臭豆腐 — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Fermented tofu deep-fried to a golden, impossibly crispy shell encasing a creamy, pungent interior, served with tangy pickled cabbage and fiery chili sauce — Taiwan's most polarizing delicacy.

Ingredients

4 blocks fermented stinky tofu (store-bought)
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
200g pickled cabbage (suan cai)
2 tbsp chili sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh cilantro
Sliced red chili

Instructions

1 Heat oil to 180°C (360°F) in a deep fryer or heavy pot.
2 Carefully lower stinky tofu blocks into the hot oil. Fry for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until deeply golden and crispy on all sides.
3 Drain on paper towels. Cut each block into quarters with scissors or a knife.
4 Arrange on a plate with a generous mound of pickled cabbage on the side.
5 Drizzle with chili sauce and soy sauce. Top with garlic, cilantro, and sliced chili.
6 Serve immediately while the exterior is still crackling crisp.

Did You Know?

Stinky tofu's aroma is so powerful that many night markets position stinky tofu stalls downwind — yet the taste is mild and delicious, proving that smell and flavor are gloriously disconnected.