Stinky tofu is a form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor. It is a popular snack in East and Southeast Asia, particularly Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, and China, where it is usually found at night markets or roadside stands, or as a side dish in lunch bars.
Production
Unlike cheese, stinky tofu fermentation does not have fixed formula for starter bacteria; wide regional and individual variations exist in manufacture and preparation.
The traditional method for producing stinky tofu is to prepare a brine made from fermented milk, vegetables, and meat; the brine can also include dried shrimp, amaranth greens, mustard greens, bamboo shoots, and Chinese herbs. The brine fermentation can take as long as several months. Depending on the ways of preparation, the process can be extremely unsanitary; the brine is covered with maggots and has extremely strong rotten odor. After the brine is made, fresh firm tofu, then, is marinated in the brine for several days to a couple months. Sometimes quicklime is added to control the fermentation and maggots. Since no starter bacteria were used, the only way to determine whether the tofu has achieved desired quality is by its appearance, e.g. tofu covered is white mold instead of black mold. After a successful attempt, the brine can be kept for future use. That is also the reason why stinky tofu tastes different from vendor to vendor, and the brines are usually considered as trade secret by the makers. Although stinky tofu is very popular in East and Southeast Asia, not many households prepare stinky tofu brine at home due to its strong odor, especially in metro-residential areas.
Even though the traditional method is still widely practiced by street venders, modern factories often use quicker methods to mass produce stinky tofu. Fresh tofu is being marinated in prepared brine for only a day or two, especially for fried or boiled cooking purpose. The process only adds odor to the marinated tofu instead of letting it ferment completely. Some less scrupulous stinky tofu factories in China reportedly used rotten kitchen waste, chemical dye and human feces to prepare the brine in order to achieve the odor and texture in short period of time.
The nature of the stinky tofu production process makes it extremely difficult to pass government food regulation even in Asia. The diversity and lack of formulated methods also makes it nearly impossible for the government to regulate and inspect. In Asia, no stinky tofu factories were ever officially licensed or constantly monitored; in most cases, government inspection can only focus on the cooking procedure and ventilation. In North America, stinky tofu is often "home-made" in the cities with significant number of Asian immigrants; for instance, some Asian tofu factories in Vancouver, Canada would produce stinky tofu underground as side-business to avoid government inspections.
Preparation
Stinky tofu can be eaten cold, steamed, stewed, or most commonly, fried. It is often accompanied by chili sauce. The color varies from the golden fried Zhejiang-style to the black typical of Hunan-style stinky tofu.
From a distance, the odor of stinky tofu is said to resemble that of rotten garbage or manure, even by its enthusiasts. In spite of stinky tofu's smell, most say the flavor is surprisingly mild. Some few peoplewho? have compared it to the taste of blue cheese. It has also been compared to foie gras. In some instances the taste has even been compared to rotten meat. It is said the more it smells, the 'better' its flavor is.
