Smelly tofu
Smelly tofu ( Chinese 臭豆腐 , pinyin chòu dòufu ) is a traditional Chinese dish, prepared from fermented and marinated tofu and has an intense ("smelly") smell and taste. The dish, popular throughout the Chinese culture, was originally an inexpensive snack that was available at food stalls or stalls and at night markets . Today there are also pure smelly tofu restaurants.
Legend of origin
According to a legend that is difficult to verify, Smelly Tofu was invented by chance in the 17th century by a man named Wang Zhihe. After Wang at the imperial official tests in Beijing had failed, he earned his living as Tofuverkäufer. Once when he had a large amount of tofu in store, he kept some of it salted in jars. After a few days, the tofu was fermented, discolored and smelly, but it tasted great when Wang tasted it. He put it on the market and the dish "Smelly Tofu" was invented.
preparation
Smelly tofu is fermented in a spice brine, which can be composed of various compositions. The fermentation can take several months, but is often much shorter in the course of modern mass production. Depending on the degree of fermentation and the type of marinade , there are different flavors. Smelly tofu is usually cut into cubes and fried, steamed, braised or grilled.
consumption
Smelly tofu is mostly eaten with sweet and sour pickled vegetables and soy or chili sauce. It is also often used as an ingredient in hot pots . The continuing popularity of Stinky tofu also reflected in the creative development of new dishes, such as the filled with stinking tofu Shuijiao - dumplings or "sweet" and "salty" Stinky tofu in Taiwan .