Chao (fermented Tofu)

Vegan cheese no good? Let’s talk after you tried this.

INGREDIENTS

500 gr of firm tofu

1 liter of water

18 gr of salt

1/4 cup of chili flakes (optional)

for the brine

375 ml of water

50 gr of salt

12 gr of sugar

1/2 cup of rice wine (with an alcohol level of 40 or up)

PREPARATION

Before you do anything, know that you can mess up fermentation if you work with dirty tools. So sterilize anything you’ll use and stick to just making this. You’ll thank me later.

Boil the tofu. Bring the water to boil with one tablespoon of salt. Once boiling, add the tofu and boil for 4 minutes.

Remove the tofu from the water and place it on a few sheets of kitchen paper towels. Top with more kitchen paper towels and place a heavy weight on it to press the tofu and remove excess water. Let it drain for about 90 minutes, changing the paper towel as needed if it becomes too wet.

Line a large baking tray with two layers of kitchen paper towels.

Cut the tofu into 2cm cubes and place them inside the plate, leaving about 2cm between each cube, so they don't touch each other.

Top the tofu with another sheet of kitchen paper towel and cover the whole tray with plastic film. The plastic film will prevent bad bacteria from reaching the tofu. Tighten up really well.

Place the plate in a dark place at 25-30°C and allow the tofu to ferment for 2 to 3 days. The tofu is ready once it has taken on a light orange color and has a stinky smell. You may also see some white mold, which is okay. If you see blue or dark mold, just scrape it off. If your space is colder, it might take a little longer.

Combine 375 ml of water with the salt and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Once boiling, remove from the heat and let it cool completely. Once cool, add the rice wine and stir to combine.

Coat the tofu with chili flakes (Optional). You can dip each tofu cube in chili flakes. It makes the chao more flavorful and gives it an appealing orange color.

Add the tofu to the brine. Transfer the stinky tofu cubes to clean glass jars. Pour the brine into the jars to cover the tofu.

Let it ferment. Close the jars with a lid and place them in a cool, dark place (around 68°F – 20°C) for at least 3 weeks. The longer you let it age, the stronger and softer your tofu will be. I found that after 6 weeks, the tofu was already creamy and had a nice cheese flavor.

Move to the fridge if the tofu has its desired taste. You can easily keep chao in the refrigerator for over one year.