Dry goods & condiments
Red Fermented Bean Curd
A red fermented tofu condiment used in Hong Kong, usually sold as pink-to-brick-red cubes in fermented liquid.
- 繁體中文
- 南乳
- English
- Red Fermented Bean Curd
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Tahu Fermentasi Merah (南乳)
- Tagalog
- Red Fermented Bean Curd (南乳)
What is it?
A red fermented tofu condiment used in Hong Kong, usually sold as pink-to-brick-red cubes in fermented liquid.
How to identify it
Look for soft tofu cubes and liquid in red, pink-red or reddish-brown shades. Colour and ingredients vary by brand, so read the label.
- Pink-red to brick-red cubes
- Strong fermented liquid in the jar
- Soft cubes that mash into sauce
Common confusion
南乳 is pink-red to brick-red; 腐乳 is usually pale. Brand ingredients vary, so confirm the label.
Common Hong Kong household uses
Used in braises, marinades, red bean-curd sauces and seasoning pastes.
Preparation or handling
Use a clean utensil, mash the required amount with a little liquid, and add gradually because it is strongly seasoned.
Storage
Follow the product label; refrigerate after opening when directed and keep the rim and utensils clean.
Helper tip
南乳 is the red style. Generic 腐乳 usually means pale fermented bean curd; flavour and formula are not interchangeable by name alone.
What Ma’am or Sir may say
今次用南乳，唔係白色腐乳。Use red fermented bean curd, not the usual pale fermented bean curd.
Useful market phrase
Is this 南乳 or pale 腐乳?Does the image look correct?
Last reviewed
Sources
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Public Market Items - Sauces and Condiments
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Public Market Items Multilingual Booklet
- Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department — Other foods Cantonese pinyin
- Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — Food Photo Appendix
- Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety — Bean Curd - a Traditional Vegetarian Food Produced from Soybeans