[Photo provided to wuxi.gov.cn]
Origin
Mirror box tofu is a renowned traditional dish from Wuxi, part of Jiangsu's culinary heritage. It was invented in the 1940s by master chef Liu Junying at the famous Yingbinlou Restaurant, utilizing the local specialty known as "little box" tofu.
Feature
The dish was created as a refined version of the humble classic fried tofu stuffed with minced pork. Liu substituted the fried tofu with delicate, box-shaped tofu and added shrimp meat to the filling. Because these square tofu blocks resembled the mirror boxes once used by women for dressing, the dish was named mirror box tofu.
How does it taste?
Once finished, the dish looks stunning with a glossy orange-red glaze, offering a tender, juicy texture and a rich but delicate flavor. It harmonizes meat and vegetables perfectly, making it both sophisticated and approachable. As one of Wuxi's signature dishes, it is suitable for diners of all ages and occasions.
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