Chou doufu (臭豆腐, literally stinky tofu) is the deeply divisive fermented tofu preparation that appears at street food stalls across Hunan, Sichuan, and Taiwan — the smell of which (a combination of ammonia, sulfur compounds, and fermented dairy-adjacent notes) is one of the most powerful food aromas in Chinese street food culture. The tofu is fermented in a brine of fermented milk, vegetables, and meat for days to months, then deep-fried until the exterior is crispy and the interior becomes intensely flavoured and silky. In Changsha (Hunan's capital), chou doufu is deep-fried and served with a Hunan-style chilli sauce; in Taiwan, it is typically served with a sweeter sauce and pickled cabbage.
The fermentation brine (authentic, simplified): A traditional chou doufu brine is extraordinarily complex and varied by region. A simplified version: combine 100ml soy sauce, 100ml water, 50ml Shaoxing wine, 1 dried bamboo shoot, a piece of fermented tofu (doufu ru), and a small amount of fermented black beans in a sealed jar. Place firm tofu blocks in the brine. Ferment at room temperature for 3-5 days (for a milder result) or refrigerated for up to 2-4 weeks (for a deeper funk). The brine can be refreshed and reused. The frying: Deep-fry the fermented tofu blocks at 180C until the exterior is crispy and darkened — 3-5 minutes. The interior should be hot through and silky. The sauce (Changsha style): Red chilli paste, garlic, light soy, sesame oil, fresh coriander. The sensory experience: The fried chou doufu should smell aggressively funky, the exterior should be shattering-crisp, and the interior should be soft and intensely savoury — the contrast between the aggressive exterior aroma and the surprisingly creamy, complex interior taste is the point.
Fuchsia Dunlop, Every Grain of Rice (2012); Fuchsia Dunlop, Invitation to a Banquet (2023)