Chòu dòufu, also known as stinky tofu, is a preparation of tofu subjected to long fermentation.
It is a food with high sodium content, but it is rich in vitamin B12, which is commonly found in fermented foods.
Traditionally, the dish is fermented in a brine made from fermented milk, vegetables, and meat; the brine may also include dried shrimp, amaranth, mustard, bamboo shoots, and Chinese herbs.
Modern factory-produced Chòu dòufu is marinated in brine for one or two days to add odor.
They use the method of inoculating fermentation bacteria to directly cultivate the smelly brine. Not only is the fermentation time short, but it is also safe and hygienic and can be produced in large quantities.
Stinky tofu can be consumed cold, steamed, stewed or, more commonly, as in the following recipe, fried called 油炸臭豆腐 yóuzhá chòu dòufu where 油 (yóu) means oil and 炸 (zhá) means frying.
It is often served with chili sauce or soy sauce.
The color ranges from golden fried Zhejiang style (like the one in the picture) to the black typical of Hunan style stinky tofu, as in the stalls of old Shanghai and Qibao, where it is fried and sold on the street and typically served with a spicy or sweet sauce, or served as a condiment for congee, as part of a regular breakfast.
The black one has a brine composed of winter bamboo shoots, koji, and shiitake mushrooms, and after white hair-like filaments grow on the surface, and once it turns gray, it is ready to be fried.
According to a Chinese legend, a scholar named Wang Zhihe from Huang Shan in Anhui province invented stinky tofu during the Qing dynasty.
After failing the imperial exam, Wang stayed in Beijing and made a living by selling tofu. One day, having a large amount of unsold tofu in his hands, he cut the tofu into cubes and put them in a clay jar.
He opened the jar and discovered it had become greenish and very smelly. Although he feared it was disgusting, Wang tried tasting it anyway and was surprised by its good taste.
Does it really stink?
Yes, you can smell it from meters away, but it is a bearable smell that mixes with that of other foods from the Shanghai stalls.
Other tofu-based recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2 people
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4.2 oz stinky tofu
- as needed peanut oil
- as needed hot sauce
Steps
If you can’t find where to buy stinky tofu (Chinese stores in large cities), you can prepare a brine with fermented milk and a mix of vegetables and meat of your choice.
• Cut the tofu into pieces;
• Immerse the blocks in the previously prepared brine and let them ferment for weeks or months.The frying methods are divided into two categories:
1. The tender way to eat it is to fry the stinky tofu until the skin becomes crispy, remove it and drain the oil, then cut it into pieces and serve it.
2. The crispier way to eat it is to fry the stinky tofu until the skin becomes crispy, pick it up and cut it into four diagonal pieces, then put it back in the pot and continue frying until it becomes golden, then pick it up and drain the oil, and serve it.Serve with hot sauce.
There are actual photobooks dedicated to stinky tofu.
