Seriously-Tofu is food?

wonnder1 · May 2011

So I bought a box of firm tofu. My mother is pretty sick, and is on a vegan diet with no NUTS, BEANS or dairy. Needless to say, she is seriously lacking protein, which isn't making her feel good. Doctor recommended tofu to bring her energy up. Apparently soybeans don't count? Anyway.

I tried to fry the...stuff...in olive oil with some garlic and spices. Everyone says that it picks up the flavour of other stuff. It just flaked apart and tasted like...nothing but gross texture. Like flavorless scrambled egg white.

So guys, what did I do wrong? How long are you supposed to cook it for? I need some help here.

electromg · May 2011

I marinade my tofu way in advance in whatever flavor I want it to be. That's good that you got firm tofu, but I prefer extra firm tofu personally. I'm not huge on tofu myself, but I've learned those two tips will get you a long way. Cut it into strips before you marinade it so it soaks all the way through.

jen_42 · May 2011

You can usually get tofu which is marinated in stuff..we have here..thai tofu..curry tofu..chilli tofu...you chop it up into small cubes and throw it into a stirfry..dont try and eat it alone..its ewwwwwwwwww...but the flavoured ones are yummmm..try it in a vege fried rice...i put about a tablespoon of olive oil in a wok or a frying pan..then pre cook basmati rice which is low in gi and has loads of flavour..then grate carrot..choppped onion..grated zucchini..chop up ur tofu..throw em all in stir and add soy sauce until rice goes brown..not too much so its soaking in it...my kids love this..but i either add chicken thigh fillets or bacon..good luck

SLE0803 · May 2011

steam it for 10 mins, marinate 20, then bake.

I like it best that way.

My daughter likes it plain steamed. (no flavor, no nothing).

I agree with the extra firm tofu too.

You can also try tempe (another form of soy curd). It has more of a meaty texture and might be easier to cook.

That_Girl · May 2011

You need a non stick pan. This is VERY important.

Before cooking the tofu, you must drain the water and then let it sit in a collander to get rid of the water. Then, press it with paper towels until most of the water is out (don't crack the block of tofu).

Then, heat the pan and cut the tofu into squares (cubes)...brown the tofu until it is toasted looking. Taste one, the longer you cook it, the harder it gets and can have different textures. I like to cook it until it's pretty much dry...texture is like meat almost.

Then, I use it in curries, etc...but if you just put some garlic salt or whatever you want, it should be good.

Pebble321 · May 2011

Yup, on it's own it doesn't taste much. Marinate it in anything you like (it's great in kecup manis - sweet soy sauce, though high in salt and sugar) then pan fry it or bake it in the oven and toss it in a stir fry or curry with veges, or roll it up in ricepaper with veges, or eat in like you would have grilled chicken in a salad or wrap.

guppygirl322 · May 2011

I make jerky with it. Make sure you drain it REALLY well, then slice it thin. Baste it with some bbq, or honey mustard, or whatever, and space the slices out on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Stick them in the oven under the broiler until they start to brown up and get a little crispy on the edges. I use it for sandwiches, or I stick it in a container and just eat a few pieces out of the fridge when I want to nibble on something.

McKayMachina · May 2011

I've only had yummy tofu twice in my life (and I was vegetarian for 8 years and tried a LOT of tofu).

The Honey-Seared Tofu over Noodles at PeiWei and Alton Brown's Chocolate Tofu Mousse.

The rest, I'll pass on.

The key to get it to taste "best" in a dish like you described is to press it between paper towels (weighted down with heavy stuff) to squeeze out all the water, freeze it, thaw it, re-press it then cut it into 1/2" thin triangles and sear it in a very hot pan in a little oil. Tasty sauces like soy and teriyaki help. Plus lots of crunchy veggies for texture.

Hope that helps! :flowerforyou:

SoCalSwimmerDude · May 2011

I'll say what no one else is.... cook the hell out of it.... seriously. My wife is a veggie and the only way I can eat it is to OVER cook it to the point that some would consider it dry. Don't cook it in very much liquid and just enough oil to brown the sides. Personally, I think that marinading it doesn't work very well. However, when you're cooking the hell out of it, if you coat it in various seasonings, it usually gets a decently crispy exterior.

(Edit: the poster above talking about freezing then squeezing helps alot. Basically, anything to get the moisture out)

guppygirl322 · May 2011

I'll say what no one else is.... cook the hell out of it.... seriously. My wife is a veggie and the only way I can eat it is to OVER cook it to the point that some would consider it dry. Don't cook it in very much liquid and just enough oil to brown the sides. Personally, I think that marinading it doesn't work very well. However, when you're cooking the hell out of it, if you coat it in various seasonings, it usually gets a decently crispy exterior.

That's how my hubby likes it, crispy. The best way to do that is to get rid of as much liquid as possible. You can also deep fry it which makes it nice and crispy. You can also mush it up and make "meatballs" out of it with some ground up nuts and such.

milaxx · May 2011

For a firmer tofu you can buy baked tofu. It comes seasoned already. I used to love the Thai flavor. If you buy a plain pack of tofu what I would do is freeze it first then thaw. The texture changes so it has more of a "chew". Then when you are ready to cook you need to let it drain as much as possible. I used to sandwich it between two clean tea towels and put a few cans on it. It helps to get the oil really hot if pan frying .

milaxx · May 2011

steam it for 10 mins, marinate 20, then bake.

I like it best that way.

My daughter likes it plain steamed. (no flavor, no nothing).

I agree with the extra firm tofu too.

You can also try tempe (another form of soy curd). It has more of a meaty texture and might be easier to cook.

I like it in tiny cubes in vegetable or miso soup

morningjog · May 2011

Brown rice is sooo bland by itself, so I like to add things to my ricecooker, like mushrooms and tofu. The tofu needs to be a firm tofu (avoid a soft one) and needs to be good (NOT warmed up accidentally, refrigerated again, and at about its expiration date). I loved it when it rested on the bottom of the ricecooker and got well fried on one side. If you don't like it, then either you don't like tofu or you made a mistake (bought a bad one, bought a soft kind, or didn't cook it well enough).

audigal2008 · May 2011

My hubby wont be eating that ! Any way shape or form, Im not sure Id eat it :P Id rather just eat veggies! Whats with the Tofu? Seems to be yucky and ya gotta cook the heck outta it or marinate the heck outta it, y bother? Whats the benefits? Just wondering.

abyt42 · May 2011

Cut extra firm tofu into wafers (the size of rumicube tiles), then shake in cornstarch. Fry in a little oil until crisp on the outside. Love it dipped in peanut sauce. Also: the Vegetarian Times has a killer brownie recipe that uses silken tofu instead of eggs.... really, really good stuff.

I'm not usually a huge fan of tofu, though.... Perhaps another form of protein might work better? Like making sure to balance foods (rice and beans, mushrooms and barley, etc...through the day.?)

guppygirl322 · May 2011

My hubby wont be eating that ! Any way shape or form, Im not sure Id eat it :P Id rather just eat veggies! Whats with the Tofu? Seems to be yucky and ya gotta cook the heck outta it or marinate the heck outta it, y bother? Whats the benefits? Just wondering.

I confess to liking it a lot better when I have it at a chinese restaurant or if I buy the pre packaged flavored ones. The jerky I make is pretty good though, chewy.

ImperfektAngel · May 2011

steam it for 10 mins, marinate 20, then bake.

I like it best that way.

My daughter likes it plain steamed. (no flavor, no nothing).

I agree with the extra firm tofu too.

You can also try tempe (another form of soy curd). It has more of a meaty texture and might be easier to cook.

how long do you bake it for?

wonnder1 · May 2011

Mom has gall bladder problems-so she can't have any fat except flax oil and tiny bits of olive oil.

The benefit of tofu is that is has almost no fat, but is a huge source of protein. Most other sources of protein are very high fat and her body can't process fat right now.

Thanks, I'm draining it now (seriously....blech).

I think I undercooked it. I'll try baking the hell out of it tomorrow.

a_stronger_steph · May 2011

This is my absolute favourite tofu cooking method (it's very similar to what one of the posters described above):

Dry-frying:
http://hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Cook_Tofu_Like_the_Pros

You get a really good chewy texture (I prefer chewy to mushy, personally), and it takes on the flavour of the marinade really well. So good.

corsayre8 · May 2011

Ok, I am not a picky eater, but have serious issues with texture. So in most cases, I just can't stomach tofu. However, I love this recipe, and so do most people who try it.

Take extra firm tofu and cut into strips. I base it off the size of the block, so guessing 3"x1"x1/2". Press excess water out with paper towels and put in marinade over night. Then cook on low temp, like 250 for an hour or so each side. So echoing cook the hell out of it! Don't want it to look burnt as it will toughen up as it cools.

Makes it chewy, almost like a jerky. Takes on the flavor of the marinade, my fav is to do a spicy teriyaki.

wonnder1 · May 2011

http://hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Cook_Tofu_Like_the_Pros

That actually looks pretty good, and simple instructions...think I have my dinner. Although I may have to play with the marinade.

Word of advice for everyone--watch your cholesterol! This is the most restrictive diet ever, and you don't want it!

Seriously-Tofu is food?

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