Fried stinky tofu

Fried stinky tofu

　　Stinky tofu in Nanjing can be divided into two types: one is a pale, tender tofu, and the other is a tile-gray dried tofu. The tender stinky tofu is deep-fried in oil until golden brown, then taken out of the pan. When served, it is topped with chili sauce, sesame paste, garlic juice, cilantro, scallions, and minced ginger. It has a crispy outside and a soft, tender inside, with a rich and flavorful taste. The gray dried stinky tofu, however, requires a slightly longer frying time to cook through thoroughly. As the enticing stinky aroma wafts through the air, small bubbles will form on the surface of the tofu. Once it turns grayish-black in color, it’s ready to eat. This type of dried stinky tofu is usually cut into small pieces, skewered on bamboo sticks, and fried until cooked. It is then brushed directly with a pre-prepared seasoning sauce by the vendor and eaten while hot. Crispy, delicious, and quite chewy, it’s a real treat.

　　The way stinky tofu is made in Gaochun, Nanjing, is also somewhat unique. First, high-quality soybeans are used to make fresh tofu, which is then pressed into white dried tofu. This dried tofu is then soaked in a special brine. The brine here is particularly important—it is made from the juice of last year’s fermented pickled vegetables, completely natural and green with no artificial coloring added, giving off a very authentic stinky smell. The container is sealed tightly and then buried underground. After several days, it is taken out, and the white tofu has turned into bluish-black stinky tofu. When you break open the tofu, you can see that it is bluish-black from the inside out. It smells extremely pungent, but once fried and eaten, it has an incredibly delicious flavor. This authentic kind of stinky tofu has almost disappeared from the market in recent years, with most of what is sold being imitation versions.