Chinese form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor. It is usually sold at night markets or roadside stands as hunan tofu snack, or in lunch bars as a side dish, rather than in restaurants. Traditionally the dish is fermented in a brine with vegetables and meat, sometimes for months. Modern factories often use quicker methods to mass-produce stinky tofu.

Fresh tofu is marinated in prepared brine for only a day or two, especially for fried or boiled cooking purposes. The process only adds odor to the marinated tofu instead of letting it ferment completely. Stinky tofu can be eaten cold, steamed, stewed, or, most commonly, deep-fried, and it is often accompanied by chili sauce or soy sauce. The color varies from the golden, fried Zhejiang-style to the black, typical of Hunan-style stinky tofu. From a distance, the odor of stinky tofu is said to resemble that of rotten garbage or smelly feet. Some people have compared it to the taste of blue cheese, while others have compared it to rotten meat.

Huang Shan in Anhui Province invented stinky tofu during the Qing dynasty. After failing the imperial examination, Wang stayed in Beijing and relied on selling tofu to make a living. A 2012 chemical analysis found 39 volatile organic compounds that contributed to the unique smell and taste of fermented stinky tofu. In Hong Kong, stinky tofu is a street food. It is deep-fried fresh at hawkers’ stalls and at dai pai dongs and sold by the bag.

Stinky tofu in Hong Kong is typically served deep-fried and eaten with hoisin sauce. This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Stinky tofu is made and consumed in different ways in various areas of China.