Stinky tofu
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| Chinese: | 臭豆腐 | ||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning: | stinky tofu | ||||||||||||||
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Stinky tofu is a form of fermented tofu, which, as the name suggests, has a strong odor. It is a popular snack in East and Southeast Asia, particularly Taiwan, Indonesia, and China, where it is usually found at night markets or roadside stands, or as a side dish in lunch bars.
It is perhaps interesting to note that the words "stinky tofu" is a direct translation of the Mandarin term chou doufu. However, the Mandarin word chou does not have the same negative connotation as the English word "stinky". Chou therefore serves mainly as a factual descriptor and not a judgment on the virtues of the odor. Occasionally chou is translated as "fragrant", but this too imposes a "pleasant" or "flowery" judgment on the term, which does not accurately represent the food either.
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Wide regional and individual variations exist in manufacture and preparation. Most typically, it consists of tofu, which has been marinated in a brine made from fermented milk, vegetables, and meat for as long as several months. The brine can also include dried shrimp, amaranth greens, mustard greens, bamboo shoots, and Chinese herbs.[1]
Stinky tofu can be eaten cold, steamed, stewed, or most commonly, fried. It is often accompanied by chili sauce. The color varies from the golden fried Zhejiang-style to the black typical of Hunan-style stinky tofu.[1]
From a distance, the odor of stinky tofu is said to resemble that of rotten garbage or manure, even by its enthusiasts. In spite of stinky tofu's smell, most say the flavor is surprisingly mild. However there are some that think otherwise. In fact, some have been so appalled by the taste that they couldn't so much as swallow it without bringing it all back up at once. Some few people have compared it to the taste of blue cheese. It has also been compared to foie gras. In some instances the taste has even been compared to rotten meat. It is said the more it smells, the 'better' its flavor.[1]
Stinky tofu is made and consumed in different ways in various areas of China. For example, the types of dried stinky tofu made in Changsha and Shaoxing are both very popular, but they are made with different methods, and the resulting flavors are very different. The most famous shop for stinky tofu in Changsha makes the tofu with yellow soybeans marinated in seasoning. The stinky tofu sold in Tianjin is mostly made in the Nanjing style, with a mild aroma.
In Hong Kong, stinky tofu is a trademark street food, along with fishballs and beef balls. The street style is rather plain. It is deep fried fresh at hawkers' stalls and at dai pai dong. It is sold by the bag, and is well-known for the tremendous amount of grease it contains. Hong Kong-style stinky tofu is traditionally eaten with hoisin sauce.
Stinky tofu is the unofficial national snack food of Taiwan and is universally loved. It is very commonly served on roadside stands and in night markets. It is primarily served dry (deep fried) or, less commonly, wet (with goose blood and Sichuan mala soup).
In the TV series Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, host Andrew Zimmern sampled stinky tofu in Taiwan. While he enjoyed the griddled variety sold by street vendors in Shenkeng, he could not stand the two dishes - cow stomach sandwich (with fried stinky tofu as the bun) and raw stinky tofu salad with Century eggs - he was served at "Dai's House of Unique Stink" in Taipei. He commented that the 14-day-old stinky tofu was overpowering with its rotten taste. [2]
During the Disney Channel Games of 2008, participants were able to sample foods from multiple cultures. One of these dishes was stinky tofu. Though the host and several participants enjoyed it, many stayed away due to the name. Many questioned why one would give the food such a name.
In the reality show The Amazing Race Asia Season 3, competitors must eat a big bowl of stinky tofu in one of the Taiwan challenges segment.
