Burmese-Inspired Shan Tofu Salad (Tohu Thoke)

What is Shan Tofu?

Tofu entered the kitchens and cultural-consciousness of the white western world largely as a curdled-soy-milk-based protein replacement of the 1960s culinary counter-culture. It was a culture that combined the tenets of various then-radical health-food movements with then-unfamiliar Asian and Middle-Eastern ingredients like brown rice, miso and yogurt, and a conviction that eating could be a political act, especially in choosing not to eat meat. Tofu. Hippie food.

Shan tofu is tofu of a different variety. It is made from chickpea flour (also known as Besan or gram flour), water, salt, and a little turmeric for colour, if you’re feeling fancy. It has a smooth, silky texture and a deeper, nuttier flavour than soy-based tofu. It is firm enough to be substantial, and maintains its silky, gelatinous texture well when saved as leftovers. Shan, or chickpea, tofu is also great for anyone who is allergic to, or is otherwise avoiding, soy. It is often used as the main ingredient of a salad - like this one - or deep fried and eaten as a snack.

Myanmar and Shan Cuisine

The word “Shan” refers to a group of indigenous peoples that make up the majority population of what is now known as the Shan state of North-East Myanmar (formerly Burma), that borders China, Laos and Thailand. Shan state is a geopolitical designation, an imaginary dividing line imposed around a territory containing many smaller groups of Shan peoples and other ethnic minorities by the British during a colonial occupation that began in the late 1800s and ended in 1948. Borders are often relics of former colonial rule and are, consequently, artificial and arbitrary, as untrustworthy in their value as symbols as they are inescapable in their political consequence. They obfuscate the ethnic, religious and cultural diversity that exists both within and across them. Shan cuisine, like the more general category of Burmese cuisine, is made of many culinary influences including those from the neighbouring countries of China, India and Thailand - themselves regions possessed of vastly diverse cuisines.

I’ve never been to Burma. What I gather from Burmese cookbooks is that its salads tend to consist of one main ingredient, a dressing, and little else. Meals themselves are commonly structured around a main dish - a curry or noodle soup - rice, and a big selection of other small dishes, all brought to the table at once, including a variety of single-ingredient salads and various condiments. If you are likewise unfamiliar with this style of eating, google images of a Burmese meal. You will see sprawling tables of small bowls, each filled with a different dish. Its an appealing way to eat - but one that seems intimidatingly unmanageable for the average weekday meal. At least, that is, for anyone with a meat-and-potatoes culinary comfort zone, like me.

And so I have made some changes to the traditional versions of this salad that I have tried. I’ve added a substantial amount of cabbage and greens, making the Shan tofu one ingredient and one texture among many, rather than the sole focus of the dish. This is something I’m likely to cook for myself on an average weeknight and incorporate into my repertoire as opposed to reserving it for a special “I’m cooking a Burmese feast” kitchen project. I don’t feel like I have time to make several small dishes for dinner, or perhaps I just lack the necessary foresight and organizational skills. In any case, for me, turning Shan tofu salad into a stand-alone meal makes its Burmese flavours and ingredients more accessible.

Shan Tofu Salad

This salad is adapted from the more-traditional versions found in Naomi Duguid’s Burma and Desmond Tan and Kate Leahy’s Burma Superstar. I loved Duguid’s salad, but I wanted to make it more substantial. Sour flavours - balanced with heat and funk - are one of the draws of Burmese cuisine. When I tried the Shan tofu salad from Burmese Superstar I was blown away by the complexity of its sour flavours. While I had been relying on lime juice and vinegar for that sour punch in earlier versions of this salad, Burma Superstar’s version uses both a tamarind dressing and raw onion slices quick-pickled in lime juice. I incorporated the tamarind dressing and raw onion technique into my version below, though I’ve replaced the onion with the more subtle shallot.