Eggs & Tofu

Most Chinese cookbooks written in English do not give separate attention to eggs and tofu. Eggs are usually lumped together quite naturally with poultry, and tofu is considered part of the vegetable realm. For me, however, they are foods that stand apart from other categories of Chinese edibles. Much like cheese in the West, eggs and tofu are given a distinct personality by the Chinese in contrast to other foods. They are neither meat protein nor vegetables, but a worthy category of their own. A waiter helping a family to order a meal will often say, “You don’t have a tofu” or “How about an egg?” meaning that a dish made predominantly from one or the other is required to balance the beef, pork, poultry, fish, and vegetable dishes already ordered.