Is there a custom to grind tofu brain in the New Year?

The traditional saying about the origin of grinding bean curd customs during the Spring Festival is that "on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, tofu is made from grinding". In Beiguan, grinding bean curd on the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month, some places still have the custom of eating tofu dregs. And everyone wants their family to be rich and luxurious, not to worry about eating and drinking, and to have savings every year, that is, to run a well-off life. Tofu represents the meaning of jade food in luxury food. Because jade is white and tofu is white, it is very similar, so every household should grind beans to make tofu during the New Year.

There are two proverbs on the 25th of the twelfth lunar month: one is "Twenty-five, paste the window" and the other is "Twenty-five, grinding bean curd". The custom of "Twenty-five, grinding bean curd" is related to the lower bound visit of the Jade Emperor's inspection team. Every family chose to eat tofu dregs when they were in grinding bean curd today, in order to show their virtue to the inspection team. People believe that the Jade Emperor will give extra blessings to virtuous people. By making tofu and showing your virtue to the jade emperor's inspection team, you will have a chance to get extra gifts from the jade emperor.

Grinding bean curd's method:

1. Soak: Soak soybeans in water for three to four hours, and soak hard soybeans in soft foam.

2. Pulping: Put the soaked soybeans and water into a refiner (the old method is to put them into a stone mill), grind out fine soybean milk and pour it into a bucket.

3. Boiling: Put the ground soybean milk into a pot, boil it over high fire and put it into a bucket.

4. Mix lime water: pour a proper amount of gypsum into the basin and adjust it with a small amount of water.

5. Grouting: evenly pour the prepared limewater into the boiled limewater, pour it as slowly as possible, observe the state of limewater while pouring, and further slow down the pouring speed of limewater when the limewater gradually precipitates. When the tofu flower is gradually formed and stabilized, stop.

6. Pressurized molding: put a large piece of white cloth on several wooden boards with square surfaces and grooves, pour the solidified tofu flower into the wooden board groove with a ladle, wrap it with a pre-padded white cloth, put a thick wooden board on the big white cloth, put a heavy object on the wooden board, squeeze out water, and slowly shape the tofu flower. After about 90 minutes, remove the weight and board, turn it upside down, remove the big white cloth, and the white and tender tofu is ready.

7. Molding: After about 90 minutes, remove the heavy objects and boards, turn them upside down, remove the big white cloth, and the white and tender tofu will be ready.