Stinky Tofu

Stinky Tofu

　　　　Product Name: Stinky Tofu

　　Place of Origin: Nanxun, Huzhou

　　Product Features: The exterior is dark reddish-brown, while the interior is jade-white and tender. It is chewy yet not hard, aromatic and savory. When chewed slowly, it leaves a long-lasting aftertaste that one never tires of.

　　Product Composition: 40% protein, 25% carbohydrates, 20% fat, and moreover, polyunsaturated fatty acids account for as much as 61%. Coupled with various minerals and vitamins, its nutritional value is no less than that of meat, and it is also cholesterol-free.

Product Benefits: Boosts energy, nourishes weakness, improves skin and complexion, strengthens bones and marrow, increases strength, enhances appetite, offers high nutrition, rich in inorganic salts, low in fat, and low in calories.

　　Product Introduction: As the folk saying goes: “Nanxun is known for its stinky flavors, and Wuzhen for its spicy ones.” Wuzhen locals love spicy food, while those in Nanxun are fond of “stinky” flavors.

There are generally two ways to eat it: one is to pan-fry the stinky tofu and serve it with sweet scallion sauce, chopped scallions, and other condiments; the other is to stew the stinky tofu with scallions, sauce, ginger, and other seasonings in a water bath, resulting in a clear stewed stinky tofu. Though it has a pungent smell, stinky tofu tastes fragrant and delicious. In the words of the people of Nanxun, this is “the authentic taste of Nanxun.”

　　Product Anecdote: Mao Zedong, aside from his deep love for chili peppers, also held stinky tofu in high regard. The leader had a great appetite and a taste that was distinctly Chinese. It is said that in his youth, he often ate fried stinky tofu from Changsha’s Fire God Temple, and even visited it again after the liberation, remarking, “The stinky tofu from Fire God Temple still tastes good.” During the Cultural Revolution, two large characters appeared on the screen wall of Fire God Temple — “Highest Directive: The stinky tofu from Fire God Temple still tastes good.”