It is said that the dried bean curd of this town began when craftsmen of this river-port town used the fine waters of the Dahan River to make it. Dougan is…
Multilingual AI audio guide exhibit on WOUDiO (PWA). WOUDiO pioneered the world’s first audio guide platform with built-in donation: listeners can support the cultural venue without leaving the listening experience. The text below is the localized description, details, and narration script for this audio guide stop.
It is said that the dried bean curd of this town began when craftsmen of this river-port town used the fine waters of the Dahan River to make it.
Dougan is tofu that has been pressed firm, its moisture drawn out. Daxi's dougan is dyed brown on the surface, while its interior remains firm and springy.
The secret to its color lies in the simmering broth. It is boiled in soy sauce, sugar, and spices, which slowly stain the surface. Each shop has its own blend of broth, and that blend becomes the shop's own distinctive flavor.
Visitors strolling the Old Street buy it as a gift to take home. Today, dougan has become almost synonymous with this town itself.
Let me suggest an order for tasting it. First, try a thin slice just as it is, in a single bite. The sweet-savory flavor comes first, followed by the lingering aroma of soybeans. Next, try one warmed at a food stall. Heating softens the surface slightly, and the fragrance of the simmering broth rises up.
At the shopfronts, you'll find pieces skewered and grilled, others sliced thin and tossed in seasoning, and still others dried until hard.
At a corner shop on the Old Street, take that first piece. Eating as you walk — that is the way of this town.
