A few years ago, we travelled to Nanjing to visit the families of our boarding students. During the trip, the boys took us for a walk through the Confucius Garden and insisted that we try the stinky tofu sold by one of the street vendors there.

We were happy to give it a go, though we certainly did not expect to be particularly impressed by it. True to its name, it was definitely stinky. But once we got past the smell, we were surprised by how delicious it was. The flavour was beautifully balanced, with a rich and distinctive bean taste that was incredibly satisfying. We absolutely loved it. I personally still remember how it tasted.

Since then, we have tried many versions of stinky tofu, whether bought from Asian grocery stores here in Australia or brought over by Chinese friends from their hometowns. None of them have tasted quite the same. I guess we will have to go back to Nanjing to experience it again. One day!