Wang decided to start selling this “stinky” tofu and became an instant hit. He forgot about it and upon coming back to it days after, the tofu turned green. He didn’t know what to do but put it into an earthen jar. Before he knew it, Wang was stuck with a large quantity of unsold tofu. Less successful than he had hoped, his tofu business was slowly failing. But Wang didn’t start off selling stinky tofu. So instead, he made a living by selling tofu on the streets. Legend says Wang failed his imperial examination and his dreams of serving in the state bureaucracy was crushed. And according to Chinese folklore, the famous dish was invented by a scholar, named Wang Zhihe (王致和) during the Qing Dynasty. Taiwanese stinky tofu was actually Chinese stinky tofu. But did you know, this dish actually originated from mainland China? In fact, it’s probably the single most iconic street food dish from the food-loving country. Whenever I’m able to find this, I always go for a bowl of this stewed tofu. It’s wildly popular with the locals and the spicy flavor of the broth really helps mask the smell and taste of the tofu. Mala stinky tofu is Taiwan stinky tofu in a spicy broth. It’s a must eat if you enjoy spicy foods! The base can vary, but my favorite is the mala stinky tofu. Perhaps the least popular among foreigners, the stewed stinky tofu is this classic Taiwanese dish in a thick soup. I don’t always recommend this for first timers, but if that’s your only option, I definitely would give it a try. Always consume with it, as it’ll provide a more balanced taste. Most of the time, you’ll also have the option of garlic, chili sauce and pickled cabbage. But for the Taiwan stinky tofu lover, this is pure heaven. Because this tofu is steamed, the flavor is better absorbed into the tofu. On the other side of the spectrum, the steamed stinky tofu may be the most pungent. After all, the Taiwanese love their fried foods, especially at the night markets. Stinky tofu is just that wonderful when fried. The outer layer of crunchiness creates a unique texture of both crispy and soft. You’ll also have the option for chili sauce, which I highly recommend if you can take the extra heat. The fried variation is also the most popular at the night markets and it’s almost always served with pickled cabbage and garlic sauce. It’s not because I like it the most, but because it’s the least pungent. And when foreigners first try Taiwanese stinky tofu, I always recommend the fried first. Fried Stinky Tofuįried is by far my favorite. But let’s dive into each type and the reasons why you should try each one. Or at the very least, the steamed and deep-fried stinky tofu. ![]() If you’ve never tried stinky tofu, I recommend trying all three. Plus, it’s no coincidence that deep-fried is also the most popular way of eating stinky tofu. All are great and worth trying, but my favorite is the deep-fried. However, Taiwanese stinky tofu is primarily served in three ways: steamed, stewed or deep-fried. ![]() Every person will have their own comparison, but the only way to know is to try it (or just smell it) for yourself. Others have compared it to slightly-expired blue cheese or rotten meat.Īs you can tell, it’s hard describing the smell of Taiwanese stinky tofu. From a distance, the tofu smell is often described as that of wet stocks or smelly feet. There’s a lot of room for interpretation of the stinky tofu odor. Different vendors will have their own variation, but the extras help balance out the pungent flavor. So despite how quickly it’s served in night markets, the process of creating this dish takes a long time of preparation.ĭepending on how the stinky tofu is served, the tofu is generally accompanied by with a thick garlic sauce, chili sauce and sometimes with a side of pickled cabbage. Only after the fermentation process, bricks of tofu are soaked for 4 to 6 hours in container jars, resulting in the unique “stink” of Taiwanese stinky tofu. ![]() The jars are then exposed to air for month to allow for the bacteria to ferment. The process starts with brine (salt water), along with bamboo shoots, shelled shrimp and Chinese green cabbage mixed into wide jars. Stinky tofu is essentially fermented tofu. In Mandarin, it’s called “ chou dou fu“ – directly translating to stinky tofu. But while some people can’t stand the smell, others can’t get enough of it. Stinky tofu is literally tofu that stinks.
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