A tofu explainer for beginners (and scaredy cats)
Let’s give tofu a go, shall we?
Tofu is one of those foods people either eat or don’t eat. There’s not much middle ground. And it’s not necessarily that tofu eaters love tofu or that non-eaters hate it. Many of the latter haven’t even tried it or haven’t had it prepared very well.
Made from soybeans, tofu is a staple in many Asian countries and an important source of protein, particularly for vegetarians and vegans. It’s a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids that our bodies can’t make, and it’s rich in vitamins and minerals, has no cholesterol, is low in fat and calories, and also contains calcium and iron.
Tofu is made from soy milk, which is made from soaked and ground soybeans. The soy milk is heated and a coagulant added to separate the milk into curds and whey, a similar process to how cheese is produced from animal milk. The curds are pressed into blocks; the longer they’re pressed, the firmer the tofu.
In most supermarkets you’ll find different varieties based on the product’s degree of firmness, including silken or soft, firm, and extra-firm. Silken tofu is soft and custardy and most often used in dips, vegan mayonnaise, smoothies, sauces, and puddings. Firm and extra-firm tofu (used in the recipes included on Page G5) are blocks that can be sliced into planks or slabs, squares, triangles, cubes, or crumbled. You can pan-fry, deep-fry, bake, simmer, braise, grill, or steam firm and extra-firm tofu. Toss it into stir-fries, serve with noodle, rice, and vegetable dishes, or layer it on sandwiches. You can also crumble tofu and brown it like ground meat or scramble it with vegetables for a hearty breakfast.
The flavor of tofu is bland, somewhat unfamiliar, almost undecipherable. You may discern slight vegetal or bean notes. First-timers may find it unpleasantly bland as there is often the expectation that it will taste like a mild fresh cheese and it doesn’t. The texture, slightly spongy, takes some getting used to. Knowing the best ways to prepare tofu and cooking or serving it with piquant flavors is the key to enjoying it.
It’s always been said that tofu absorbs the flavors it’s marinated in. Way back in 2000, Deborah Madison, one of the original doyennes of vegetarian cooking and author of “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone,” debunked that theory when she said that marinating tofu does not transform its taste. Much more effective is to use a marinade as a cooking liquid or sauce. In Madison’s book “This Can’t Be Tofu!” (2000), she writes: “Pour it over the tofu as it cooks and the marinade will reduce and leave a lustrous, flavorful sheen.” (See the Glazed Tofu recipe at left.)
While Asian flavors are most commonly paired with tofu, if you want to toss chunks of the soybean curd with pesto and pasta, go ahead. Or cook tofu in a red wine or tomato sauce with sliced red bell pepper and mushrooms. Or use baked or breaded tofu in a Greek-style salad instead of feta or halloumi cheese. Tofu is infinitely versatile and adaptable.
Meat eaters might be interested in getting to know tofu because eating more plants and less animal protein is better for your health and the planet’s. There are excellent ways to prepare tofu that will likely taste a lot better than the first (and last?) time you ate it. Let’s give tofu a go, shall we?