Hairy Tofu 毛豆腐 (Máo dòufu) in Anhui province. China is home to many preparations of tofu (soybean curd), including different fermented recipes, often called ‘stinky tofu’

Hairy tofu originates from Huizhou, a district in Huangshan City in the south of Anhui province at the foot of the beautiful Yellow Mountains (Huangshan). Hairy tofu goes a few curing steps further than most fermented tofu until the white hairs of mold are growing on the curd, therefore called Mao Doufu in Chinese, literally “furry tofu”.

The cured tofu is eaten as preserved with sprinkles of Baijiu (Chinese liquor) and marinated with spices, fried with spring onions as a popular streetfood snack or braised in different kinds of dishes. An intense and very unique flavor (and odor)

My favorite since I visited Huangshan more than 10 years ago 😊

Although the Hui cuisine (cuisine of Anhui) is one of the Great Eight Cuisines in China, chances are unless people have traveled to mountainous Anhui, not many have tasted Anhui cuisine. Unlike the foods of Sichuan, Guangdong (Cantonese), Shandong or Jiangsu, Anhui specialties haven’t traveled far beyond China

The dishes are characterized by the freshness with many wild herbs, mushrooms and vegetables. Though the style of cooking is simple and uncomplicated, it requires skills to preserve the fresh flavors in the dishes for which the cuisine is known for.

However, historically the influence of Anhui cuisine is everywhere in China. From as early as the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Huizhou merchants began traveling far beyond Anhui. Traditional farming was not enough to support a family in the mountainous region, so enterprising Huizhou (an administrative area in ancient China, made up mainly of the modern Anhui province) became sales merchants. Throughout the Ming and Qing Dynasties (until the late 1800’s), hard-working Huizhou merchants thrived. They were soon controlling large industries across China and, as they moved further and further from their homeland, they took Anhui cooking to every corner of the country.

Another amazing (or notorious for some) fermented dish from the Hui cuisine is “Stinky Mandirin Fish” (臭鳜鱼). Cured with salt and peppers in barrels under pressure of heavy stones, this fresh water fish, usually fried with garlic and chilies is very typical to the North of Anhui province and known all over China for its distinctive and intense flavors.

#china #chinesesociety #chineseculture #chinesecuisine #chinesefood #anhui #anhuiprovince #tofu #douyin

Movie sources Douyin :
小花喵美食
抖音号： xiaoqian2021
九龙副食
抖音号： 49907847021

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