The Tofu Story

Tofu has a big presence in our Bellevue Korean restaurant. Just take a look through our selections of hot tofu soups, and you’ll surely find a dish to suit the tofu lover in you. But where did tofu come from? Who first created tofu, and why is it such an important part of the culture throughout much of Asia?

Unfortunately, nobody really knows for sure when or how tofu was invented. It is said that it was first created by a Chinese prince named Liu An around 164 BC, but it was common at this time to falsely attribute new inventions to important figures. Whatever its origins, it is clear that its production methods were standardized to those we know today as early as the second century, BC.

It’s likely that tofu spread from China along with Buddhist philosophy. The vegetarian principles of Buddhism made it necessary to introduce meat-less sources for protein. Tofu was therefore able to gain a strong foothold in Korea, where it has been a significant part of the culinary tradition to this day.

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