18 October 2026

Homemade tofu and rice with a hard-boiled egg. One of the things I have been surprised at here is how cheap tofu is. In Europe tofu is a fairly niche item for certain dishes, vegans or vegetarians. Here it is instead a staple, and presumably the economies of scale and competition drive down the price considerably.

I have always found braising or frying tofu to be very annoying, as it requires a lot of preparation and drying time. Part of this was alleviated by finding these pieces of tofu with “skin” on them (similar to that of stinky tofu) that helps them hold together in the pan. I am reminded by the main thesis of Smith’s An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations; the size of the market increases its specialization.