Changsha's stinky tofu is "notorious". This snack with distinctive characteristics has contracted many outsiders' first experience of local flavors after coming to Changsha, and it has not only appeared on the small street vendors, but also appeared on the menus of various restaurants.

As a traditional snack, the historical origin of stinky tofu is difficult to find the truth, and various legends surround it, the most widely spread of which is that it came from the hand of Wang Zhihe, a scholar from Huangshan Mountain in Anhui Province in the Qing Dynasty. Nowadays, Changsha stinky tofu can be seen almost all over the country, but which is true and which is false often bothers diners. Generally speaking, stinky tofu is divided into two types: Nanjing stinky tofu and Changsha stinky tofu, the former is golden and thin and dry, and the latter is dark and plump.

"It smells bad, but it tastes good." It is the most original opinion of many people about stinky tofu. Changsha's stinky tofu is not only smelly, but also has the unique aroma of soy products after being fried, and its taste is "colorful" after the entrance, and all kinds of seasonings such as beef sauce and chili sauce can be used as the main flavor of stinky tofu, which is fresh and spicy and has its own characteristics. The high-quality Changsha stinky tofu skin is very crispy after frying, and the inside is yellow and tender, and careful merchants will also "ventilate" the stinky tofu before feeding, poke small holes, so that the juice is fully immersed in the tofu, and diners will have a feeling of bursting pulp when they take a bite.

The tofu blank is soaked in alum and brine, then drained and fried, which is the general production process of Changsha stinky tofu, and the sulfide that causes the smell comes from the main component of alum, ferrous sulfate. There has been news circulating on the Internet that stinky tofu causes cancer, and in fact, eaters can rest assured that stinky tofu sold in regular stores not only does not pose a risk of causing cancer, but also has nutrients such as vitamin B12 due to its special fermentation method.

Due to the unique shape and smell of stinky tofu, for many first-time diners, how to avoid pitfalls is also a required skill. First of all, the color of the water containing the tofu blank should not be too dark, otherwise it will be suspected of dyeing; Secondly, there must be no pungent taste in the stinky smell of stinky tofu; In addition, the inside of tofu should not be too white, and it is generally better to be yellow and tender.

 

Recommended merchants: Wen Heyou, Black Classic, Wu Xiaoyu 

 

Wen Heyou

Per capita: 10 yuan

Business district: Pozi Street

Address: 1st Floor, Outer Area of Hisense Plaza, Section 2, Xiangjiang Middle Road, Tianxin District (Northeast corner of the intersection of Renmin West Road and Xiangjiang Middle Road)

Contact: 4008783322

Business hours: 11:00-03:00

 

Black Classic

Per capita: 14 yuan

Business district: Wuyi Square/Huangxing Square

Address: Furong District, Changsha City, Huangxing Road Pedestrian Street, Metro Line 1, next to Exit 1

Contact: 15802503360

Business hours: Monday to Thursday 09:00-23:00

          Friday to Sunday 09:00-23:30

 

Five

Per capita: 9 yuan

Business district: South entrance

Address: Changsha Tianxin District Huangxing South Road No. 59 next to the alley (near the south entrance of Labor Square)

Contact:-

Business hours: 10:00-23:00