Fried stinky tofu is a unique local snack in Jiangnan in winter.

When I was young, I would run down the street as soon as school was over. Of course, this was when I had a few dollars in my pocket.

Walking through the alley and crossing the bridge, you can smell the aroma of fried stinky tofu.

The person who sells fried stinky tofu is a thin old man with completely white eyebrows and beard. He always carries a load. The load is actually a box made of wood. The box in front contains stinky tofu, soy sauce, chili sauce and a stack of small dishes.

Plate, and a can with several pairs of chopsticks inserted in it.

A box at the back holds a small coal stove and a pot.

The old man always stands on the corner of the street, frying stinky tofu with concentration.

I have never heard his shouting, but there are always many diners who come looking for the scent and stand in a circle in front of his little load.

His stinky tofu is very distinctive. At first glance, it looks black and no different from other stinky tofu. But once it is put into the pot and then taken out of the pot, it becomes golden and fragrant, and is coated with a layer of soy sauce or chili sauce (

His chili sauce is homemade, bright red, spicy and comforting), yellow and red, really beautiful.

I took a bite carefully (because it was very hot). It was yellow on the outside and white on the inside, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It was spicy and stimulating. At this time, I was no longer eating but curling my tongue to swallow it.

The old man always only fried a few pieces at a time, and fried several pieces and sold them for a few pieces, so everyone waiting would eat alone, and the others would pay attention to each other and give gifts.

Most of the people who eat fried stinky tofu are women and children. It’s really strange. Women in Jiangnan don’t eat spicy food, but when they come to this place, they all become “hot girls” and are smeared thickly with chili sauce.

There is still one more layer to apply, and the woman no longer cares about being polite at this time. She eats until her lips are red, her eyes are full of tears, and she is sweating.

The old man just kept saying: It's so spicy that you can't stick to it, so don't eat too much.

After all, he didn't stop him.

Therefore, the old man consumes one bottle of chili sauce every day.

At that time, my father gave me fifty cents a month, at least half of which was donated to Stinky Tofu.

A piece of stinky tofu costs a penny. After eating one piece, you can have a peaceful day.

Sometimes I overspend without planning, so I restrain myself from running there, for fear that hooks will grow in my eyes.

However, at that time, as long as I accidentally sneaked in front of the old man's burden, the old man would always see everything, as if he found out that I didn't have half a penny in my pocket, and would fry the crispest and tenderest piece for me with a smile.

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I'm sorry to eat for nothing. When my father sends the money next month, I will return it to him immediately. The old man will accept it, but he will definitely fry an extra piece of stinky tofu for me.

It has been more than 20 years since I left that Jiangnan town, and I have never eaten such delicious fried stinky tofu (although I have eaten fried stinky tofu in other Jiangnan cities, but the taste always seems to be a little worse).

It always appears in my dreams, along with that thin old man with a white beard and white eyebrows whose name I don’t even know.