Tofu Culture in China

Stinky Tofu

This smelly tofu is a kind of snack with a strong odor described as rotten or fecal. Blocks of soft tofu are fermented in unique brine and then, after frying until the rind becomes crisp, are usually served with sweet sauce, soy sauce or hot sauce.

Well Known Tofu Dish

Mapo Tofu (or Sichuan Bean Curd, Stir-fried Tofu in Hot Sauce)

Mapo Tofu or Mapo’s Bean Curd, is wildly popular throughout China and originated at a restaurant in Chengdu. The tofu is served hot and soft, covered in a spicy Sichuan peppercorn hot sauce and mixed with a small portion of minced meet.

During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, a freckled woman in Chengdu opened a small restaurant, hosting customers with stir-fried mutton with tofu as her specialty. Her business thrived for its inexpensive prices and good tastes. After the woman died, people named her specialty “Mapo Tofu” to remember her, which literally means tofu made by the freckled woman. The name still remains today, and it has beome a common dish found everywhere. Foreigners favor it, as well.