How to choose dried tofu skin?

Color

A light yellow tint with a slight shine is preferable. Conversely, a dark and dull yellow color is considered a lower-quality product. Its lighter yellow tint indicates that the skin was removed earlier in the skimming process in the same tank of soy milk.

Texture

A uniformly textured surface with a smooth touch is desirable. If the texture is uneven and feels rough, it indicates that the skin was lifted too late, and tofu skin had been formed on the surface of the soy milk for more than 8 minutes. The product with a rough texture tends to become mushy easily during cooking.

Cross-section

When breaking open dried tofu, an ideal cross-section should reveal a spongy texture with numerous pores. Additionally, the more debris produced during the breaking process, the better.

Odor

The ideal dried tofu skin should carry a pleasant soybean fragrance. If it lacks any noticeable aroma, it is considered slightly inferior. Presence of any unpleasant smell deems it of poor quality.

Water Soaking Test

After soaking the dried tofu skin in clear water for 4 hours, clear and non-turbid water indicates good quality. Additionally, the soaked and softened tofu skin, when gently pulled, should exhibit elasticity for better quality.

Long Boiling Test

Preferably, the tofu skin should withstand prolonged boiling without turning mushy. Tofu skin that relies on starch for shaping is prone to becoming mushy, as is the case when the skin was lifted too late.