Fuyu Butter (Compound Butter with Fermented Bean Curd)

The other day, I had the sudden inspiration to try making a compound ،er with fermented bean curd (fuyu). I make miso ،er often because it has so many layers of flavor that make the ،er suitable for many foods. I t،ught, since miso and fuyu are both fermented ،ucts derived from soy, perhaps making a compound ،er with fuyu might work too!

The fuyu ،er tasted better than I could imagine! It is rich, savory, funky, and so addictive to eat. Before we dig into the process of making the ،er, let’s talk about fuyu.

WHAT IS FUYU?

Fuyu (腐乳) is soybean curd or tofu that’s fermented in a salty brine with wine and other seasonings. In Mandarin, this fermented bean curd is known as furu; in Vietnamese, it’s called chao. Because fuyu is fermented in a salty brine, it has a pungent salty flavor. There’s also hints of sweetness and a funky flavor that’s almost sour (essentially what you’d expect from fermented foods). 

All these layers of flavor combine to make fuyu an umami power،use. Furthermore, the creamy texture of fuyu, which some people compare to soft cheeses, makes fuyu very suitable for cooking. My mom generally uses fuyu to stir fry vegetables, such as yam leaves or yardlong beans. My grandmother also taught me to add sugar to a fuyu cube and spread that over rice, like a condiment.

You can usually find many varieties of fuyu in Asian grocery stores, particularly ones that sell Chinese groceries. They’re also available on grocery sites like Say Weee! or Yamibuy (search for “fermented bean curd”).

HOW TO MAKE FUYU BUTTER

Mix softened ،er with fermented bean curd using a stand or handheld mixer. The amount of fuyu you use depends on your personal taste and the variety of fuyu you have on hand. 

When developing this recipe, I used AFC ،nd’s (美美) plain white beancurd. There is no ،e in this version, but feel free to use ،y fuyu, if you like. There are also a variety of fermented bean curd that’s soaked in a burgundy-colored liquid known as 南乳 (namyu in Cantonese, nanru in Mandarin). 

Because I love the flavor of fuyu, I used 2 tables،s of fuyu for this recipe. If you’ve never used fuyu before, I recommend s،ing with 1 tables، of fuyu. Taste the fuyu and add more gradually to suit your taste.

For so،ing extra, add c،pped c،es to the ،er. You can also use sliced scallions or any other herbs that you like.

HOW LONG DOES THE FUYU BUTTER KEEP?

Store any leftover fuyu ،er in a container and refrigerate. Try to use the ،er within 7 days.

HOW DO YOU STORE FERMENTED BEAN CURD?

Once you open a jar of fuyu, store it in the refrigerator. Don’t drain the brine inside the jar. Make sure to use clean utensils when you remove the fuyu from the jar because you don’t want bad bacteria to build up inside. Fuyu s،uld keep in the refrigerator for a year, provided that you handle the fuyu properly. Note that fuyu can oxidize. As a result, some of the fuyu cubes will s، to turn gray, particularly the layer that’s nearest the top of the jar. Don’t be alarmed by the discoloration–it’s normal.

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Fuyu Butter (Compound Butter with Fermented Bean Curd)

This delicious fuyu ،er is a compound ،er made with fermented bean curd (tofu). Fermented bean curd (腐乳) is called fuyu in Cantonese, furu in Mandarin, and chao in Vietnamese.In this recipe, I used AFC ،nd’s (美美) plain white bean curd, which doesn’t have any ،es. Note that some varieties and ،nds of fuyu are more pungent or ،y than others. If you are not familiar with using fuyu, I recommend that you s، by mixing the ،er with 1 tables، of fuyu. Taste the ،er and add more fuyu to suit your taste

Ingredients

• 6 tables،s unsalted ،er, at room temperature
• 1 to 2 tables،s fermented bean curd
• 2 tables،s finely c،pped c،es

Notes

Where to Buy Fuyu: You can usually find many varieties of fuyu in Asian grocery stores, particularly ones that sell Chinese groceries. They’re also available on grocery sites like Say Weee! or Yamibuy (search for “fermented bean curd”).
Handheld Mixer: You can also use a handheld mixer to make the fuyu ،er. The mixing times are about the same.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tables، | Calories: 80kcal | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 8.6g | Saturated Fat: 5.4g | C،lesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 144mg

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