Changsha, the capital of China’s Hunan Province, is distinct for its unique delicacy – tofu that, quite literally, stinks.
Every city or place has its own unique dish or snack. In Pateros, for example, “balut” reigns supreme, even if it could be scary for foreigners to eat fertilized developing duck embryos.
This is what “stinky tofu” is like – it can frighten a first-timer due to its black metallic color and smell, but it represents Hunan’s diverse food culture.
Local streets in Changsha like Taiping and Sunshine 100 Phoenix, Yuelu District and Wuyi Square offered this dish for only 10-20 yuan or about P158.
Be it in fancy restaurants or hotels or from simple merchants, you can taste and smell its distinct stink.
“Stinky tofu” is made with soybeans that undergo various processes such as sifting, soaking, grinding, filtering, boiling and fermenting.
Raw bean curd is soaked in brine, emitting a pungent smell that can be a turnoff for those not acquainted with it.
Tasting this food can make one anxious, but locals enjoy this snack while walking in the cold streets of Changsha.
Changsha’s stinky tofu dates back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), reportedly when a woman began frying discarded tofu in tea oil and stumbled upon a dish that would become a pillar of Hunan’s thriving street food culture.
Today, tourists holding bowls of stinky tofu can be seen everywhere.
