10 smelly foods the serious foodie simply must try

The world’s tastiest foods are often associated with great smells –think warm bread, frying bacon and tandoori chicken. But in the sphere of bizarre foods, there are things that smell horrendous and still have a reputation for tasting delicious. Dare to try them?

1. Maldive fish

Let’s start close to home. One of the flavours that defines Sri Lankan cuisine is that of Maldive fish, salted and super-dried tuna that looks like driftwood. It’s pounded down into flakes and added to dishes such as coconut sambol and seeni sambol. Rather fishy smelling, but adds a delicious twist to dishes.

2. Som tam with brined crab

We’re not talking of the neutralized, restaurant version of this raw papaya salad you find in these parts. We’re talking of the hardcore stuff on the streets of Bangkok and, even better, its birthplace, Issan. Papaya, chillies, tomatoes, fish sauce are pounded together and topped off with tiny brined crabs. They don’t look very pretty and smell pungent, too. But, oh, that som tam thai sai pu, as it’s called!

3. Durian

Also from the Far East comes another food, notorious for its smell. Ripe durian gives off such a strong odour, it’s banned on the subway in Singapore and on some flights. Anthony Bourdain has said that it will make ‘Your breath smell as if you’ve been French kissing your dead grandmother.’ Repulsive as that sounds, the fruit is considered a delicacy by fans.

4. Belacan

There can be no great Malay cooking without Belacan, the flavouring agent made from shrimp that have been fermented, ground to a paste and then dried in blocks. It’s got a smell that can make the uninitiated gag. Toasting it, which is the way to prepare it for cooking, gives off an even more intense odour.

5. Kimchee

Again, we’re not talking the bits of cabbage doused in sweet chilli sauce that the Chinese restaurants here put out. This is the serious stuff, preserved for months in brine to emerge smelling pretty strong. One of the stars of the Korean table, Kimchee is also supposed to have huge nutrition benefits.

6. Stinky Tofu

It’s in the name. Chou Doufu means stinky tofu. A common street food throughout China and Hong Kong, it’s mostly served deep-fried. If you’ve seen Andrew Zimmern tackle this on Bizarre Foods, you’ll know the stench is something awful. But those who love the stuff enjoy its light, airy texture and surprisingly pleasing flavour.

7. Natto

When it comes to smelly foods, Japan is certainly up front with its many takes on fermented fish. And topping the list is Natto, the fermented soy beans that have a slimy texture some haters describe as phlegmy. The smell, to most people, is barnyardy. But the Japanese, convinced of its nutritional benefits, will eat Natto and rice several times a week.

8. Lutefisk

Before you think stinky foods is an Asian speciality, we bring you Lutefisk, all the way from Norway. They take dried white fish such as cod and then reconstitute it, steeping it in a lye solution. The result is a gelatinous thing with a very strong smell. It’s a Christmas favourite in the Nordic countries, and the odour only adds to the festivities.

9. Surströmming

Here’s another smelly contender from Scandinavia. Herrings from the Baltic Sea are caught in a particular season, brined and allowed to ferment. They are then canned and continue to ferment. Opening the cans calls for some ceremony, because of the build-up of gases. Surstromming is eaten with crisp breads and copious amounts of Aquavit are drunk alongside, possibly to make one forget the smell.

10. Limburger Cheese

It’s official: Limburger is the world’s smelliest cheese. Produced mostly in Germany its malodorous quality comes from bacteria – the same bacteria that cause smelly feet. Does that stop Limburger lovers? No. They slap it on to rye bread, top it with a slice of onion and have themselves a treat.

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