flavour concentrate — a little goes a long way.
Congee – Melt into hot rice porridge for a silky, savoury kick.
Marinades – Mash with soy sauce, garlic, and sugar for tofu, vegetables, or plant-based “meats.”
Sauces – Stir into stir-fry sauces or hot pot broths.
Spread – Use like cheese on flatbread or crackers.
🥢 Storage and Handling
Unlike fresh tofu, sufu is long-lived.
Before opening – Store in a cool, dark place (or fridge if preferred).
After opening – Keep the cubes submerged in their brine, seal tightly, and refrigerate. It can last months, even years, with flavour often improving over time.
If the brine level drops – Top up with boiled, cooled salted water to cover the cubes fully.
⏳ The Final Ingredient – Time
Whether it ripens for weeks or half a year, sufu is a conversation between nature and nurture. Artisans adjust salt, turn cubes, and taste-test until it’s just right.
And when you finally taste it — that creamy bite that’s salty, sweet, tangy, and rich — you’re not just eating fermented tofu. You’re tasting a thousand years of knowledge, culture, and trust in the slow work of time.
