Latest revision as of 12:49, 27 December 2024

As a second-year graduate student majoring in English translation in Hunan Normal University, I have successfully passed TEM-4 and TEM-8, and obtained the CATTI Level 3 Translation Certificate and the high school English Teacher Qualification Certificate. As an introvert, I love to read deeply and extensively, and I like to take a walk in my spare time. These habits not only enrich my knowledge reserve, but also exercise my thinking ability.

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Traditional Cuisine: Changsha Stinky Tofu Wang Xuan（Cynthia）

Abstract

Changsha Stinky Tofu is a traditional snack in Changsha, Hunan province, famous for its unique “smell and taste”. It belongs to the Hunan cuisine family and is available in black, yellow and blue, of which Fire Palace, Black Classic and Wenheyou are the most well-known brands in the region. Stinky tofu of Fire Palace has been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage for its traditional production process. Making stinky tofu requires adding brine, fermentation and deep-frying, and it is made from high-quality soybeans through procedures. It is not only delicious, but also rich in protein, calcium and vitamin B12, which is good for health. However, it is important to pay attention to food safety when consuming it and avoid expired or substandard products.

Introduction

Changsha, a charming city in the center of the motherland, known as the city of happiness, is an important political and economic city in the southern region of China, the leading city of the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan urban agglomeration, and a gourmet paradise (Foodie’s Paradise—Changsha, Hunan Province 2013，52-53). Here you can enjoy a feast of food, taste the fried sugar oil baba, scaly tofu, hot brine of Pozi Street, spicy crayfish, etc. Among them, the most famous is Changsha stinky tofu as the tofu had been wrote in his notebook by former U.S. president George W. Bush (He Liping 2006，9-11). Changsha stinky tofu, as a traditional snack in Changsha, Hunan Province, belongs to Hunan cuisine, and locals call it “stinky dried tofu”. In terms of color and smell, Changsha stinky tofu is more in line with the name “stinky tofu” than stinky tofu from other places. Although the name of this snack sounds vulgar and the smell is bad, it tastes good, which is the distinctive feature of stinky tofu. In addition to the common black stinky tofu on the market, Changsha stinky tofu can also be made into two kinds of yellow and blue with different appearance but similar taste.

The Origin of Changsha Stinky Tofu

The origin of Changsha Stinky Tofu can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty, specifically to Xiangyin fried tofu. In fact, the original name of Changsha stinky tofu was not “stinky tofu”, but “fried tofu”. As early as the beginning of 1938, it was reported by Observatory Daily that “The Fire Palace is famous for its food, drink and entertainment, of which fried tofu is the most famous ”(Danruo 2021,61-65). According to Changsha Dietary Records, in 1896, Jiang Yonggui, a native of Xiangyin county, learned the technique of fried tofu in Lopengqiao, Changsha. On the basis of the brine for fried tofu, he selected raw materials to make a secret recipe of the brine for stinky tofu, thus developing Changsha's stinky tofu with its characteristic of “smelling bad but tasting good”. The Fire Palace, built in 1747, became the gathering place for strands selling Changsha stinky tofu, other delicacies and snacks. Changsha stinky tofu has gradually become a gourmet business card of Changsha and even Hunan province with its unique flavor and production technology.

The Three Brands of Changsha Tofu

In recent years, the three most prestigious brands of stinky tofu in Changsha are Fire Palace, Black Classic and Wenheyou. Located on Pozi Street in Tianxin District, Changsha, the Fire Palace is a famous tourist attraction and a Hunan-style snack bar with a good reputation both at home and abroad. It is also known as a famous Hunan snack restaurant, with the reputation of “black as ink, fragrant as alcohol, tender as pastry , and soft as velvet”. The recipe for the marinade and the process has been passed down from master to apprentice, and in June 2021, the technique of making stinky tofu of the Fire Palace was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. The stinky tofu is gradually as black as ink. When it is deep-fried in tea oil to perfection, and then topped with chili peppers, sesame oil and other condiments, the stinky tofu will become fragrant and attractive, burnt outside and tender inside. However, the chili peppers and other condiments float on the surface, leading the inside is not flavorful enough, so the taste is dry when it is lack of oil (Zhang Yan 2021, 57-59). The stinky tofu of Black Classic can be found everywhere in Changsha and has become a business card of Changsha cuisine. Its uniqueness lies in the seasoning and dunking method: its seasoning is divided into two kinds of soup and chili sauce, mixing to give people a unique taste experience; the dunking method is to dig a small hole in the crispy tofu and fill it with colorful and fragrant sauces and soup bases, so that the tofu is drenched in the soup, giving people an extraordinary taste enjoyment. With the two unique eating styles, the stinky tofu of Black Classic has captured the hearts of many consumers. Stinky tofu of Wenheyou is second to Black Classic in popularity. In 2018, it was featured on the dinner table of the United Nations during the “Hunan Cuisine Flows to the United Nations” promotional event hosted by the U.S. Hunan Chamber of Commerce. (Zhang Yan 2021, 57-59)

The Production Process of Changsha Stinky Tofu

The production process of Changsha stinky tofu, though seemingly simple, is actually complex, generally going through three procedures: adding brine, fermentation and deep-frying. The first step is to make the brine. Understanding the formation mechanism of the flavor compounds in stinky tofu brine is crucial for controlling the flavor quality of Changsha stinky tofu (Hui& Pao 2022, 133253).The brine is made by boiling fermented soya beans, soda ash, ferrous sulfate (now it is replaced by food additives), shitake, winter bamboo shoot and salt. For 2.5kg of fermented soya beans, 15kg of water and 1.5kg of soda ash are required. First, the fermented soya beans and water are mixed and boiled. Having been filtered, soda ash is added and soaked for about half a month, stirred once a day, and fermented to form the brine. The fermentation of stinky tofu requires high-quality soybeans as the raw material, which undergoes ten processes such as selection, husking, soaking, pulping, filtering, boiling, spotting, molding, splitting, and fermentation. First, the soaked soybeans need to be washed and grounded into a thin paste, mixed with an equal amount of warm water, and filtered out of the soybean slurry with a cloth bag. Next, the soybean residue is mixed with boiling water and squeezed out again until the residue is no longer sticky. Subsequently, boil the soy milk and pour it into the tank, add gypsum juice and stir 15-20 times, adjusting the amount of gypsum juice according to the mixing of water and pulp. After stirring, let it stand for 20 minutes to solidify into tofu pudding. Finally, the tofu pudding is scooped into a wooden box and pressed with a board and a heavy stone to remove the excess water, and then the tofu is ready. When the tofu is prepared, it is time to be soaked in marinade. The process can last about 3-5 hours in the spring or fall, and can be shortened to about 2 hours in the summer. But it need to be extended to 6-10 hours in the winter. In the end of the brine, stinky tofu can be fried. First, take out the stinky tofu and rinse it under cold water. Drain the excess water and then put it into a heated pot with tea oil or any other vegetable oil to fry for about five minutes. When it turns into golden brown, carefully remove the fried tofu and place it on a plate. Poke a hole in the center of each piece of tofu with chopsticks, and then pour your prepared soup base and chili sauce to complete the dish.

Nutritional Values

Changsha stinky tofu is not only famous for its unique flavor, but also has certain nutritional value and health benefits. The first thing that cannot be ignored is the high protein content of stinky tofu. As the raw material of stinky tofu is high-quality soybeans with high protein for 15%-20%, it is a good source of protein for vegetarians. At the same time, protein, as an important part of the body's cells, has an irreplaceable role in the growth and repair of the human body as well as the maintenance of the body's normal physiological functions; after fermentation, the protein decomposes to various amino acids, and then generates other substances such as yeast , which can improve appetite and promote digestion; in addition to protein, stinky tofu is also rich in calcium. Every 100 grams of stinky tofu contains about 200 milligrams of calcium, which plays a positive role in maintaining the health of bones and preventing osteoporosis and other diseases; Secondly, stinky tofu synthesizes a large amount of vitamin B12 during the fermentation, which can help prevent brain aging and Alzheimer's disease caused by vitamin B12 deficiency. However, it is necessary to point out that do not consume expired or substandard stinky tofu. Some studies have proved that soy products produce amines such as methylamine, putrescine and tryptamine as well as hydrogen sulfide during the fermentation. They have a special odor and strong volatility. In addition, amines stored for a long time may also interact with nitrites to produce nitrosamines, a strong carcinogen. Therefore, when eating stinky tofu, you should ensure that it is fresh and high-quality to safeguard your health ( Zhang Yan 2021, 57-59).

Terms

臭豆腐 stinky tofu 糖油粑粑 fried sugar oil baba, 鳞片豆腐 scaly tofu 热卤 hot brine 口味虾 spicy crayfish 豆豉 fermented soya beans 纯碱 soda ash 青矾 ferrous sulfate 豆腐脑 tofu pudding 蛋白质 protein 氨基酸amino acid 酵母 yeast 钙质calcium 维生素 vitamin 骨质疏松症 osteoporosis

Questions

1.Which well-known stinky tofu brands of Changsha are mentioned in the text? 2. How many procedures are needed to make Changsha stinky tofu? 3. What are the main nutritional values of Changsha stinky tofu?

References

[1]Ruo Dan.丹若.(2021).人间至味“臭豆腐”[Stinky Tofu].百科知识.[Encyclopedic knowledge](14):61-65. [2]“吃货”天堂美食梦想地——湖南长沙[Foodie’s Paradise—Changsha, Hunan Province].中国商贸[Chinese Business].2013,(07):52-53. [3] Hui Tang & Pao Li. (2022). The formation mechanisms of key flavor substances in stinky tofu brine based on metabolism of aromatic amino acids[J]. Food Chemistry. (392):133253 [4]Liping He.何丽萍.(2006).论长沙的饮食旅游资源[On the dietary Tourism Resources of Changsha].长沙大学学报[Journal of Changsha University],(03):9-11. [5]Yan Zhang.张燕.(2021).长沙臭豆腐：味之有余美玉食勿与传[Changsha Stinky Tofu: the Flavor of the Remaining Beauty of Food and not to be Passed on].中国食品工业.[China Food Industry].(19):57-59.

AI Statement

I hereby guarantee that I have not used the help of AI to write my final paper in this course.

中文

摘要

长沙臭豆腐是湖南长沙的传统特色小吃，以其独特的“闻臭食香”而闻名。这种小吃属于湘菜系，有黑、黄、蓝三种颜色，其中火宫殿、黑色经典和文和友是当地最知名的品牌。火宫殿臭豆腐因其传统制作工艺被列为国家级非物质文化遗产。制作臭豆腐需经过加卤、发酵和油炸等步骤，以优质黄豆为原料，经过多道工序制成。它不仅美味，还富含蛋白质、钙质和维生素B12，对健康有益。然而，食用时需注意食品安全，避免过期或不合格产品。

介绍

祖国中部,山水州城,长沙被人们称为快乐之都的迷人城市,是我国南方地区重要的政治、经济城市,亦是环长株潭城市群龙头城市,也是美食天堂（“吃货”天堂美食梦想地——湖南长沙 2013，52-53)。在这里可以众享美食盛宴，品尝到糖油粑粑，鳞片豆腐，坡子街的热卤，口味虾等，其中最富盛名的要属长沙臭豆腐，长沙火宫殿的臭豆腐曾被美国前总统布什写入了他的笔记本(何丽萍2006，9-11）。长沙臭豆腐，作为湖南省长沙市的传统特色小吃，属于湘菜系，当地人更亲切地称之为“臭干子”。从颜色，气味上看，与其他地方的臭豆腐相比，长沙的臭豆腐更加符合“臭豆腐”的名号。这种小吃虽然名字听起来俗气、却外陋内秀、平中见奇、源远流长，是一种极具特色的休闲风味，闻起来臭，吃起来香，这是臭豆腐的显著特点。除了市面上常见的黑皮臭豆腐，长沙臭豆腐还可以做成黄、蓝两种，虽然外表不同，但口味相似。

长沙臭豆腐的起源

长沙臭豆腐的起源可以追溯到清朝时期，具体起源于湘阴油炸豆腐。其实，长沙臭豆腐最初的名字并不是“臭豆腐”，而叫“油炸豆腐”。早在1938年初，长沙的《观察日报》就曾有过报“火宫殿，吃喝玩乐门门有，油炸豆腐最著名。”（丹若，2021）据《长沙饮食志》记载，光绪二十二年（1896年），湘阴人姜永贵在长沙落棚桥学习油炸豆腐技术，并在油炒豆腐卤水的基础上，精选原料配制出臭豆腐卤水秘方，从而发展出具有“闻起来臭，吃起来香”特点的长沙臭豆腐。火宫殿，始建于清乾隆十二年（1747年），成为长沙臭豆腐等潇湘美食小吃的聚集地。长沙臭豆腐以其独特的风味和制作工艺，逐渐成为长沙乃至湖南的一张美食名片。

长沙臭豆腐三大品牌

近几年，长沙臭豆腐品牌中最富盛名的三大品牌是火宫殿，黑色经典和文和友。火宫殿位于长沙天心区坡子街，是长沙著名景点，也是享誉中外的湖南风味小吃店。火宫殿臭豆腐素有“黑如墨，香如醇，嫩如酥，软如绒”之美誉，卤水配方及工艺流程以师徒制相传至今。2021年6月，火宫殿臭豆腐制作技艺更是入选国家级非遗名录。火宫殿臭豆腐色泽逐渐如墨般漆黑，再经茶油炸至火候恰到好处，浇上辣椒、香油等佐料，臭豆腐浓香诱人、外焦里嫩。不过，火宫殿臭豆腐的辣椒等佐料会浮于表面，内里不够入味，再加上油汁不多，口感偏干。（张燕,2021）黑色经典臭豆腐在长沙本地可谓是随处可见，俨然成为了长沙美食的一张名片。其独特之处就在于调味料和灌汁式吃法：它的调味料分为汤料和辣椒酱两种，混合起来给人以独特的口感体验；灌汁式吃法是在炸至酥脆的豆腐上挖一个小孔，灌入色香味俱全的酱料和汤底，使豆腐浸透汤汁，给人非凡的味觉享受。凭借独特调味料和灌汁式吃法，黑色经典臭豆腐俘获了众多消费者的青睐。文和友臭豆腐的热度仅次于黑色经典，2018年，在美国湖南商会承办的“湘菜香飘联合国”推广活动中，文和友臭豆腐还登上了联合国的晚宴餐桌。（张燕,2021）

长沙臭豆腐制作流程

长沙臭豆腐的制作流程虽然看似简单，实则复杂，一般要经过加卤、发酵和油炸三道程序。首先要配置卤水。了解臭豆腐卤水中风味化合物的形成对控制长沙臭豆腐的风味质量至关重要(唐慧，李炮 2022，133253）。卤水采用豆豉、纯碱、青矾(现转用食品添加剂)、香菇、冬笋、盐等共同煮制而成。以2.5kg豆豉为标准计算，需要配备15kg清水和1.5kg碱。先将豆豉和清水混合烧开，过滤后，加入碱浸泡半个月左右，每天搅动一次，发酵形成卤水。臭豆腐的发酵需要以优质黄豆为原料，经过选、脱壳、浸泡、浆、过滤、煮浆、点浆、成型、划块、发酵等十道工序。首先将泡发的黄豆洗净并磨成稀糊，加入等量的温水拌匀，用布袋过滤出豆浆。其次将豆渣与沸水混合后再次挤出豆浆，直至豆渣不再粘手。随后，将豆浆煮沸后倒入缸中，加入石膏汁并搅拌15-20次，根据水与浆的混合情况调整石膏汁用量。搅拌后静置20分钟，使其凝固成豆腐脑。最后，将豆腐脑舀入木盒，用木板和重石块压去多余水分，豆腐就制作完成了。豆腐制作完成后接着就是加入卤水进行浸泡，春秋两季浸泡时长约为3-5小时，夏季时长可缩短至2小时左右，冬季则需要延长浸泡时长至6-10小时。卤制结束后就可以炸臭豆腐了，取出卤制好的臭豆腐，先用冷水冲洗一下，沥干水分，再倒入茶油或其他植物油至锅烧红，放入豆腐用小火炸约5分钟，炸至焦黄捞出放入盘内，用筷子在豆腐中间戳一个洞，倒入调配好的汤料和辣椒酱即可。

营养价值

长沙臭豆腐不仅以其独特的风味而闻名，还具有一定的营养价值和健康益处。首先不能忽视的是臭豆腐的蛋白质含量较高，因为臭豆腐的原料是优质黄豆，蛋白质含量高达15%-20%，可以说是素食者良好的蛋白质来源，同时蛋白质作为身体细胞的重要组成部分，对于人体的生长和修复以及维持身体的正常生理功能具有不可替代的作用；经过发酵后，蛋白质分解为各种氨基酸，又产生了酵母等物质，可以增进食欲，促进消化；除了蛋白质，臭豆腐中还含有丰富的钙质，每100克臭豆腐约含有200毫克左右的钙，这对于维持骨骼健康、预防骨质疏松等疾病具有积极作用；其次，臭豆腐在发酵过程中合成了大量维生素B12，有助于预防因缺乏维生素B12而导致的大脑老化和老年痴呆。然而有必要指出的是，切勿食用过期或不合格臭豆腐。有研究证明，豆制品在发酵过程中会产生甲胺、腐胺、色胺等胺类物质以及硫化氢。它们具有一股特殊的臭味和很强的挥发性。此外，胺类物质存放时间长了，还可能与亚硝酸盐作用，生成强致癌物亚硝胺，因此，在选择和食用臭豆腐时，应确保其新鲜和质量合格，以保障健康。（张燕,2021）

术语