Teach me tofu
I bought some silken tofu for a salad dressing recipe and it's going to leave me with a pretty sizable chunk of tofu when I'm done. I'm sure I could find some use for it in random stir frys or whizzed up for some other sauce, but for a change, I'd like to have some absolutely killer ideas where the tofu really matters instead of it just being another interchangeable bit among other bits. It doesn't have to be meatless, and it doesn't have to be a main dish. And it doesn't have to be an actual recipe, although that would be great, too.
Help me, tofu fans. Make me love tofu instead of just buying it when a recipe requires it.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
34 Comments:
We just cut into cubes and pan fry in Sesame Oil. Takes a long time to get crispy due to moisture content. Sometimes will lightly coat with flour.
Once done season it to your hearts content and dip in hot chili oil. Makes a nice side dish or a 'finger food appetizer'.
Ribster at 4:53AM on 02/07/09
It's probably a product of my Asian upbringing, but in our house, tofu was never thought of as a substitute for meat in dishes. Tofu was just... tofu - another delicious thing to enjoy. But I digress...
To this day, my favorite way of eating tofu is this simple way my mom prepared it:
1. Slightly chill a block of silken tofu (personally, I like Mori-Nu - it's easy to find and it's what we always had). Room-temperature is okay, but I like it better cold. Put it on a plate.
2. Pour a couple tablespoons of soy sauce on top.
3. Add a couple of drops of (toasted) sesame oil on top.
4. Top with a couple of pinches of bonito flakes and some thinly sliced scallions.
5. Eat with white rice, and whatever other little side dishes you have.
Another great dish that uses tofu is mapo doufu, which you can find lots of recipes for online. If you want to cheat, you can purchase House Foods Chinese Mabo Tofu Sauce. Brown up about 0.5 lbs of ground meat (I prefer turkey, but pork is more traditional), add a block of firm tofu cut into 0.5-1 in. cubes, add sauce, heat through, serve with rice. Just like mom made, heh :P
blisseau at 5:27AM on 02/07/09
With the silken tofu I find I don't like the texture as much in most things, I prefer the very firm tofu. With the silken I have made a couple of really nice pies (no-bake style) from the tofu used as a base rather than cream cheese, whipped cream, etc.
One is a chocolate pie that is actually quite good, and does not taste like tofu at all, and the other is a fruit pie that is also very good.
With the firmer tofu I like it lightly breaded and fried and served in Indian dishes along with veggies and chickpeas. (Meat too if you like)
Also cut in larger flat pieces and breaded and baked like you would for chicken or eggplant parmesan.
Mix it with a fruit sauce or coulis and some flavor like rum, and use in a trifle.
Cut in very tiny pieces and saute with the meat, onions etc. you would use in chili or other similar dishes. Good filler for a meat-lite dish.
I don't actually buy it as often as I should...now I want to get some and try out some new recipes!
sadiepix at 5:31AM on 02/07/09
I scramble it like eggs (takes a lot longer to cook, but it's very good), with a little turmeric for color and whatever seasonings you like.
buffy at 6:10AM on 02/07/09
If you have silken tofu but would like it to be more spongy / firm, you could try freezing it before using it cubed in a stir-fry.
annatr at 12:02PM on 02/07/09
I would make a pie or a cheesecake.
KarynMC at 12:27PM on 02/07/09
Tofu no egg salad!
Here's one:
http://www.recipezaar.com/Tofu-Egg-Salad-61439
But I'm sure you can improvise a recipe based on your own preferences.
mistvan at 6:39PM on 02/07/09
I don't usually use silken tofu in main dishes. Blisseau's comment to drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil is my favorite savory use that I've found so far. Though I did end up making a dessert with it last week - this mousse from 101cookbooks was very easy and fantastic. It could easily be scaled up or down for the amount of tofu you have to use as well.
tangledgray at 8:59PM on 02/07/09
OMG, that mousse looks divine. I must try it!!
buffy at 9:04PM on 02/07/09
It's not a vegetarian dish, but my favorite is tofu-chicken burgers.
Puree tofu, mix with ground chicken, ground ginger, a bit of salt, corn starch, and shape into burgers and pan-fry with some sesame oil.
when the burgers are about to be ready add some mirin (sweet cooking sake) and soy sauce. Sprinkle with chopped scallions. serve with steamed rice and some vegetables.
hmw0029 at 9:13PM on 02/07/09
I second Mapo Tofu. This is my go to dish. It's not the prettiest dish you'll ever see, but boy is it tasty: http://danseats.blogspot.com/2008/05/mapo-tofu.html. This blogger lists the recipe word for word. The book it comes from "Let's Cook Japanese Food!" is pretty good!
missus_p at 12:46AM on 02/08/09
Oh, and I forgot to mention that I usually make double the sauce - it's so tasty!
missus_p at 12:46AM on 02/08/09
If silken tofu is what you have left over, don't use it in a stir fry or a dish where you want the tofu to 'hold up' like a meat would in such a situation, because silken is meant to be creamier (after a year of being vegan I figured out such things...I also figured out that I shouldn't be vegan).
this might sound weird, but silken tofu is pretty good in smoothies. just use it like yogurt, and throw in some berries and ice and oj.
there's a nice blog called 101 Cookbooks that features a lot of tofu based recipes, maybe you can find something that sounds appealing to you.
also, if you really want to love tofu, learn to do it right! when making stir you MUST use firm or preferably extra-firm tofu, drain it and press as much water out of it as you possibly can - Alton Brown suggests wrapping it in a tea towel and pressing it between two cake pans for 12 hours...honestly i think just putting it between some paper towels and pressing on it gently a couple times will do the trick. If you want the tofu to be crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, don't marinate it at first. Just brown the outside gently in a skillet or wok using a bit of vegetable oil.Keep an eye out to make sure the sides are browning evenly. Then, drain the cooked tofu on paper towels and start cooking some veggies with whatever sauce you want to use. Throw the tofu back in a few minutes before the veggies are done, just to get it warm and saucy. It will take on the flavor of the sauce pretty much immediately, I have found that marinating makes little or no difference. Good luck!
itsdelux at 2:12AM on 02/08/09
If you're looking for browned tofu, I would definitely have to second pressing it. I make half inch slices, set it on top of a stack of few paper towels on a plate, put a few more on top, and set my cast iron skillet on top and leave it for 20 minutes or so. If you want it cubed, I would recommend slicing it to press it, then cubing it after.
meleyna at 12:16PM on 02/08/09
As everyone else has said, smoothies, vegan cheesecakes, etc. would be good uses for it. I also second blisseau's recommendation for eating it chilled with a bit of soy sauce. I personally like to cut it into small cubes, chill, then drizzle with ponzu sauce and eat with daikon radish sprouts (watercress would be a good substitute). Have fun!
emmab at 12:53PM on 02/08/09
I make these with tofu...
Toston Sandwich
Eggless Fritattas
Eggless Scramble
I also make a ceasar-style dressing using silken tofu... I mix in a blender:
2 oz silken tofu
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs water
1 tsp dijon
1/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove
Mix everything and drizzle into it 2 tsp olive oil while the blender is still on.
Madelyn
KarmaFreeCooking
MadelynRodriguez at 4:44PM on 02/08/09
my favorite way of eating silken tofu would be blisseau's way, but i do a soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, black vinegar, and a few drops of lemon sauce. sprinkled with some strips of nori.
or sometimes i just eat it plain with sugar sprinkled over the top.
or you could make a really good ginger syrup and pour that over the tofu. delicious!
or make some miso soup.
yum.
tiffanybite at 7:21PM on 02/08/09
At some point I realized that if I bought the Extra Firm Tofu - and after pressing it to remove as much water as possible - I could cut it into chunks about 1" square, dredge it in flour, and wok it over high but controlled heat (though I never thought of using sesame oil for that step - thanks for the idea, Ribster!), and use the finished pieces to replace the shrimp (or chicken, or whatever) when I'm in the mood for some sesame shrimp (or chicken, etc.). All other ingredients remain constant, except I don't add the tofu chunks back into the dish until everything else is cooked and ready.
Robbo at 10:25PM on 02/08/09
I would agree with the comment above not to use silken tofu in a stir fry since it doesn't hold up very well. I like to take a package of tofu and put it directly into the freezer. When you defrost it, it takes on a sponge like consistency and better yet, sponge like properties. Just defrost it then squeeze the excess water out of it with your hands. The tofu will soak up any marinade that you put it in. I like to marinate it then put some EVOO spray on my Cuisinart grill and grill the whole block before cubing it up for a stir fry.
nithya at hungrydesi at 11:22PM on 02/08/09
Here's a link to some tofu recipes that I've posted - Tofu Scramble and Soba Noodle Tofu Stir Fry may be of interest...I hope you end up becoming a tofu lover after the great suggestions everyone has left :-) http://www.hungrydesi.com/category/recipes-by-ingredient/tofu/
nithya at hungrydesi at 11:24PM on 02/08/09
it really depends on the style of tofu to me. the softer tofus like i use raw, are great for salads, sauce dipping, and smoothie making. the firmer tofus, i tended to cook. i found a great way to combine rice flour and cornstarch to coat the tofu and fry it up. gives it the wrinkly-coat i like in chinese food.
blizcheetah at 12:28AM on 02/09/09
Don't Bother. Throw it out and get yourself some pork chops.
shoneyjoe at 9:25AM on 02/09/09
I watched a chef on TV prepare a chocolate mousse or pudding with silken tofu - he took it out of the fridge and its package and stirred it into a double boiler where he had some chocolate and sugar melting - I couldn't tell you precisely as I wasn't really paying attention (I HATE tofu - sorry!), it was done in a couple of minutes.
bareneed at 9:36AM on 02/09/09
Here's a couple recipes in which the silken tofu is actually cooked:
Braised Silken Tofu with Pork and Chile Oil
Deep Fried Tofu with Sichuan Pepper and Salt and Lemon
Amandarama at 9:39AM on 02/09/09
A really easy introduction to tofu is to take a block of firm or extra-firm tofu, press it as others have described, cut it into 1-inch blocks, and coat with Shake 'n' Bake. Bake at 350 or so for about 15 minutes, until it's warm on the inside. Eat like chicken nuggets, with whatever dipping sauces you like.
marzipanda at 10:32AM on 02/09/09
My favorite way to cook with tofu is bake it to put on salads or in wraps. I cut the tofu into strips and marinate for several hours (up to a day) in some mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and minced garlic. Actually you could use any marinade you like. Then I bake it at a low temp (about 250) for up to an hour, flipping once. The flavor gets really concentrated and the texture is great! I'm not sure how well silken tofu would work, but you might have interesting results.
denvergal at 3:09PM on 02/09/09
I just did the easiest chocolate mousse with silken tofu, 12oz silken tofu, 12oz melted dark chocolate (70% or higher), throw it in a food processor with 1tsp vanilla, and 2tbsp Gran Marnier. Blend until nice and smooth, then spoon into some martini glasses for a nice presentation. You can easily scale it down, just use equal parts of tofu and chocolate, and then just dial down the vanilla and booze to taste.
hungrysailor at 3:49PM on 02/09/09
I love pb&banana smoothies with tofu -- just blend up silken tofu, milk, peanut butter, a frozen banana and a tablespoon of flaxseed. Really good -- tastes like a milkshake -- and a good breakfast since it keeps you full.
prestocaro at 8:29PM on 02/09/09
Aaargh. Well, I thought I was going to have tofu left over, but I screwed up the recipe (how it's possible to screw up a recipe that simply required dumping things in a blender and turning it on, I'm not going to explain.) So I ended up dumping that and making a new batch, which used all I had left. So, I'm gonna go get me some firm tofu (firm or extra-firm? Does it matter?) and maybe go with a stir fry.
Has anybody every tried smoking tofu? No, not in a pipe -- I mean in a smoker, like you'd smoke meat or cheese or whatever. I bet it would really pick up the smoky flavor, but I don't know where I'm going from there.
dbcurrie at 9:10PM on 02/09/09
i use silken tofu in my potstickers - i mix it with the ground pork (or ground chicken) filling mixture (along with the usual aromatics... ginger, shallots, chives). it helps keep the potstickers moist and light, rather than heavy and dry...
sugartoast at 9:31PM on 02/09/09
steamed, eat wuth soy sauce and pickled veggies
disneydreamscometrue at 11:13PM on 02/09/09
@db - I have. But I used Extra Firm Tofu. I pressed it, as usual (to remove any excess water), cut it into several pieces (usually, quarters) and smoked it for about 30-40 minutes. I've then used it in several different ways:
1. Cut it into 1/2 inch pieces and crisped it under the broiler (or bake for quite some time, until it gets brownish and crispy). You can use barbecue sauce for dipping (usually, when I know that that's what I'm going to do, I rub the tofu with a mix of smoked paprika, kosher salt, brown sugar, garlic and mustard powders and ground black pepper before smoking. You can also glaze it with whatever sauce you like right after it is baked.
2. Cut into pieces and use in a stir-fry.
3. Use in sandwiches or wraps.
4. Just eat on its own, with some dipping sauce (soy sauce, garlic, ginger, scallions, re pepper flakes, a bit of rice vinegar)
As for silken tofu, I've mentioned before, on Perky's thread, that I use it for the most part as I would cream cheese for mousse-like pies, like chocolate, mocha or peanut butter.
brooke29 at 11:40PM on 02/09/09
This may be elementary, but - You'll notice that no one says to eat the tofu raw and un-adorned. Plain tofu tastes unpleasantly bland, and the texture can be a little.... squeaky?
marzipanda at 12:32AM on 02/10/09
@db - I find it doesn't make a huge difference whether you use firm or extra firm...if given a choice, I would by extra firm b/c it holds together better but in a pinch would just as soon get firm.
@marzipanda - I find that high quality, fresh tofu sprinkled with a dash of sea salt is tasty. It was a nutty, mild flavor to it although is, as you said, rather bland...but I like the occasional bland food. In our cafeteria, they serve seemingly unseasoned tofu that's grilled and chopped into cubes on the salad bar...I usually have them as a protein filler on salads and it's healthy and does the trick.
nithya at hungrydesi at 10:18AM on 02/10/09