Stinky tofu

Stinky tofu

　　Stinky tofu can be found all over China, but the version in Wuzhen has a unique flavor. It is made by soaking high-quality tofu for over twenty hours, using no chemical additives—only traditional aged brine for fermentation. As a result, it has no off-putting smells and boasts a pure, delicious aroma. The traditional aged brine is not easy to come by; some shops have been using theirs for years, adding vegetable stems and bamboo shoot roots annually. To prevent spoilage, they occasionally sterilize the brine by plunging red-hot iron tongs into it. The stinky tofu is then deep-fried in vegetable oil, skewered on bamboo sticks, and brushed with spicy broad bean paste, creating a delicious treat that’s hard to resist. Nowadays, some restaurants also serve it steamed, even giving it the poetic name “Fragrance Drifting a Thousand Miles.” But in truth, true lovers of stinky tofu couldn’t care less what it’s called—as long as it’s thoroughly and purely stinky.