TOFU - How do I prepare it??

KatieKlotz

I really want to start incorporating tofu into my meals since it's so high in protein! I'd like to be able to make some snacks out of it, if possible. How do I do that?! And as far as meals, can I just substitute tofu wherever I would normally have meat?? Like in a stir-fry?

tzipporah

Tofu is GREAT in stir-fry...just make sure you press it beforehand! http://vegetarian.about.com/od/newfoodssubstitutions/ht/presstofu.htm those are some directions ...

Tofu is also delicious marinated and grilled, along with lots of other things...go to happyherbivore.com and vegweb.com for lots of splendid tofu recipes....

lilmissy2

I used to use tofu a lot (not so much now that I live in the UK because they don't have it in the regular supermarkets!). Yeah, you can pretty much use it in place of meat but be gentle with it so it doesn't break up and make sure you buy a firm type for frying, grilling etc.

It pretty much soaks up anything you put near it flavour-wise. My favourite is really just to mix cubes of it with dried herbs and spices (whatever I have) and leave for 10mins then fry in a small amount of oil and have with salad.

I also love marinated grilled tofu on sandwiches

JonoK

TOFU is easy to prepare. You just take it out of it's packaging and place it in the trash.

maddox22

Get the firm or extra-firm kind (not silken). Slice it about 1/4 in (or 1 cm) thick and dry the slices well. Cut the slices into smaller pieces (I like squares or rectangles). Heat oil (a mix of sesame and vegetable oil, just enough) in a skillet (use just enough oil to coat the bottom--no deep frying).

Put the tofu pieces into the hot oil. Let them fry for a while, and then turn them. They should be light brown and crispy-looking on the bottom when you turn them. When they're crispy on both sides, remove them from the pan and drain them on paper towels. Pour off any excess oil, then make a stir fry. Add the fried tofu at the very end, just before the sauce (if any). This is my favorite way to stir fry tofu--the texture is very meaty and yummy.

If you can find soft silken tofu, you can use it as a substitute for ricotta cheese in lasagna or manicotti (just mash it up and season it well with italian seasoning and a little salt). Firm silken tofu is a good substitute for scrambled eggs if you mash it up and fry it with onions (add turmeric if you want the yellow color).

One of my favorite snacks is just small cubes of tofu with a little bit of sesame oil and soy sauce. Very yummy.