Love Tofu
It's time to love Tofu. Find out what it is, how it's made and yummy ways to cook with it. With the right tofu recipe, tofu becomes the star of the show and can showcase it’s delicate silken texture in sweet desserts like cheesecake or it’s meatiness in savoury tofu dishes with a delicious marinade or sauce. And if you are giving up meat as our family does for Meatless Mondays, tofu is high in protein and an excellent alternative to meat in your favourite stir fry dishes, curries, or soups.
What is tofu exactly?
Originating in China more than 2,000 years ago, tofu is a delicate food made from soybean that people have been making for thousands of years. From the silken, delicate, fried pillows of Agadashi Tofu to the substantive cotton chewiness of an extra-firm tofu, tofu is made in a variety of textures (silky, medium-firm, firm, and extra firm) all of which are carried at your local Asia Market.
Nutritionally, tofu is an excellent source of protein with 8.5g of protein per 100g. Low in fat and calories, tofu is also an excellent source of calcium and iron and the minerals manganese, selenium, and phosphorus.
A staple of many Asian dishes, tofu can be handmade fresh every day in small shops or in large industrial quantities and shipped around the world. Found in your local Asian Market and online, it is packed in individual containers and needs to be refrigerated after opening.
How is Tofu made?
Also called bean curd or dòufu in Chinese and đậu hũ in Vietnamese, tofu is made from curdling fresh soya milk, pressing it into a soft white block, and then cooling it in a similar process to how dairy cheese is made. To create the fresh soymilk, you soak dried soybeans overnight and mix the beans with water to produce your own milk. Then, you add salt, enzymes, or acid to curdle the soybean liquid. Finally, you press the liquid to remove the liquid whey until you are left with curds that form the soft, solid tofu.
How Do I Cook Tofu?
The beauty of tofu is that it comes in a variety of textures and can be prepared in an endless array of ways. It can be steamed, boiled, pan-fried, stir-fried, deep-fried and scrambled. It’s neutral flavour easily takes on the marinade and flavours of your favourite dishes.
Tofu Scrambles and Other Breakfast Treats
Choose your tofu depending on how you prefer your scramble. Firm silken tofu offers a silky scramble while extra firm tofu gives a chewier scramble. Season hearty vegetables like diced red and yellow peppers, onion, and mushroom with Mexican spices such as cumin, chilli powder and salt for a hearty base. Add you tofu, breaking it up into bite sized chunks. Then add a little powdered tumeric to give it that yellow egg colouring. Wrap your scramble in a flour tortilla for a breakfast burrito or serve with toast and avocado for a hearty breakfast.
You can also give your favourite fruit smoothie a protein boost without protein powder by adding blended silken tofu. For a decadent breakfast, substitute firm tofu for ricotta cheese in a delicious sweet blend of tofu, cream cheese, and sugar and roll in a crepe for a delicious blintz. Serve with a fruit compote and mimosa for a delightful brunch.
Tofu in Soups
For an easy tofu recipe that you can make at home, try Japanese Miso Soup. With minimal effort, you can recreate a semi-homemade version of your Japanese restaurant favourite after a busy day with sliced cubes of silken tofu added to your miso broth. Cubes of tofu can also be added into an easy hot and sour soup recipe. Scramble extra-firm tofu, seasoned with cumin, chilli powder, and salt, and stir into your favourite chili recipe as a substitute for minced beef.
Tofu in Curries
Extra-firm tofu is not unlike the Indian cheese, paneer. Create a lighter version of the classic Indian dish, Saag Paneer, with slices of tofu. Sauté fresh spinach with ginger, cumin, fennel seeds, chiles, coriander and turmeric. Add seared or baked tofu and plain yogurt at the end for a creamy finish. Serve with rice and naan. Firm tofu is also excellent in Japanese curries, Vietnamese curries, and Thai curries as their rich sauces work well with the hearty texture and flavour of the tofu.
Tofu Marinades
My favourite tofu marinade is a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, chilli paste, and sesame oil. It’s the quintessential Asian flavours - sweet, salty, garlicky goodness with a little spice and ginger for kick. Dip in toasted or baked extra-firm tofu and serve as an easy starter. Marinating tofu is as easy as creating your favourite marinades or sauces and applying them to the tofu. Whether you are in the mood for a Mexican feast, a summer barbecue, or a black bean paste stir fry, simply make your marinade or sauce (or for an even easier meal choose from an array of store bought sauces) and toss with your tofu. Sauté your favourite vegetables and then add marinated tofu for a delicious and easy meal.
Tofu Desserts
Just as silken tofu can be added to your fruit smoothie, blended silken tofu can also be used in many dessert recipes ranging from an easy chocolate pudding to tofu ice cream and tofu cheesecake. To make a Mexican chocolate pudding, dissolve a cup of sugar into a cup of water. Then blend with silken tofu, melted semi-sweet chocolate, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon until the mixture is completely smooth. Split mixture among 4-6 ramekins and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Then serve for a delicious, dairy-free dessert.
If you haven’t tried cooking with tofu before, give it try. Start with tofu. The possibilities are endless!
