Tofu 101

When I was home, some friends and family asked me about tofu- what it tastes like and how to cook it.  This is just to answer those questions- if you’re a vegetarian or if you’ve cooked with tofu, this is probably overly simplistic, and there’s much better information on the internet on cooking with tofu.

I eat it a few times a week- I seldom ate it back home but I got into it because I was a little scared of the meat when I first came here, and I developed a taste for it.  Back home you can get all different kinds, but here I just buy fresh tofu that would be considered firm or very firm.  In that form it’s just a white block- you can eat it raw, or fry or bake it.  It does absorb flavors more than meat does, especially spicyness, so add hot stuff sparingly.

If you’re just getting into tofu, I recommend frying it.  To fry it, I cut it into cubes (I don’t have to “drain” it but you might have to if it’s not fresh)

Also, please don’t be sickened by my cutting board.  :I

 

 

 

Next, I dredge the cubes in flour and cornstarch (do it gently!) then fry them, then just set them aside.

 

 

 

 

 

In a separate dish, I make a veggie stir-fry with a spicy sauce- use what recipe you want or find one on line.  I serve it over rice.  Add the tofu right before serving and stir gently to get the sauce on it, so it stays crispy and doesn’t break.

 

 

 

Bon appetit!

 

 

If you don’t mind the texture of tofu, you can bake it for a healthier version.  I cut it into rectangles and you can put on any flavoring- I like BBQ sauce, or a mixture of ginger, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, honey and curry powder.  Lots of possibilities- basically anything you’d put on chicken or fish.  You can marinate it or just slather.

 

 

 

 

 

Then bake on a foil-lined, lightly oiled baking sheet- I’d say around 350 for 20 minutes?  Just check on it- there’s no “done-ness”, it just makes it a little crunchy.  Until of course it gets burnt.  Or, if you’re me, bake it in your trusty crusty toaster oven. 

The end product:  with a side of veggies, it’s perfect for your low-carb lifestyle!

(Ha ha, just kidding- I had a side of sweet potato fries from the street vender.)