There’s an almost endless world of tofu - some varieties so unusual you’d never even guess they came from the humble soybean. In Chinese markets, tofu stands often sell dozens of kinds: blocks of fresh tofu, logs of smoked, piles of shredded tofu skin, sticky fermented cubes, brittle dried sheets and more.

One of the offers on display is usually fu zhu (腐竹) - long crinkled yellow sticks that catch the eye. It’s more commonly known in the West by its Japanese name, yuba, whereas the Chinese fu zhu (腐竹) literally means “bamboo sticks.” But this name refers to the dried version; the fresh form is called fu pi (腐皮).

Fu zhu is made from the skin that forms on the surface of heated soy milk. The milk used is usually richer than drinking soy milk - with a higher bean-to-water ratio - so a thicker, more protein-rich skin develops. This skin is then carefully removed and sold as fupi or dried on string. This approach means that as it dries, it crinkled and forms into a long textured stick that becomes hard and brittle. The sticks can then be rehydrated before cooking by soaking in water.

Fu zhu shows up in all sorts of dishes, from hot pot and malatang soup to simple Beijing-style cold plates tossed with celery, peanuts, or cucumber. The same pairings also work in stir-fries, where fu zhu’s chewy, meaty texture makes it an excellent plant-based substitute. The recipe below is just one variation - feel free to swap in whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Serves 2-3