Have you tried the smelly tofu, the very popular street food in Taiwan? I understand that it is available at some places here too. Do you like it? I guess some do and some don’t and the same applies in the case of tau joo or fermented tofu…
We always have a bottle in the house and my missus is the one who would eat it whenever we have porridge but on my part, I would not touch it with a ten-foot pole.
Well, the other morning, I spotted some leftover bihun in the pantry so I decided to cook that for breakfast and soaked the remaining three pieces in hot water to soften…
I have heard of people marinating meat with tau joo (and ang chao)for deep frying…
*Archive photo*
…and I must say that I enjoyed it a lot. Well, people have used all sorts of things to cook their fried rice including the Korean kim chi which is another thing that does not tickle my fancy so I was thinking that it might be nice – frying bihun with tau joo. My missus, for one, would love it since she likes it a lot.
These were the ingredients that I used…
…and I only took two of the tau joo cubes for fear that it might be too salty.
As always, I fried the sliced shallots and garlic in a bit of oil till golden brown before adding the tau joo, mashed, followed by the sliced chili (good for colour as it was not hot at all) and the bihun, mixing everything together the best I could. Then I added a spoonful of my missus’ pounded chili (for that much-need spicy kick) and the egg.
There were some taugeh (bean sprouts) in the fridge so I threw a bit of that in as well. Once I felt it was cooked enough, I dished everything out…
…onto a plate.
Well, I would say that it was nice, very nice – with all those ingredients, it could not possibly be not nice…but unfortunately, there wasn’t even the slightest hint of the tau joo. It certainly looks like I will have to use more the next time I cook bihun this way…
I did get to taste a bit of it that probably was not mixed well with everything else and hey! It was very nice and I loved it!
Moving away from the post proper, I just thought I would share this here. My missus cooked this for lunch the other day with tau cheo (fermented beans) sauce…
…and it looked so good that I just had to share it on my Facebook page and now, here as well.
Of course, it tasted really nice as well…but it is pretty obvious that that was a lot of work. I would think it is perfect for serving on special occasions or when we have guests over for dinner. Otherwise, I would rather go for something a lot simpler. Anyway, as long as she enjoys it, I am certainly not complaining. After all, looking at some of the recipes available online, they all seem like a lot of work. Maybe some do enjoy it, some don’t…and I must say that I belong to the latter. What about you?
...STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! 
Will you be surprised if i tell u i like tau joo? haha, i had to buy a bottle of that when i was in aus, i think around aud 5+ T.T …. to go with porridge LOL
You like??? I am indeed VERY surprised…shocked even! Muahahahahaha!!!!
**High Five**… I belong to your group. When there is left over rice, tired of eating fried rice, I would make it into porridge and eat with tau ju. Hmmm…goes amazingly well. It doesn’t come cheap and the smallest bottle cost RM3.00 – 3.50 over here. Ever try fried kangkong with tauju? I like it.
Cheap!!! Look at what Ken paid for a bottle in Australia and that was probably some years ago, should cost even more now. Ok, ok…don’t push it. Fry kangkong with it, eh? I’m still starting to learn to eat the stuff – may give it a try one day. 😉
I saw quite a lot of red chili,is that spicy? I like to eat spicy food but not with the red chili, so I always pick out the red chili and have the bi hun!!! =]
Only for the colour – our hopeless chilies these days. So fed up! Never mind how many you add, not hot at all. Mainly for the presentation. That is why I always add my missus’ pounded chili dip – she would add cili padi to it for that much desired kick.
Tauju…. Wat is tat? Looks disgusting, like cat’s vomit…
Chesh!!! Thankfully, you did not say like something that comes out of your rear end… Tsk! Tsk!
ooo, i’ll pass on the tofu, but i’ll happily have your missus’ fish, it looks really nice. a lovely home-cooked dish … both you and your wife have a knack for creating tempting dishes! 😀
I’m with you. Ya, the fish was really good, can give any from the restaurants a good fight…but I did not think it would be worth the effort – all that trouble for just the two of us. Something simple and easy will do.
I know I have a small bottle of tau joo somewhere in my pantry. I bought it after seeing a few fried chicken recipes. I have also eaten deep fried pork belly marinated with tau joo. Yum!!! Hope you fry the beehoon again with more tau joo and let us know what it is like.
Will do it again – maybe will mash and mix with the bihun before frying…so can spread more evenly and no need to fry too long till the bihun ends up all broken.
Yes , I like smelly tofu. However, hard to find now. Used to have a stall in sg selling it.
Nice eh? Yet to come across it anywhere – sure would want to try. If I can stand the smell of belacan and all those stuff, I am sure this would not be much worse…
I simply love tau joo with porridge! It’s nice when stir fried with lettuce. But I’ll never go near the smelly tofu. Well, what’s meat to some is poison to others. The fish looks really delicious😀.
It was. Hmmm…you and my missus same gang – tau joo with porridge.
Is that ‘foo yue’ (in cantonese)? I like it especially with fried ‘yau mak’ or kangkung.. But other than eating with porridge and fry vege, I don’t really use it for anything else… Your bihun looks good.. In fact all your homecooked food looks good.. I realize you use your wife’s pounded cili in almost everything you cook.. Those cili must be sedappppppp…
Yes, our chilies here not hot at all – I could remove the seeds with my fingers, no problem so I add my missus’ pounded chili – she adds cili padi so got kick! Fried kangkong eh? I wonder what that will taste like… Irene does that too.
I have not try the real authentic smelly tofu, but I don’t think I’ll want to try it la! Hehe~
But fermented tofu, I like, best eaten with porridge!
Is this a woman’s thing? My missus loves it and so do so many of the ladies commenting. Claire did not like the smelly tofu – I guess the same will go for me too if ever I will get a chance to try.
Just last week Andy bought some fermented beancurd from the night market… I took one piece and spat it out.. but he could finished them all.. oh dear, the “smell” was really terrible.. to him, it is good food! But as for the bottle fermented one, that is definitely different.. I love to have that with porridge anytime.. that can be used for steaming or fried chicken too!
Oh? The Taiwan smelly tofu? So terrible kah? Hmmmm….I wonder if I dare to try or not. I don’t even eat tau joo! 😛
tau joo with porridge is nice…
Ahhhh!!!! Another one. Maybe I should give it a try one of these days. Guess it’s an acquired taste.
me no like tau joo, but my parents love it.. they love to have tau joo with porridge.
You’re like me – your parents are like my missus.
I am ok with fermented tofu. Having it with porridge is not bad, you should just try it one day. The bihun and the fish really look appetizing.
Ya, since I liked it with the bihun…perhaps I can try it with porridge one of these days. 😉
Is the tofu fermented with vinegars and such!? Or is there some sort of meat or fish based product in there?
I’m currently into pickled Garlic! LOVE it! I’ll have to post about that soon! Thanks for the reminder!
I haven’t the slightest idea, maybe just salt as it isn’t sour. Garlic’s good – I do use it a lot in my cooking.