Do you know that Stinky or Smelly tofu or 'Chou Doufu' is one of the World's 50 top foods! It has the most horrible stench one would have ever experienced. Some say it something like durian, some say it smells like sewage. The odor of this fermented dish is so overpowering that it's difficult to shake off the memory for months. Yet it Smelly Tofu is South east Asia's most iconic food especially in Taiwan, Indonesia, Hong Kong and China. So what makes tofu so stinky, as basic tofu is actually bland. Traditionally to obtain Stiny Tofu, the tofu is kept for fermenting in brine mixed with vegetables, bamboo shoots, herbs, dried shrimp in earthernware pots for upto 6 months where micro-organisms do their job inorder to converting it into stinky tofu. It can be steamed, deep fried, stewed or eaten cold. It was once the staple food of the Chinese military patrolling the border.
Vendors preparing this street food deep fries the stinky tofu, makes a hole in the top of each cube with a chopstick or tongs to allow the topping to penetrate the crust. The topping consists of vinegar, sesame oil, shredded oriental cucumber, and pickled Chinese cabbage, followed by a dollop each of chilli sauce and minced garlic.
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| Stinky tofu |
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| The effect of odour from Stinky Tofu |
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| Stinky Tofu looking its best and enticing |
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