What Is Yuba? The History and Method Behind Japanese Tofu Skin, and Where to Try It in Kyoto (2024)

FAQs

What is the history of tofu in Kyoto? ›

Green and mountainous, the area around Kyoto is blessed with high quality soft water. Tofu was introduced to Japan from China in the seventh and eighth centuries, after Buddhism arrived from the continent; it was not until the fourteenth century, however, that tofu became more widely popular.

Tofu skin rose to popularity during the Tang Dynasty, when it was used to make products that mimicked the texture of meat for vegetarian Buddhists. (You might think of it like plant-based meat that was many, many years ahead of the Impossible Burger.)

Yuba is one of the foods made from soybeans. As soy milk boils, a film forms on the surface. The film is yuba. About 1200 years ago, yuba was brought from China. It is said that the first yuba in Japan was eaten in Kyoto and Shiga.

Tofu and its production technique were introduced to Japan during the Nara period (710–794). Some scholars believe tofu arrived in Vietnam during the 10th and 11th centuries. It spread to other parts of Southeast Asia as well.

Contains antinutrients

Like most plant foods, tofu contains several antinutrients. These compounds are naturally found in plant foods and lower your body's ability to absorb nutrients from food ( 6 ).

Firm tofu, the most common, has the same consistency as feta, while the texture of super-firm can be compared to that of meat. You should be able to guess the textures in between. Silken tofu, also known as Japanese-style tofu, is silky, creamy and has the highest water content.

Because Japanese food terms have a certain elevated status, tofu skin is often called “yuba”. Whatever term used, it refers to a wondrous tasty film of soy milk.

Because tofu skin is made with soy milk, which is made with soy beans, it is a good source of protein, packing in around 50 grams of protein per 100 grams. Tofu skin is also a source of B vitamins, like vitamin B6 and folate, as well as magnesium and fiber. Plus, it's low in fat and sodium, too.

The word yuba means dried tofu skin, a staple of Chinese and Japanese cuisines. This somewhat buoyant, and rubbery ingredient naturally forms on top of soy milk, and simply put, it's made of coagulated soy proteins.

One of California's original 27 counties founded on February 18th in 1850, Yuba County is California's gateway to the historic Mother Lode Country, with a diverse landscape that boasts grand rivers, thriving farmland, friendly communities and numerous recreational possibilities that extend into the Sierra foothills.

What is a yuba? ›

Yuba is a sheet of coagulated soy protein that emerges on the surface of a hot vat of soy milk. Think of it as a culinary cousin to thinly sliced tofu, but bouncier and with a denser texture—courtesy of the aggregated soy proteins.

Fresh yuba can be eaten as is with no further cooking, so it's great to use it like noodles in salads or as fresh spring roll wrappers. Dried yuba needs to be rehydrated before using.

“Tofu is an integral part of the traditional food culture of Japan and must not be allowed to disappear. Tofu can be used in a variety of dishes, from miso soup to chilled tofu and simmered dishes. That's why it's an inseparable part of Japanese life.

Yes, you can eat tofu raw tofu.

drain off excess liquids, wash it with clean water, and. store it properly in the refrigerator to prevent contamination with germs.

A Time-Tested Tradition—Kyoto Tofu

It just so happens, that water from Kyoto makes notoriously delicious tofu. From long ago, craftsmen in Kyoto have been making tofu from the region's spring water, which is soft water and therefore ideal for tofu. Kyoto tofu is considered so special, it even has its own name—Kyo-dofu.

As a part of their ascetic training, monks of Zen Buddhism abstain from eating meat or fish and adhere to a strict vegetarian diet. This diet is known as “Shojin” cuisine. Consequently, tofu was highly prized as a means of replenishing proteins that would naturally become deficient through a non meat or fish diet.

Oyama tofu is cherished in the Oyama district of Isehara, Kanagawa Prefecture. The tofu has its roots in soybeans offered during the Oyama Pilgrimage, popular in the Edo period (1603-1868). Tofu, cooled by spring water, quenched the thirst of pilgrims walking along the steep approach to the shrine.

China: the birthplace of tofu

Tofu has been around for centuries. Today, the soybean is considered the most important legume in the world. The exact origin of tofu, however, is not so clear.

In 1986, Monica Lee opened Beverly Soon Tofu in the Koreatown neighbourhood of Los Angeles, and it was the first restaurant in the United States to specialize in sundubu jjigae. By the 1990s, sundubu jjigae restaurants were more popular throughout the United States.