Chinese food. Smelly tofu.

If you are walking in China, in various shopping streets, food is being cooked around, and suddenly you feel that somewhere the rat is dead, and, apparently, the corpse is already decomposing in the sun, it smells like real carrion, it’s as if you should plug your nose and open your mouth to do not smell, and quickly pass this place .....
Or here's another comparison - a truck with garbage rides, some liquid drips from it, and it stinks from it !!! Kick like .....
Or here are socks and legs ... if you put on a hot day, for example, tight sneakers, and go all day in the sun, and then come home and take off your shoes indoors ..... Smell!
That's how it comes to mind for comparison, everything is actually very simple, it's on the street they are preparing to eat Chinese smelly tofu.
By the way, here in Shenzhen, in our district, where there are a huge number of foreigners, and who generally like for foreigners, it was forbidden to cook this product. Apparently, sparing the sense of smell of foreigners.

So, what is this very tofu, and why does it stink like that, and is there a tofu that doesn't stink?
Smelly tofu, also rotten tofu (Chinese 臭豆腐, pinyin: chòu dòufu) is a form of fermented tofu (bean curd) that has a strong odor. This is a popular snack in the countries of the East and Southeast Asia, especially in China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as in various enclaves in East Asia in other places where it is usually sold in houses (where it is done including), at night markets and roadside outlets or served as a side dish for dinner, but only in bars, not in restaurants.
The country's population has a different attitude to this treat: some love this dish, others simply hate it. To prepare Zhou Tofu, a pickle made from vegetables and shrimp is taken, which has been fermented for several months. Then they put soybeans (tofu) in it and soak them a little. Everything, the dish, famous for its unique “fragrance”, is ready and it is called in translation - stinky tofu. Fortunately for tourists who absolutely cannot stand the smell of stinky tofu, this product is sold only in a specially designated place.

In general, tofu is cheese from bean curd. And a huge amount and variety of it is sold in stores, and when cooking it does not smell at all.
It is called differently in China, Japan, Korea and other Asian countries. The history of tofu cheese dates back to the 2nd century and begins in China, which is considered the birthplace of bean curd. Then it spreads to Japan, Thailand and other countries. In the West and in Russia, this soy product was recognized in the second half of the 20th century.
Tofu cheese is curdled soy milk, or bean curd. It is obtained by adding magnesium chloride, citric acid or potassium sulfate to soy milk, then it is heated and filtered. Sometimes sea water is used as a reagent for curdling, in this case the cheese is called "island tofu." As a rule, they sell soy cheese in pressed form, usually it is white. Sell ​​it in vacuum packs that are filled with water. In this form, it can be stored for several weeks. At home, tofu can be kept in water for a week, changing the water to clean every day. It can also be stored in the freezer, while it becomes yellow. True, after thawing it whitens again, but becomes more rigid and porous.

Types of Tofu Cheese.
Tofu is distinguished by density and manufacturing method. It has a neutral taste, so it can be used very widely in cooking.

So, varieties of tofu:
Dense tofu has two more varieties - Western and Asian.
The first is denser, without water, in the second there is a lot of water. Both one and the other in consistency resemble mozzarella cheese. These types are suitable for frying, deep-frying and smoking. There is dense tofu cheese with various additives.
Silk tofu is softer, it resembles pudding.
This cheese is made with the largest amount of water, it is soft and delicate. Use it for sweet dishes, sauces, soups and for steaming.
Of course, these are just a few of the main varieties. In fact, there are a lot of varieties of tofu. In particular, this cheese is made with various additives - paprika, nuts, herbs. At the same time, it acquires the taste of an additive. Smoked cheese is especially popular among Westerners. Basically we see white dense tofu in vacuum packs.
Tofu cheese in cooking.
This is a universal product that is suitable for a variety of dishes - both basic, and desserts and sweets. Tofu is fried, boiled, baked, made from it, stuffed with soups and sauces, and also steamed. It is often used in East Asian cuisine; vegetarians are very fond of it. Sometimes, before cooking, it is slightly pickled in soy sauce or lemon juice. Due to the neutral taste, when cooking from tofu, you need to add a lot of seasonings and season with some sauce, then the dish will have a taste and aroma of seasoning. For example, if you add it to chili, it will acquire the taste of this dish, and if mixed with chocolate it will be a delicious dessert.

The benefits of tofu cheese.
Tofu cheese is so widespread because it has a lot of high-quality protein. This makes it an excellent substitute for meat and other animal products. Therefore, vegans, vegetarians and fasting people value it so much. In tofu, from 5 to 10 percent of the protein contains all the essential amino acids, as well as a lot of iron and calcium. At the same time, it has a low number of calories and there is absolutely no cholesterol. There are almost no fats and carbohydrates in tofu; it is perfectly absorbed by the stomach. Also, soy cheese can be eaten by people who are allergic to milk and eggs.
So, there is a product, it can be eaten, it can be varied, it means you can buy and use.
Well, smelly tofu - let’s leave it to special gourmets and tourists. Although we also have Russian friends who told us that they love smelly tofu very much, and it stinks only when cooking. When consumed, it does not emit any bad smell at all.
I don’t know, I tried it, while the desire to try has not yet appeared. J

Do you have this product in the country where you live?

All photos are taken from the Chinese portal of online stores:
https://taobao.com

selling original tofu in the widest assortment.