Weird Chinese Food › Fermented & Funky
Stinky Tofu
臭豆腐 · chòu dòufu
Bravery rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️·· Brave
What does stinky tofu taste like?
The smell is far worse than the taste. Changsha's black stinky tofu is crispy outside, juicy inside, with chili and garlic; the flavour is savoury and a bit like aged cheese. Shaoxing's fried golden version is milder.
Where to eat it in China
Changsha (Hunan) for the black version, Shaoxing (Zhejiang) for golden fried, and night markets across China and Taiwan.
How much does it cost?
Typical range: a cheap street snack, usually inexpensive per portion.
⚠️ Safety tips
Buy from busy stalls. Fermented foods are fine for most people, but quality varies.
🎥 Watch us eat it
Stinky tofu in Yunnan (starts at 15:05)
Spicy stinky tofu at Xiawan night market, Zhuhai (starts at 2:55)
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FAQ
Why does stinky tofu smell so bad?
It's soaked in a fermented brine — the smell comes from that fermentation.
Does it taste as bad as it smells?
Most people say no — it tastes savoury and cheesy.