In Nanjing, a city where history breathes through every stone and every steaming street-side pot, even the humblest snack carries the weight of centuries. Take Ruyi Hui Lu Gan (如意回卤干) – a simple dish of fried tofu puffs simmered in savoury broth. On the surface, it’s just a bowl of comfort food. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll uncover a story that links this everyday snack to a founding emperor, an imperial craving, and a dash of good-luck symbolism.
The Legend: When the Emperor Got Hungry
The tale begins with Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming dynasty and the man who made Nanjing his capital in 1368. After years of warfare and a life of hardship, Zhu now sat on the dragon throne, surrounded by the finest delicacies the empire could offer. But as the saying goes, even the richest feast can grow tiresome. One day, weary of the endless parade of imperial banquets, the emperor slipped out of the Forbidden City in disguise, seeking the flavours of the street.
Wandering through the bustling lanes of Nanjing, he caught a whiff of something irresistible. A small street stall was frying golden cubes of tofu, their crispy exteriors releasing an aroma that stopped the emperor in his tracks. He approached the vendor, tossed down a silver ingot, and asked for a bowl of those sizzling tofu puffs.
The vendor, realising he was dealing with no ordinary customer, decided to up his game. Instead of serving the tofu puffs plain, he dropped them into a pot of rich chicken broth, added a handful of tender bean sprouts and a few seasonings, and let everything simmer until the tofu puffs had soaked up every drop of flavour. When the bowl was placed before the emperor, he took one bite – and his eyes lit up. The tofu puffs, now soft and bursting with savoury broth, were unlike anything he had tasted in the palace.
The emperor praised the dish lavishly, and word of his approval spread like wildfire. Soon, this humble street snack became the talk of the city.
How It Got Its Name: A Symbol of Good Fortune
But why the name Ruyi Hui Lu Gan? “Hui Lu Gan” refers to the cooking method – the fried tofu puffs (gan) are simmered (hui) in a savoury broth (lu) until they become soft and tender. But it’s the “Ruyi” that gives the dish its charm.
The ruyi is an ancient Chinese ceremonial object, often made of jade, with a curved, S‑shaped head that resembles a sceptre or a lucky charm. It symbolises power, good fortune, and the fulfilment of wishes. As the dish cooks, the bean sprouts curl and twist into shapes that strikingly resemble this iconic symbol. So the name Ruyi Hui Lu Gan was born – a dish that literally means “Auspicious Simmered Tofu,” carrying the hope that whoever eats it will be blessed with good luck and fulfilled desires.
The Art of the Bowl: What Makes It So Good
The beauty of Ruyi Hui Lu Gan lies in its simplicity. The star ingredient is fried tofu puffs – golden, spongy cubes that act like tiny flavour sponges. These are simmered slowly in a rich broth, traditionally made from chicken stock or bone broth, allowing the tofu to absorb every bit of savoury goodness.
Into the pot go fresh bean sprouts (the “ruyi” shapes), along with other accompaniments like wood ear mushrooms, carrot slices, and bamboo shoots. The broth is seasoned simply – a touch of soy sauce, a star anise or two, and perhaps a pinch of salt. The key is patience: the tofu puffs must simmer until they become soft, tender, and utterly saturated with broth. As one food writer put it, the tofu should be so soft that it “quivers like jelly” when you pick it up with chopsticks.
A Taste of Old Nanjing
For those who remember Nanjing in the 1980s, Ruyi Hui Lu Gan is a flavour of childhood. Every afternoon around four o’clock, street vendors would set up their stalls with a large copper pot, its contents divided into two sections – one for simmering the tofu, the other for keeping the broth hot. The vendor would call out, “Hui lagan zi!” (Simmered tofu!) and neighbours would rush out with their bowls, eager for a steaming serving. The pot would empty quickly, and those who arrived too late would have to wait until the next day.
Where to Find It Today
Today, Ruyi Hui Lu Gan remains a cherished part of Nanjing’s street-food scene. It is proudly counted among the “Eight Delicacies of Qinhuai” (秦淮八绝), the city’s most iconic traditional snacks. You’ll find it in the bustling food streets around Confucius Temple (夫子庙，Fuzi Miao) and in countless small eateries across the city. Some shops have modernised the recipe, adding new twists, but the heart of the dish remains the same: fried tofu puffs, savoury broth, and that touch of good-luck symbolism.
A Simple Recipe to Try at Home
If you’d like to bring a taste of Nanjing’s imperial history into your own kitchen, here’s a simplified version:
Ingredients: 200g fried tofu puffs, 100g bean sprouts, 1 carrot (sliced), 50g wood ear mushrooms (soaked), 800ml chicken stock or bone broth, 1 star anise, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, salt to taste.
- Blanch the fried tofu puffs in boiling water for a minute to remove excess oil, then drain.
- In a pot, bring the chicken stock to a simmer with the star anise and soy sauce.
- Add the tofu puffs and let them simmer gently for about 30–40 minutes, until they become soft and have absorbed the broth.
- Add the bean sprouts, carrot slices, and wood ear mushrooms, and cook for another 5–10 minutes.
- Season with salt to taste, ladle into bowls, and enjoy!
A Bite of History
Ruyi Hui Lu Gan may look like a simple bowl of soup, but every spoonful carries the story of an emperor’s craving, a vendor’s quick thinking, and a city’s love for turning humble ingredients into something special. It’s a dish that reminds us that sometimes the best flavours aren’t found in palace kitchens – they’re discovered on street corners, in steaming pots, shared among neighbours and strangers alike. And with a name that means “good fortune,” it’s a snack that feeds not just the stomach, but the spirit as well.
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