Hunan Changsha Fire Palace Stinky Tofu
Changsha Huogonggong-style stinky tofu, featuring brine fermentation, tofu soaking, and deep-frying techniques; the finished product is crispy on the outside and tender inside.
Ingredients
Refined white tofu (1.5 cm thick)
30
Cold water
15 kg
Fermented black beans
3 kg
Soda ash
100 g
Green alum (for brine)
20 g
Shiitake mushrooms
200 g
Winter bamboo shoots
4000 g
Salt (for brine)
750 g
Moutai liquor
150 g
Tofu pudding
1500 g
Green alum (for tofu fermentation)
3 g
Dried red chili powder
to taste
Refined salt
to taste
Soy sauce
to taste
Sesame oil (heated)
to taste
Fresh stock
to taste
MSG
to taste
Vegetable oil
to taste
Instructions
1
Brine preparation
Put the fermented black beans into cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 30 minutes, then cool. Add 100 g soda ash, 20 g green alum, 200 g shiitake mushrooms, 4000 g winter bamboo shoots, 750 g salt, 150 g Moutai liquor, and 1500 g tofu pudding in sequence to the cooled bean juice. Soak for about 15 days (stir once per day); once fermented, the brine is ready.
2
Tofu fermentation
Add 3 g green alum to a bucket, pour in the brine, and stir with a stick. Place the tofu in the brine: soak 2–5 hours in spring/autumn, 1–2 hours in summer, and 6–10 hours in winter. Firmer curds need longer soaking; softer ones need less. Once brined, remove the tofu, rinse with cold water, and place it in a sieve to drain.
3
Sauce preparation
Place the dried red chili powder in a bowl, add the refined salt and soy sauce, and mix well. Pour in the heated sesame oil, then add the fresh stock and MSG to make a sauce; set aside.
4
Deep-frying the stinky tofu
Set a wok over medium heat, add the vegetable oil, and heat to about 70% hot. Add the stinky tofu blocks and fry until they puff up, become hollow, and turn crisp and golden. Remove and drain the oil, then arrange on a serving plate. Use chopsticks to poke a hole in the center of each tofu block. Serve the sauce in a small bowl alongside.
