Bai Ye Tofu Knots

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Bai Ye {百叶} Tofu knots are a popular food in China’s Yangtze River Delta area. They are deliciously healthy and satisfying when braised together with pork or added to a soup. If you have access to Bai Ye, DIY {do-it-yourself} Bai Ye Knots is easier than you thought. I am going to share all the tips and tricks in this post.

Bai Ye {百叶} Tofu Fun Facts

If you are wondering what is Bai Ye, it is one type of tofu product. Bai {百} means “a hundred” in Chinese; while Ye {页 or 叶} can translate as a leaf or blinds. Bai Ye {百叶} is basically compressed tofu that looks like a sheet.

Usually, people use some types of cheesecloth during the compression process, thus the Bai Ye surface shows tiny grids texture.

How to DIY tie Bai Ye Tofu Knots?

Step 1 is to cut bai ye into narrow small rectangle strips

Bai Ye is usually sold in Chinese/Asian grocery stores packed as a folded large sheet.

The first thing first is to cut the large sheet into narrow small rectangles. The width is about 3/4 inch (2 cm), and the length can anywhere between 4 inches (10 cm) to 6 inches (15 cm).

Naturally the longer the bai ye strip, the easier to tie the knots. I usually use the spare pieces after I’ve made Bai Ye Wrapped minced pork. The Bai Ye Wrapper is 6-inch x 6-inch, which is perfect for you to cut the leftover into narrow 6-inch strips.

Step 2 is to fold along the long side of the narrow Bai Ye strips

Start from one end of the Bai Ye narrow strips and fold or roll along the length until reaching the other end.

Step 3 is to hold and wrap around the finger

Once you’ve reached the other end, do not let go of the Bai Ye. Hold the roll with fingers using both hands.

While the right hand {or the dominant hand} continues to hold on to the midpoint of the Bai Ye roll, use the left hand to wrap the other end of the roll around the right hand’s middle finger and form a circle in the center.

The final step is to thread one end of the Bai Ye roll into the circle

Use the right hand’s index finger, which is behind the tall end of the Bai Ye roll to thread the Bai Ye roll into the circle. Then gently pull to make it tighter as a knot.

Be firm but gentle since Bai Ye doesn’t have tons of elasticity to avoid breaking the roll. Use fingers from both hands to push and pull while holding the roll in position to tighten the Bai Ye knot.