Stinky Tofu

There are many things that are considered staples of the Taiwanese gastronomy like the Beef Noodle Soup, the One Thousand Year Old Eggs, the Tea Eggs and the Bubble Tea, but Stinky Tofu is, no questions asked, THE food to eat when you come to this Island.

You have probably heard the stories already, so I will start this post with two confessions:

1. I love Stinky Tofu, well, depending on how it is prepared.
2. I didn't like it at first.

First Preparation.

The Bacterial Goodness.

The plastic containers in different stages of fermentation.

Deep Frying the Tofu

Such a Pretty Dish

Tofu is an ingredient used throughout Asia, it represents one of the highest protein intakes for must of the population, must of us are quite familiar with it, and in general Tofu tends to be bland, tasteless and well, boring. It is generally the medium for the flavor. But here is where Stinky Tofu sets itself apart: you can say anything about it, but IT IS NOT BORING.

The story starts with a big chunk of inconspicuous plain Tofu, press it to release must of its liquid.

Then put it in some plastic containers with the secret mix of water and bacteria and let it ferment for an undetermined period of time. There are a lot of different levels of 'Stinkyness' and it all depends on how long you leave the Tofu fermenting in the bacterial goodness.

After a hefty period of time, the Tofu-Makers decide whether or not the Tofu has reached the desired level of stench, and if that is the case it is removed from the bacterial bath, washed and stored. It is ready for preparation! By this time the Tofu has developed not only the stench, but also a very interesting internal consistency; a bit meaty and a bit cheesy. Its taste has changed as well, it has turned from a vehicle for flavors to a protagonist of dishes, with a somehow foul taste I can only compare with the great blue cheeses.

It could be grilled, fried or boiled in soup, personally I hate the latter, there is something about the slimy texture of the boiled stinky tofu that I still cannot get used to. But when it comes grilled or specially deep fried it is A TREAT!

Served with preserved cabbage that resembles a lot the Korean Spicy Kimchee and a delicious and lite mix of soy sauce and vinegar it is now ready to eat. The only tip I can give you is: block out the smell and concentrate in the texture and the layers of flavor this dish has to offer. Take a bit of everything and dig in.

Oh god! The unmistakable stench of Stinky Tofu can be smelled around the cities. To be honest at first I couldn't tell what the smell was and immediately assumed that the food stalls where way to close to the sewers. But now after a while I can tell the smell of stinky tofu and actually get my mouth watering.

Probably my descriptions are not the best or the most helpful, specially if you are a picky eater. It is indeed an acquired taste, much like a lot of things in Asia for the normal western palate. But let me tell you something, when you are all this way away from home, the last thing you should be looking for is a comfort zone, so man up and get yourself some Stinky Tofu, it is weird, I'll give you that, but it could be the gateway to greater things in your culinary adventures.