Tofu!!

spanklock said:
initial thoughts...this stuff is great, wish i was turned on to it sooner....straight up cold with soy sauce works for me!!! probably how i'll eat it most often. will probably try adding it to dishes when i dont feel like eating meat, which has been alot lately...

i like the ideas i'm seeing...

but i don't get the freezing idea, wouldnt that put ice crystals in it making it kind of like a bastard tofu popsicle because not even firm tofu is not very dense?? i ask because i just had some right now. not totally frozen, but the fridge was really cold and partially froze the water the leftover tofu was in and it wasnt bad at all but it was annoying because of all the ice crystals on the inside...maybe just a freak occurrence..i don't know...


You have to let the tofu fully freeze, then you have to unthaw it, then press the excess water from it, then eat it. It is a little more involved process, but IMO it is worth the extra effort.
 
jayyon39 said:
i like it cold with just soy sauce, but if you want to cook it, doing it tempura style (deep fried in rice flour) with tempura sauce is awesome. To make it healthier, stir fry it. Here is the best and easiest sauce. Soy, lots of brown sugar, much more than you would think to add, a little water (only to help dissolve the brown sugar, it will reduce when cooked) ginger, fresh if possible, just peel it and dice it up, and garlic too. If you want to add a little pineapple joice. As far as veggies, whatever you like. By the way, don't over stir it or the tofu will fall apart.

That sauce is good. i've made it with the bottled teriyaki sauce instead of soy. The teriyaki sauce already has ginger, garlic in it i think. Also, i add a little bit of corn starch to make it a glaze similar to jack daniels glaze at fridays. Never had it on tofu but its great on chicken and rice.
 
We used to make teriyaki sauce in the Army with soy sauce and pineapple juice. Very flavorful.
 
If you're stir frying get the Chinese Firm tofu, it's usually has the red label, it won't fall apart and the consistency is closer to meat. I think the texture is what turns a lot of people off, the taste is so bland, it usually tastes like whatever you're cooking it with. Draining tip: put paper towel on a cutting board and tilt it and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
 
first off, i hope you're buying good tofu. i'd recommend hinoichi, pulmuone, and anything locally made (these need to be tested individually, but usually have a richer flavor). you can do tons with tofu. like people have already mentioned, fry/steam/raw with soysauce is good. tossing it in soups and stews are great too. also, you can crush it up and add it to salads/toss with veggies and act like it's cottage cheese :p. one of my favorite tofu dishes is mapo tofu. traditional recipe calls for some hard to find ingredients, but the faux one tastes great too.

you'll need:
ground pork and cubed (1/2in) tofu in a 1:1 ratio
oyster sauce (ralphs asian food aisle carries this, lee kum kee brand is best)
ketchup (nice tang and sweet :p)
soy sauce
ginger 1Tbl., pulverized
garlic (couple cloves) pulverized
red bell pepper itty bitty dice
half an onion diced
water or chicken broth
vege/canola/grapeseed oil (olive oil if light, virgin and extra virgin will ruin the flavor of overall dish if the oil is good)

1. pan over heat and add oil. toss in onions first, then red bell peppers. wait until the onions sweat and toss in garlic and ginger. careful not to burn the garlic and ginger!
2. toss in pork immediately after garlic and ginger, cook over medium heat until pork is cooked halfway through.
3. add in the tofu, oyster sauce, ketchup, soy sauce (sorry, quantities not available as i haven't cooked in a while... living in college dorm sucks, but do it to taste), and about half a cup to a cup of water or chicken broth
4. stir and let simmer until sauce is of nice consistency- not liquid, but not super thick like melted chocolate. you want a middle ground.

notes: control the saltiness of dish with soy sauce and oyster sauce. if the dish is too satly, try adding a little more ketchup or sugar even. corn starch is great for thickening the sauce up. for spiciness, add some pepper flakes and/or sambal. i THINK i covered everything, but it has been a while since i cooked. dish should be a nice blend of meaty, sweet balanced with salty, and some spicy if you want. ENJOY
 
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