The dish was invented in 1862 by Chen Liu Shi (
陈刘氏), wife of restaurateur Chen Chunfu, at her shop
陈兴盛饭铺 in north Chengdu. Her face was pockmarked (
麻 'pockmarked' +
婆 'old woman'), so customers nicknamed the dish 'Pockmarked Granny's Tofu.' The original is now sold by the Chen Mapo Tofu chain (
陈麻婆豆腐).
