Stinky Tofu

Stinky tofu is a popular snack food in Taiwan, Indonesia, and China and one of my favorite foods.

What is it? Fermented tofu, and as the name suggests, it can possibly clear a room.

How is it made? According to Wikipedia, the tofu is marinated in a brine of fermented milk, vegetables, and meat (which could also include dried shrimp, mustard green, bamboo shoots, and Chinese herbs) for as long as several months.

How can it be eaten? Cold, steamed, stewed, or fried, which is the most common. Served with chili sauce and pickled vegetables.

Stinky Tofu in HotPot

Interesting fact: The color varies from the golden fried Zhejiang-style (YUM) to the black typical of Hunan-style (possibly the one seen in Bizarre Foods - Taiwan. That brine was awfully black).

Fried Stinky Tofu

The smell: Okay, so this is totally my own opinion, but I don't think that the stinky tofu that is found in the United States is THAT stinky, though I have friends that would disagree.

Incident 1: Once, my friend and I ordered a plate and my other 2 friends thought about trying it. So, the plate gets to the table and my one friend says, "OMG it smells so bad. Eat it fast so it will leave the table." Needless to say, she did not try it. This was the fried tofu mind you.

Incident 2: I went to this little Taiwanese restaurant in the San Gabriel Valley area and my dad and I discovered that they had steamed stinky tofu. Every time we went, we would order it and usually there were a lot of older Asian people there that didn't say anything about the smell. This one time, a 20 something Asian guy and his 3 Hispanic friends came in to enjoy some dumplings and noodle soup. We had already ordered the stinky tofu and I swear, those 4 guys reactions totally amused me. They first began whispering, then one got up and casually opened the door, but that plan failed because the waitress saw it opened and closed it right away, but they kept trying. They talked about the smell and hoped that my dad and I would leave, but we just sat there, taking our time...eating and laughing at them. I know it was mean, but it was just too funny.

The taste: I personally think that the fried tofu has a surprisingly mild flavor as compared to the smell, but then again, I have a friend that would disagree. So, my other friend from "incident 1" was willing to try it, and I give him props for trying. He put it in his mouth, chewed and spat it out. He said that stink permeated to his brain and it tasted like he was eating sewer. I personally don't think it tastes like that at all, but everyone is entitled to their opinions.

Places to eat Stinky Tofu in California (that I know of):

1. Shinbala, Cupertino, CA - so good that my family ordered 4 plates the last time! The sauce is really good (some garlic in it) and it is lightly fried. It feels really light when you eat it.

20956 Homestead Rd

Cupertino, Ca 95014

(408) 257-6868

Hours: Mon., Wed-Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Really good pork chop rice too!

2. A&J, San Jose, CA - service was pretty crummy, but the steamed stinky tofu was good. Only my dad and I could stomach this.

1698 Hostetter Rd, Ste D

San Jose, CA 95131

(408) 441-8168

3. Yung Ho, San Gabriel, CA - the tofu is more dense than Shinbala, but if you are craving it, it is a quick fix.

1045 E Valley Blvd
#A105
San Gabriel, CA 91776

(626) 280-9317

Hours: Mon-Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

4. Boiling Point, Monterey Park, CA - Stinky tofu in hot pot. Good on really cold nights.

153 Garvey Ave

Monterey Park, Ca 91755

(626) 288 - 9876

I want to try:

Taiwanese stinky tofu on a stick from street vendors!