Tofu?

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butterflylover527
butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
My mom got tofu today and wants me to do something with it...I'm kind of scared to, but I have to try it before I say I don't like it. I serously have no clue in the world what to do with it so recipes would be helpful!

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  • rachelilb
    rachelilb Posts: 179 Member
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    Throw it in some stir fry...yum!
  • rachelilb
    rachelilb Posts: 179 Member
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    Ps. It picks up the flavor of the food you cook it with. You can put it in anything.
  • Corsetopia
    Corsetopia Posts: 307 Member
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    I just bought some as well and I'm thinking about cutting some up and adding some low sodium soy sauce and stir-frying it. I hear that tofu takes on the taste of whatever you cook it with. Good luck!
  • YumemiruJin
    YumemiruJin Posts: 133 Member
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    Think of it like chicken. Bland by itself, but it sucks up flavor. Some friends of mine stick the super firm stuff in pasta sauce like they were faux-chunks of pork. I marinade them and then grill them sometime. It's really all up to your imagination :)
  • Corsetopia
    Corsetopia Posts: 307 Member
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    Think of it like chicken. Bland by itself, but it sucks up flavor. Some friends of mine stick the super firm stuff in pasta sauce like they were faux-chunks of pork. I marinade them and then grill them sometime. It's really all up to your imagination :)

    Yummy ♥ Thanks for the ideas!!!
  • YumemiruJin
    YumemiruJin Posts: 133 Member
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    Yummy ♥ Thanks for the ideas!!!

    Not a problem!
  • lmeslie
    lmeslie Posts: 46 Member
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    Here are some tofu tips (for firm or extra firm tofu) based on lots of trial and error in my kitchen:
    1. Make sure you press out as much water as possible. You can do this by placing the tofu blocks on a clean tea towel or a stack of paper towels then put more clean towels on top. On top of the top layer of towels, place a heavy pan filled with water. The pressure from putting the heavy pan with water on top with help press lots of water out of the tofu. Leave it like this for about an hour, then discard the wet towels.
    2. Cut the tofu into cubes or thin triangles. Place all the pieces in a single layer on a non-stick griddle or skillet with NO OIL over medium heat. The tofu will make sizzling and whistling sounds. This is more water evaporating out of it. Press on the pieces with a spatula. Remove the pieces when they have slightly browned and it seems like much of the water has evaporated. This process is called dry frying and you can read about it online.
    3. Marinate the tofu in a non-oil based marinade like soy sauce. Since you have removed most of the water from the tofu, it will absorb more marinade and actually give the tofu flavor.
    4. Add it to whatever dish you are making that you want to replace the meat with tofu! It tastes great this way and it will have a more acceptable texture. Feel free to add me or message me if you want any other advice :)
  • jtkwood
    jtkwood Posts: 24 Member
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    Google "Mapo Tofu" ... it's a bit spicy but AMAZING!
  • skonly
    skonly Posts: 371
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    Pressing out the water is important! I used to do that and then freeze it so it would be ready when I wanted it. I probably made tofu 20 times before I figured out how to make it taste like anything other than cardboard.

    Check out some Asian cooking sites. I learned a lot on those.
  • callmejessica
    callmejessica Posts: 1,868 Member
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    depends on its consistency! is it firm, pressed, silken? either way, tofu is a great ingredient to cook with because it takes on any flavor. people usually don't like it for the texture. i've marinated it before in a soy sauce, ginger, scallion, garlic type of mix. you can grill it if it's firm and top it with, well, any kind of sauce you like! the possibilities are limitless!
  • mamaclose
    mamaclose Posts: 219 Member
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    Tofu "Chicken" Tenders.

    Ingredients:

    1 package firm or extra firm tofu (I use organic, non-GMO, about 350 grams)
    1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk)
    1 tbsp cornstarch
    1/3 cup cornmeal
    1/2 cup breadcrumbs (use gluten-free if necessary)
    1/2 tsp cinnamon
    1/2 tsp cumin
    1/2 tsp chili powder
    scant 1/2 tsp kosher salt
    1/4 tsp cayenne powder (for a kick of heat)
    1/4 tsp onion powder
    1 large sweet potato + 1 tsp oil + 1/2 tsp cinnamon + pinch salt + 1/4 tsp cumin


    1. Press tofu: Rinse the tofu with water and place a couple kitchen towels on the counter. Wrap the tofu with another towel, place another towel on top, and finally several heavy cookbooks on top. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to soak out the water.

    2. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a shallow dish. In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, and spices. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and grease 2 baking sheets with oil. Slice the potato into fries and then coat with 1 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cumin, and a couple pinches of salt. Lay out on greased baking sheet.

    3. Slice tofu into 8-9 strips, lengthwise, depending on how thick you want it. With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use other hand to sprinkle dry mixture all over the tofu. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.

    4. Bake tofu on middle rack and fries on bottom rack at 400F. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the tofu and fries, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy. Remove tofu and broil the fries for a few minutes, watching carefully, until golden and charred in some spots. Remove and serve with ketchup!
  • adjel
    adjel Posts: 4 Member
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    In my opinion the beauty of tofu lies in its blandness. It takes on whatever flavor you put into it. My favorate is for 16 ounces of semi-firm tofu is to mix in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons garlic powder and 1 teaspoon dried basil. Chees basically consists of a sweet and a sour taste plus the flavor. The sweet comes from the olive oil and honey. The sour comes from the lemon juice. If you use firm tofu it is good on pasta. The softer tofus make good chip dips. you can bake high fiber tortillas to make home made chips. you can also bake this recipe into things like cassaroles, put it on sandwiches. you can change the basil and garlic for some other seasons.
  • rextcat
    rextcat Posts: 1,408 Member
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    miso soup (recipy from allrecipys.com)
    Prep Time: 5 Minutes
    Cook Time: 15 Minutes
    Ready In: 20 Minutes

    Servings: 4



    "You can use yellow, white, or red miso paste for the soup, depending on your preference. You will also need dashi, which is made of dried kelp (seaweed) and dried bonito (fish), and can be purchased in granules or powder form in conveniently-sized jars."

    Ingredients:
    2 teaspoons dashi granules
    4 cups water
    3 tablespoons miso paste
    1 (8 ounce) package silken tofu, diced
    2 green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2
    inch pieces

    Directions:
    1.

    In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine dashi granules and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and whisk in the miso paste. Stir in tofu. Separate the layers of the green onions, and add them to the soup. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes before serving
  • torrmairi
    torrmairi Posts: 64 Member
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    You could also try scrambling it - crumble it up and add some seasoning like soy sauce and sesame oil. Pretty common in vegan circles. :)
  • torrmairi
    torrmairi Posts: 64 Member
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    Google "Mapo Tofu" ... it's a bit spicy but AMAZING!

    +1! It's quite salty too, but so good.
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    Thanks guys!!!