Dafang Stinky Tofu

Dafang Stinky Tofu

　　Dafang Stinky Tofu

　　Dafang tofu is a traditional Chinese food found in every region. But the tofu from Dafang County stands out not only for its rich content and wide variety but also for its diverse and distinctive preparation methods.

　　The long-established stinky tofu is the most famous type of tofu from Dafang. Exactly how long stinky tofu has been made in Dafang is something even the local people can’t quite say. Legend has it that many years ago, a tofu shop in the county town once made too much tofu one day and couldn’t sell it all. When they took it out on the third day, the tofu had gone moldy and grown fuzz, yet it gave off a unique aroma. Not wanting to throw it away, the owner coated it with salt, grilled it over charcoal, and put it up for sale. To everyone’s surprise, its distinctive flavor made it sell out quickly. This is how “stinky tofu” in Dafang County came to be.

　　Though called “stinky tofu,” it actually isn’t smelly—in fact, it has a unique aroma. It is light yellow in color, tender and delicate in texture, refreshing and palatable to eat, and easy to preserve.

　　There are various ways to prepare ready-made tofu, such as stir-frying or deep-frying, with grilled pan-fried tofu being one of the most common. In the small alleys and streets of the town, it’s easy to come across stalls like this: an iron stove topped with a griddle, surrounded by small stools, with tender yellow stinky tofu being grilled on the hotplate. Most of the cooks are middle-aged women or aunties. Young women often stop by these roadside stalls on their way to or from work to pick up a few pieces. The grilled tofu is served with seasonings like chili, Sichuan pepper, and salt, making it even more delicious. Customers chat about everyday life as they eat, while the vendor occasionally brushes some cooking oil on the tofu and flips the already-grilled pieces. It is at stalls like these that the distance between people seems to shrink significantly.

　　In recent years, people in Dafang have also started to enjoy zongba tofu. Zongba tofu is made by grilling stinky tofu, then slicing it open with a small knife, stuffing it with filling, and finally wrapping the tofu in a layer of zongba (glutinous rice paste). For authentic zongba tofu, freshly pounded glutinous rice cakes are required—those made with tangyuan (sweet dumpling) powder are too watery and make it difficult to shape the tofu. Zongba tofu can be grilled or deep-fried, with the latter requiring especially precise control of heat. Skilled chefs can fry it to a golden, crispy exterior while keeping the tofu inside soft and tender.