Last year in China, this piece of dry tofu set the world’s record and measured about 13 feet by 13 feet. It weighed 4,092 pounds. Photo source: chinadaily.com.cn

Some of my recent blog posts have been, well, too serious. Just too heavy. So, I thought I’d lighten up. How light you ask?

Well, try over 4,000 pounds of dry tofu.

That’s right. In China, the world’s most populous country, you can never have enough of the good stuff.

So, now this: The world’s largest piece of dry tofu, which was unveiled in October 2008 at a dry tofu festival in Nanxi County in Sichuan province.

The masterpiece measured 13 feet by 13 feet, the China Daily reported, and weighed 4,092 pounds.

You might have spotted this photograph in my post about the annual Chinese Bean Curd Culture Festival, which wrapped up last month in Anhui province.

But the more I thought about this image, which appeared in the China Daily, the more three thoughts swirled in my mind:

• Yes, it looks delicious.
• You could make lots of dry tofu salad.
• How much money did this cost? 

Interestingly enough, the “why” question never entered my mind. As in:  Why would someone make such a huge piece of dry tofu?

I mean: Why not?

For years, humans have pursued making the world’s longest hot dog – especially in Shizuoka, Japan and Portland, Ore.

But the question that kept returning to mind centered around cost.

Of course, I don’t have access to the organizers of the world’s largest dry tofu effort.

I was unable to ask about basic production costs, labor hours, transportation and other expenses.

In one photo that I saw online, organizers used a crane to move the soybean cake.

So, I employed a bit of reverse engineering to the price question.

I based my dollar estimate on the retail price for a 9.9-ounce package of dry tofu that I buy in Seattle’s International District.

That’s about $2.50 before taxes. I rounded up to 10 ounces.

So, my dollar estimate for the retail price of the world’s biggest piece of dry tofu (if bought in Seattle in 2009 and excluding taxes):

• $16,368

Of course, presuming that my math is correct, what can you get for that amount?

That’s equal to two $8,000 federal tax credits that the U.S. government is offering to first-time homebuyers.

Or try this out: You like Toyotas?

Well, try out a new Toyota Matrix that has an online sticker price of $16,550. It’s pretty sleek.

The Toyota Matrix carries an online price tag of $16,550. In the city, it gets about 26 miles to the gallon. Photo source: toyota.com

Of course, I don’t want to detract from the honor, joy and prestige that this man, who led the effort to make this food, had in collecting his world’s record certificate.

The maker of the world's largest piece of dried tofu accepts his Guinness World Record certificate at a tofu festival last year in Sichuan province. Photo source: chinadaily.com.cn

Another question: If you are trying to set a world record, is cost relevant?

Perhaps, I should have started this post by saying: A belated congratulations.

On a day when you want to find a cool body of water in which to dunk yourself comes one thought: Mapo tofu.

As in: Eating a healthy amount when Seattle-area temperatures are hitting well into the 90s. Seriously.

I know: Many people in the Seattle region are flocking to the nearby Puget Sound, lakes or rivers. 

But apparently, some believe (and I get the sense it’s people from Sichuan province) that the dish’s Sichuan peppercorn and chili peppers might actually cool you down.

Mind you, the two ingredients help make your brow perspire and numb your tongue. Which is great on a blustery, chilly night.

I note this mapo tofu-eating idea on a hot day after remembering the menu of one of my favorite Seattle-area restaurants, Old Sichuan in Kent, Wash.

It reads:

Local people attribute the development of their cuisine to the weather in (Sichuan). They say that chili and pepper-flavored food induces sweating, which cools them down in the hot summer.

I enjoy mapo bean curd but I might skip it this week.

On all of my trips to China, one observation that I still think about is watching many people sip hot tea on a sweltering day. I know traditional tea houses have nice, bamboo chairs – which let the air circulate through the back openings.

I also know that Western coffee and soda are served in China. The place is changing.

And I recognize that some older Chinese are amazed at people in the United States. We often like drinking cold beverages – even on a blustery, chilly night.

I’m actually staying close to a fan and ice water until the sun goes down.

In the evening, though, I plan to sit outside when it’s cooler – just like I did on sweltering days in Chinese cities, such as Beijing and Wuhan.

An ice-cold Qingdao beer (Tsingtao beer) might help, too, and bring back some memories. A chilled tofu and preserved duck egg dish or a cold, dry tofu salad also would be nice.

UPDATE: My neighbor, Rob, just returned from his office – by pedaling his bicycle for an hour in the heat.

I was going to raise this eating mapo tofu idea. But I figured it was best to hand him some ice-cold water.

One of my favorite dishes these days is a high-protein, low-salt dry tofu salad that uses little oil. It mixes the softness and firmness of dry tofu with the crunchiness of fresh, pan-fried peanuts.

Hints of garlic, cilantro and green onion can be tasted in the dish – as well as chili oil. We use oil from Guizhou province. This dish will likely catch the eye of vegetarians.

Years ago, my wife and I had the pleasure of eating this salad at a Chinese restaurant. Similar to cooks worldwide, she returned home and tried making it on her own.

We’ve served it to about a dozen or so relatives and friends. They all enjoyed it. So, I thought it was time to post her recipe online.

Yes, the debate rages among media folks about free content, micropayments, subscriptions and the like. And yes, there are cookbooks for sale.

But when it comes to recipes, I’ve always liked how relatives, friends and neighbors share.

Dry tofu might be new to some people - since the soft and firm tofu that comes in a tub of water is so prevalent at markets.

Give this dish a try. One nice aspect is that you can reduce or increase any ingredient. Sometimes, I punch it up by adding more chili oil. People who are cutting down on their salt can reduce the amount of soy sauce.

Another plus about this salad, given the recession, is that it will cost about $3 to $4 to make. That’s presuming you have the basic ingredients, such as soy sauce, at home.

It only takes about 20 minutes to make. You can probably feed at least three adults with the recipe included here. 

After the jump, I’ve included a slideshow of the ingredients and steps. You’ll see I’m low on sesame oil.

My wife often uses a pinch of this or a pinch of that when she cooks. So feel free to experiment. See what suits your taste buds the best.

Ingredients:

• Flavored dried tofu (9.9 ounces – Sunrise is one brand)
• Raw peanuts (half cup)
• Green onion, cilantro and two cloves of garlic
• Chili oil (1/2 teaspoon)
• Guiyang Nanming Laoganma is one brand of chili oil.
• If you want this type of oil, look for a red bottle.
• If you spot a small black-and-white photo, study it.
• If there’s a serious woman with short black hair, it’s the brand.
• Sugar (1/2 teaspoon)
• Soy sauce (1 teaspoon)
• Sesame oil (1 teaspoon)
• Lian How brand, meiwei blended soybean/sesame oil, is one type
• Dark Chinese vinegar (1 tablespoon - Chinkiang is one brand)
• Chicken bouillon powder (1/4 teaspoon)
• Ground black pepper (as desired)

Steps:

• Coat a pan with about two tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil.
• Turn the stove to medium-low heat.
• Take the raw peanuts and fry in pan for about three minutes.
• Note: The peanuts can burn fast. Turn them as they fry.
• After the peanuts turn brown, put them on a dish; let them cool.
• You can add some salt to the peanuts, if you’d like.
• Cut all four tofu cubes into thin, two-inch long strips.
• Cut the green onions, cilantro and garlic.
• Add everything into a mixing bowl and stir.
• Serve in a nice bowl.