Tofu has always had a place on Chinese tables. It’s estimated someone first churned bean juice into a curd more than 2,000 years ago.

Tofu researchers say the food’s production began sometime during the Han dynasty (221–207 BC), and that it was introduced to Korea and Japan about 900 years later. There are several places in China that are known for making good stinky tofu, but the provinces of Hunan and Anhui are the most famous.

Stinky tofu from Hunan typically has a scorched, black skin, tender inside and crispy texture. It also has an overpowering odor that first time eaters describe as “unforgettable.”

Anhui’s version of stinky tofu is believed to have been invented by a person named Wang Zhihe during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). Wang was born in Anhui and chose to remain in Beijing after failing the imperial exams. He began selling tofu to support his family.

After one day of particularly poor sales, Wang chopped up his unsold tofu and threw the cubes into an earthen jar. Several days later, he opened the jar and found the tofu had turned green and taken on a rancid odor. Wang did what any crazy person would do: he ate it.

Surprisingly, it was actually delicious. Wang began selling the stinky tofu in his store and soon won fans in the palace. It was recorded that even Emperor Kangxi and Empress Dowager Cixi enjoyed eating his stinky tofu. The dish is usually produced by fermenting tofu in a mix of milk and brine. For a truly powerful odor, the brine should be weeks or even a few months old. In reality, brine rarely sees more than a few days of use.