I always thought no matter how you cook tofu it can't be wrong as tofu is naturally mild in taste. But once I was in Hong Kong when I finished high school.. I realized I have not seen the world enough. That was when I encountered stinky tofu or more commonly called 'Chow Tofu' (Cantonese pronunciation) in Hong Kong.
Stinky tofu is fermented friend tofu that smells sharply foul. It is a most popular and loved street snack mainly in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. You just need your nose to locate a stinky tofu vendor as you can probably smell it from meters away!
According the locals, there are many variation in making the stinky tofu but the rule of thumb is soaking regular tofus in brine of milk, rotten fish or shrimp and vegetables for days, weeks or months. Letting the bacteria doing the job and the tofu will be frozen until ready to fry!
So... the question is did I sample it? Yes! Stinky Fried Tofu is very crispy on the outer but smooth and juicy inside. When my teeth sunk into the tofu, it felt like a gush of sewer water rushed into my mouth! The taste lasted for hours in my mouth! OOOhhhhhhh my.... Try it if you haven't.
Tips: Try to eat with the chili sauce as I will taste a little more palatable.
I've heard about stinky tofu many times but have never tried nor encountered it in my life. Is it really that 'stinky' ?
ReplyDeleteYes, the smell is really pungent :) It's a delicacy for sure. Not for the weak hearted.. haha
ReplyDeletei dont think i tasted that kind of tofu but i like fermented tofu when i am poor some days ...i eat a smudge with rice hehehe...
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love stinky fried tofu! Have not been to Hong Kong, so have not tried the ones there but I would sometimes buy from our pasar malam, and my kids love it too! Have not eaten this in ages, you are making me drool....! That's it, will have to pay a visit to the pasar malam very soon! Thanks for reminding me! :)
ReplyDeleteNever heard of stinky tofu. I will try if I get chance to. Thanks for sharing!
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