Stinky tofu

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Stinky tofu is often served deep-fried with chili sauce.

Stinky tofu served with goose blood in mala soup

A stinky tofu stall in Keelung, Taiwan

Stinky tofu (Chinese: 臭豆腐;; pinyin: chòu dòufu) is a form of fermented tofu, which, as the name suggests, has a strong odor. It is a popular snack in East and Southeast Asia, particularly mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Thailand where it is usually found at night markets or roadside stands, or as a side dish in lunch bars.

Wide regional and individual variations exist in manufacture and preparation. Most typically, it consists of tofu which has been marinated in a brine made from fermented vegetables for as long as several months. The brine can also include dried shrimp, amaranth greens, mustard greens, bamboo shoots, and Chinese herbs.^[1] Stinky tofu can be eaten cold, steamed, stewed, or most commonly, fried. It is often accompanied by chili sauce. The color varies from the golden fried Zhejiang-style to the black typical of Hunan-style stinky tofu.^[1] In Taiwan, stinky tofu is also served with goose blood in a mala soup.

From a distance, the odor of stinky tofu is said to resemble that of sewage or a garbage dump, even by its enthusiasts. In spite of stinky tofu's smell, the flavor is surprisingly mild. Some have compared it to the taste of blue cheese. It is said the more it smells, the better it tastes.