My friend, Philip Gelb, (shakuhachi player and teacher and vegetarian chef) sent me an email saying how he is looking for some stinky tofu (臭豆腐 chòu dòufǔ). This fired off some memories. I’ve had stinky tofu a couple of times, once as a condiment with a since forgotten dish and another time as an ingredient. I requested the latter at my friend Stephen Hung’s restaurant, Super Wok, asking for garlic sauteed water spinach (空心菜 kōngxīncài Ipomoea aquatica) with stinky tofu. He was incredulous, but picked up the ingredients and had Jack the chef whip up a batch for me. Then everybody watched to see me try to eat it. I enjoyed it and finished off the dish. The smell reminds me of a good strong cheese, the texture is creamy, and the taste strong and delicious. I know that Phil also likes nattō (納豆 fermented bean curd), which is Japanese and also an acquired taste. If I ever get to Taiwan, I must go to Dai’s House of Stinky Tofu (獨臭之家) for dinner.
Posted by jim at October 23, 2005 08:13 AMWow, a blast from the past -- except in Taiwan we called it "smelly tofu." I never ate it, but I sure remember the smell. There was a Taiwanese movie (from the '70s, when I was there) that ended with the young protagonist going off to the States for grad school (the dream of every Taiwanese student) and his weeping mother rushing up to him as he was about to board the plane and handing him a container of smelly tofu. I felt sorry for the other passengers.
Posted by: language hat on October 24, 2005 06:28 AM