Origins of Beijing’s Stinky Tofu

China has a variety of culinary delicacies, including stinky tofu, which, despite its unpleasant aroma, is a delicious snack. Today, we will delve into the origins of Beijing’s Stinky Tofu.

It’s a snack that smells nasty but tastes delicious.

Origins of Beijing’s Stinky Tofu

In the Qing Dynasty, a young man named Wang Zhihe traveled to Beijing to take an exam. Unfortunately, he failed and didn’t have enough money to return home. Consequently, he started a small business selling tofu in Beijing. He planned to wait until he earned enough money to return home.

However, due to the combination of his lack of experience and the sweltering weather, his tofu didn’t sell and eventually spoiled.

In an attempt to reduce waste, he had a brilliant idea of pickling his tofu with salt. However, due to his busy schedule, he soon forgot about the pickled tofu. When he finally remembered, he found out that his tofu had turned black and had an unpleasant smell.

Wang Zhihe was intrigued by the appearance of the black tofu and decided to taste it. He thought that, at worst, he would get diarrhea. So, he picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of the tofu, and was surprised that the more he ate, the better it tasted. This made him want to eat more.

It’s a Hit

He quickly put up a sign that read “Stinky Tofu” (臭豆腐 chòu dòufu) and took all of his tofu to sell on the street.

This time, Wang Zhihe offered free samples of the tofu before customers bought any. As a result, his business thrived and stinky tofu became a beloved snack in Beijing.

Empress Dowager Cixi‘s poor appetite led her servants to bring stinky tofu, which she unexpectedly couldn’t stop eating, making the dish even more famous.

Would you give Beijing’s stinky tofu a try?

Not finished reading about Chinese food? Check out another post on the origins of Meiling’s porridge!