Delicious Tofu Raspberry Mousse

Another great tofu recipe. Tofu is known for its extraordinary nutritional benefits and its versatility.Also known as soybean curd, is a soft food like cheese made by curdling soy milkwith a coagulant. It is a soft-tasting product that easily absorbs flavoursof other components. Tofu is sold in containers filled with water or in aseptic cartons. Fresh tofu is usually packed in water and must be refrigerated and kept in water untilused. If the water is drained and changed daily, the tofu should last a week. Cooking tofu is easy and perfect for beginners.

So tofu is perfect for this recipe. Tofu is low in calories so this one is just perfect for everybody.

 

You will need:

• 1/2 pound extra-firm tofu
• 1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
• 3 tablespoons frozen pineapple juice concentrate
• 2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot

Make a cut in the tofu container and carefully pour the water. 
Remove the block of tofu and place on a stack of plain paper towels - about 4 or 5 leaves. (You can also do this with a clean cloth or towel normal.) Gently press the tofu on paper towels to remove excess water. If desired, turn the block of tofu and the "taint" on paper towels to remove water. Do this until your stack of paper towels are completely wet. If desired, create a new stack of paper towels and repeat. Moisture rather than eliminate, the bulk of its froth. 
Place tofu in food processor and whip until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as needed. 
Add the raspberries, juice concentrates and arrowroot. 
Blend until smooth. 
Pour into serving dishes, keep refrigerated until served.

For details refer to original article: Tofu raspberry mousse

 

Image is from http://www.thismamacooks.com/2011/03/no-dairy-no-eggs-and-no-sugar-raspberry-...

Even more tips for cooking delicious tofu

I just love tofu. And use it all the time. Well not really all the time but at least once a week. And I always learn something new. Cooking tofu is so easy but there are few tricks and tips. 

There was nice article about cooking tips for tofu.

http://panlasangpinoy.com/2011/03/06/11-ways-to-cook-tofu/

Tofu is made of soy. There are three main types of tofu: firm tofu, soft tofu, and silken tofu. 

Firm tofu includes firm, medium firm, and extra firm. These are uncooked tofus that are usually used in dishes that call for meat. This type of tofu is sold in blocks with water. It needs to be drained and pressed with a paper towel before cooking. Soft tofu has a softer and more jelly-like texture. It is a good substitute in dishes that use eggs. It can also be mixed with other ingredients such as sour cream and cream cheese when making dips and sauces.Silken tofu is very soft. It is already precooked. This type of tofu is the best choice in making soups; it is also a good substitute for milk and heavy whipping cream. 

What can you do with tofu?

 Sliced tofu is great for sautéing. You can either sauté it with vegetables or plainly sauté it in any oil that you want, without adding anything.

If you are trying to cut on eggs, try replacing half of the eggs that you should be using with soft tofu. For example: instead of using 4 pieces of egg for an omelet, use only 2 eggs and replace the others with tofu.

The most common method of cooking tofu in the Philippines is frying. Blocks of tofu are deep fried until the texture becomes crunchy. It is eaten as it is after dipping it in vinegar or Asian Dipping Sauce.

Being a good substitute for meat, tofu can be used for your soup dish. Add small cubes of medium firm tofu to your soup, and simmer it just the way you do with meat. You can also use soft tofu for your soup. By doing this, you’ll get the protein that you need less the cholesterol and fat.

If you are hosting game day in your place, you can save on ground meat by adding frozen extra firm tofu to your chili recipe. All you need to do is thaw the frozen tofu, crumble it, and add it to your chili.

Baked tofu is perfect if you want to cut on fat. You can easily do this by slicing the tofu and place it in a baking tray greased with olive oil. Try preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake it until the color turns golden brown.

Tofu can be used in making desserts. Take Leche Flan as an example. You can use soft silken tofu to replace the milk that the recipe requires. Substitute half of the required milk with soft silken tofu.

 

Steaming is a good way to produce soft and flavorful dishes. Similar to the way Siopao and Siomai are cooked, you should try steaming firm tofu. To add some flavor, try marinating it first in sesame oil and light soy sauce.

 

 

Stir-fried tofu can taste good depending on how you do it. If you want to stir-fry tofu without any other ingredients (such as vegetables and meat), try adding some stir-fry sauce to give the tofu some taste. You can also stir-fry tofu along with your favorite stir-fry vegetable and meat dishes.

Tofu makes a good finger food. One way of doing this is by rubbing your favorite spices around cubed extra firm tofu, and then broil. You can serve each piece with fancy toothpicks to make it more attractive.

Believe it or not, you can make milk shakes with tofu. You can replace 1/4 of your milk ingredient with soft silken tofu. You can also add tofu when making smoothies.

Check out some other cooking tips for tofu.

What is the secret of cooking tofu?

What is the secret of cooking tofu? If you need to use only part of a block of tofu, drain, rinse and soak in cool water in a clean container and sealed. Store in refrigerator for at most a few days. Tofu, a great source of soy protein, also has a high calcium and magnesium. There is no such thing as just "tofu. It comes in a variety of textures, hardness, and flavor. Tofu is increasingly popular among vegetarians and meat eaters at a time and with reason. Tofu is well suited to a wide range of tastes and cooking techniques. With all the health benefits of tofu have many to offer, you can try some of our delicious recipes tofu tonight!

Tofu is not something you want as you would cheese. When we look at the beige, gelatinous substance, you may wonder how it is made from soybeans, which many of us the image of their green, edamame were immature. Tofu is really a "curd" of a milky liquid extracted from soybeans mature you press cakes. Do not be worried about calories in tofu.

Firm tofu drained and pressed in before being cooked. You want to beat your tofu dry with paper towel, then cut the block into several pieces. Place the tofu pieces on top of several paper towels and place towels on top of several other tofu.

The important thing to realize is spongy tofu absorbs the flavor of the spices and cooking foods. This spongy texture can become stronger, if the water is drained and the water transfer tofu. To remove most of the excess fluid, which can wrap the tofu in paper towels (towel to prevent not deleted) and set a heavy book for about ten minutes.

The use of tofu in the kitchen is only limited by your imagination. You can do something for her, including mashed potatoes, mix, whip, grind, crumble, marinate, simmer, steam, bake, broil, jump, grilling, roasting and frying. Hot or cold, cooked or uncooked, your options for using tofu are unlimited.

Silken tofu has a high water content, are very fragile and are best used in soups and salads. He has a puree, creamy texture and consistency of a soft cream. It is totally inappropriate for stir-fries, and dissolves easily when you stir-fryAsk if your store has "firm tofu" or "pressed tofu".

Basically, you want to buy extra-firm or firm tofu if you want the tofu to hold its shape - if you plan to marinate and grill or bake your tofu into slices or cubes, and if you stir fry them. If you mix the tofu with other ingredients to make a smoothie, creamy filling, or spread or use as a substitute for fat in the dough or a dish of minced meat, the use of soft tofu or silky. Learn about other secrets of cooking tofu.

Marinating tofu is a great way to add flavor to it. Start with a solid or tofu even stronger because it is more porous and has more space to absorb the liquid. Cut the tofu into small pieces and soak in your favorite marinade. Marinated Tofu can be used in casseroles, or in cold dishes like salads.

Tofu With Lemon And Garlic

Today is the day for tofu. This is great recipe I found. And simple. And cheap. All you need is tofu, lemon, garlic and some spices. Sooo simple. I just love cooking with tofu since it is so easy. You can prepare it in so many ways.

So, how to prepare this delicious meal? Here is how:

1. Make the rice

2. Fry tofu in the pan on little oil (I prefer coconut oil). Coat both sides with garlic powder, soy sauce, lemon juice. When it is brown on both sides it is done. That is it.

For more details check out original recipe for Lemon Garlic Tofu.

Do you want to knof how much it all cost? Only $2.95, acording to original recipe.

Here is the image. Do not forget to check original article:

Fantastic Tofu Sour Cream

Sour cream tastes good and is a must in some meals. It can make all the difference. But vegans don't use it since it is made from cows milk. 

But wait. There is another way.... Tofu sour cream! Ouyeah, simple and delicious. Well it doesn't taste exactly the same as sour creme but it is tasty nevertheless.

Check out this recipe and go ahead and make it yourself. All you need is firm tofu and food processor, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and some salt.

Fantastic video. Check it out. Cooking with tofu can be so easy and so much fun.

http://delicioustv.com/

Untitled

There are so many ways of cooking tofu, I almost every day find new and great tofu recipe.

I have recently stopped eating bread. At least majority of it. Previously my every dinner was containing bred. With some sort of vegan pate or tofu or seitan. But I've coma across very interesting book where bread was not so good. So i decided to try it out, my new diet without bread and some other food.

(image is taken from http://www.comocomecami.com/comocomecami/2011/02/tofu-relleno-de-vegetales-con-jengibre.html )

Now I found this great recipe where you stuff tofu and it looks like a sandwich. Perfect idea, especially for those that don't use bread. This one is definitely on my to-cook list.

There are so many different options of preparing  this tofu. I can't wait to try this one. I only have to find a big tofu block :)

Great Tofu Recipes

Before checking tofu recipes read further tips for cooking tofu. Tofu is quite unordinay food. Many people like it and many dislike it. The reason for disliking is mostly it's non delicious non-distinct mild taste. It has also strange texture and it is not very tasty on its own. 

But if you prepare it properly it can taste delicious. For everyones taste. Yes, everyone can like it. The main reason that everybody can like tofu is that it can taste almost whatever you like. It acts like a flavour sponge and absorbs other flavours. So if you prepare delicious marinade that you like it will absorb the taste from it and you will definitelly like tofu. 

But there is one catch. If you want tofu to absorb all flavours you have to remove existing water out of it. Otherwise it will taste like that water... Not very good. So before you start marinating or cooking tofu you have to remove existing water from it. Press it, dry fry it or squeeze it. But do remeber to remove as much water out of it. It will make all the difference when cooking. You can marinate tofu for days but if you don't remove water out of it it will absorb only a fraction of the flavours it could absorb if it was properly drained.

That is it. Cooking tofu is relly simple.

Cooking tofu like a pro

Tofu is not very popular food among meat eaters but is quite often on vegans menu. It is great food thanks to it's nutritional values but it has strange taste. But does it has to be that way? No. If tofu is prepared by a pro then it can taste fantastic.

What is the key? How to cook tofu? One of most important thing to do is to drain it well. Tofu acts like a sponge and absorbs other tastes. Is it that simple? Well... not really. You must remove existing water out of it. That is a crucial step. If you forget to remove water then existing water will prevent from absorbing new flavours.

Here are some other great tips for cooking tofu:

If you have a recipe that calls for blending tofu, purchase the silken or soft tofu varieties. Do not marinate or dry fry tofu for blending purposes. Tofu works well to add a creamy texture to blended recipes. You may choose to blend with a blender or a food processor.

To avoid frying, tofu may also be baked. To bake tofu, dry it out manually with a cloth and place the strips in a marinade for a few hours. After they have been marinated, spread the slices out on a lightly-oiled baking sheet and bake for an hour. Flip the tofu slices after thirty minutes. When you remove the tofu from the oven, it should appear golden brown.

 

When you taste some great tofu and realize how healthy it is and better then meat, then it is really simple to be vegan. Go for it. And stay there ;)

How to make vegan tofu barbecue

Barbecue is great, you can make so many different foods. Barbecued meat is delicious but there plenty ofspace for vegetarian and vegan barbecues. However when you prepare vegetarian barbecue for meat eaters it is not zhat simple. People have lots of prejudice to vegan food. And you usually have only one attempt for them to try it. Do not blow it or they might never try it again :)

There are lots of vegan meat substitutes like tofu, seitan, burgers that are very good for grilling.

Here are some tips:

The first thing for a successful veggie barbecue is plenty of meaty-looking traditional barbecue fare – sausages, burgers, and marinated fillets. If your meat-eating friends can wrap their burgers up in baps, and splice their hot-dogs into buns, then they won’t be stepping too far outside their comfort zone – and the battle is half won. There are plenty of excellent meat-substitute products, based on soya, tofu or mycoprotein, that look and taste like the real thing. If you’re feeling devious, you can even avoid mentioning the dreaded v-word at all! Just remember to stock up on the requisite meaty accompaniments; relishes, mustard, ketchup and onions.

There are more tips for preparing vegetarian barbecue your friends will love. Check it out.

My favourite is tofu becouse you can marinade to taste sooooo delicious. Cooking tofu is so simple.

What Is Tofu

If you are not vegan but prefer meat there is a chance you really don't know what tofu is. So, what is tofu? Well it is a great food that can substitute meat. It is completely plant based food and is made of soy. Why can tofu substitute meat you ask? Because it is filled with proteins. It contains all essential amino-acids similar to meat. It has many other benefits and is really quite healthy food. 

So there is no need to be afraid of trying tofu. Well the taste itself is not similar to meat but tofu can also taste great. Key to taste good is to drain it well before marinating. Then it can absorb any taste from marinade and make delicious food. How to cook tofu? Very easy.

Tofu can be used in almost every meal, including desserts. It makes great chocolate tofu pudding or smoothie. 

 

Tofu Recipe - Chocolate Pudding

Tofu is very often on my menu. I've tried many tofu recipes, but most of the time I cook it as main food, for lunch. In various forms. Very seldom as a dessert. Actually I think I have never tried tofu as dessert. This is going to change because I found delicious looking tofu recipe: Chocolate tofu pudding. 

 

This is little modified recipe. I always replace sugar with agave nectar. Recipe is lactose free and vegan friendly.

3 tbspn. agave nectar
1/2 c water
2 lbs silken tofu
10 oz dark vegan chocolate
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. chili powder or cayenne pepper
1 banana, ripe

Put all ingredients in a blender and purée until completely smooth. Divide among 4 to 6 cups and chill for at least 30 minutes. If you like, garnish with chocolate or coconut shavings before serving.

 

It all looks so simple. Preparation takes you less than 10 minutes. Go for it!

 

 

 

Recipe for vegan pizza with tofu

Who does not like pizza? I think there is one pizza for everybodys taste. Hot, cheesy, with mushrooms, veggies or seafod. The options are limitless.

Since I am vegan I prefer vegan versions. That usually implies tofu instead of cheese and different veggies all over the place. I put it all on top and then bake it.

Well here is another pizza tofu recipe, but this one is little more complicated. 

This is briefly how it goes:

1. Preheat the oven, put the garlic and rosemary in a small ovenproof dish and olive oil to completely immerse the cloves. Bake for 45 minutes

2. While your garlic is cooking, slice the onions and begin to saute them with a little olive oil. Caramelizing onions can take up to 45 minutes on medium heat. 

3. Prepare the tofu by cutting it into 6 slices. Drain the tofu.

4. Crumble the drained tofu into a large bowl. Add 1/3 cup of the garlic oil, plus about 6-8 cloves. Stir together, add the vinegar, salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

5. Turn the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the pizza with  pizza sauce first, then the onions and lastly the tofu.

6. Bake for 25 minutes, until the crust is risen and golden and the tofu has begun to brown.

Image is taken from original recipe: http://aviedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/02/tofu-pizza-with-caramelized-onions.html

For more detailed instructions check out original recipe here: Tofu pizza recipe

 

What do you think about pizza with tofu? How do you prepare your version?

 

 

Cooking tofu and boozy broccoli

Since I have learnt how too cook tofu I am trying various recipes. Always with vegetables of some sort, but most of the time I use sober ones. You don't want to mess with drunken vegetables :). 

And then I saw this interesting recipe for tofu:

Tofu is very cooking friendly food so probably it doesn't mind if broccoli is little boozy.

This is how it looks in original tofu recipe:

...image is from original recipe (http://www.glueandglitter.com/main/2011/02/02/baked-tofu-chops-with-boozy-broccoli/).

So what is it all about? Broccoli is sauted and combined with red wine. Very interesting. I don't know why I didn't try this before.

For more deatils refer to original recipe.

 

What do you think about boozy broccoly? I think I will give it a shot. Or two...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to cook tofu: sweet and sour

I am sure you knof how to cook tofu. I love cooking with it becouse it is so easy and tofu is also very healthy food.

Most of the time I prepare stir fry with veggies. I have never tried making sweet and sour recipe with tofu. I don't know why because I love it eating in a restaurant. Maybe now it is the right time to make it myself.

Here I found a simple and great looking recipe for sweet and sour tofu.

 

Things you will nedd: tofu, scallions, garlic, ginger, carrots, sauce ingredients, shiitake mushrooms.

 

How to do it? Follow original recipe for details.

 

 

 

 

What is Tofu Made Of? Soy, off course

No, it does not grow on tofu tree.  I am sure you probably knew what is tofu made of.

The process of making tofu is similar to cheese making. Off course, there are no dairy ingredients. It is 100% vegan, animal friendly and healthy product.

 

Tofu offers many valuable nutritional benefits including high concentrations of B-vitamins, easily digestible proteins, isoflavones, and unlike most soymilk products, calcium.

Soybeans are one of rare plants that contain all 8 essential amino acids in sufficient amount. That means they are complete proteins like meat or eggs.

There are many ways you can cook tofu. With some great tips you can lear how to prepare the best tofu in the town. 

Tofu recipe: spicy taco salad

Are you wondering how to cook tofu for todays lunch? Let me give you idea. 

This one I have never tried but when I look at ingredients It must be great. I will give it on my menu soon.

The things you need:

1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. chipotle pepper
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 small onion, sliced
1 head of romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
1 cup guacamole
Salsa (optional)

Short directions:

Slice tofu and brown it on both sides. Sprinkle cayenne, chipotle, cumin. Saute onion and bell pepper and add cayenne and chipot.

This is very shortened version. Read full recipe for Spicy Tofu Taco Salad

 

Tofu recipe with tamari

I recently bought new tamary sauce and it is time to make use of it :) 

This is nice recipe to try how it combines with tofu.

 

Tamari-Miso Tofu and Veggies

1. Press the tofu about 15 minutes, draining occasionally, then cut into cubes. Spray a skillet with nonstick and then cook over medium-high until golden brown (I just went with about 5 minutes here. I didn't mind my tofu on the softer side). Set tofu cubes aside. Wipe out skillet, then spray with nonstick for the stirfry.

2. Meanwhile, prep veggies and mix together the tamari-miso sauce. When skillet is ready to go, add all the veggies at once (no broccoli to slow down cooking time) and the tofu. Let cook over high for about three minutes. Then add the sauce. Stirfry for about another minute or two, or until the veggies and tofu have some time to absorb the sauce.

3. Serve with rice noodles, a slice of lime, and some additional siracha and maybe some additional Bragg's (if you made the sauce with it).

For detailed instructions refer to original article for tofu recipe

I love tofu for its simplicity and diversity. It can taste just whatever you desire. And is healthy as well!

What do you think?

Another vegan recipe - tofu with noodles

There are limitless possibilities to cooking tofu. It is great if fried, baked, cooked, mixed in smoothie or almost ansy other way.

If you are hungry for some tofu with noodles click on this recipe.

 

What you wil need:

1 package skinny gf spaghetti
1/2 c peanut sauce
1 c edamame
1 small head broccoli
1 block tofu
1 T sesame oil
1/2 t chili oil
1 T gf soy sauce
black pepper
1/2 t ginger and garlic powders
1 t Chinese cooking wine

 

The images look very tasty and I am sure it tastes great.

 

Bon apettit!

Are you in mood for Baked Tofu?

Who does not like tofu? It is irreplaceable food in vegan diet, tastes great if fresh and prepared properly and is healthy as well.

 

I usually make myself stir fried tofu  but I will try this recipe, baked tofu. It looks quite promissing.

(image is from http://theveganmouse.blogspot.com/2011/01/baked-tofu.html)

 

What do you think about this? What is your favourite way of preparing tofu?

Tofu Recipe: Shrimp and Tofu Soup

Do you fancy tofu in soup? Read this nice tofu recipe

What you will need:

Ingredients:

2 liters of water

2 cubes shrimp or chicken bouillon

6-8 leaves of Napa,washed and cut

15 head attached shrimp,trim and washed

1 box soft silkily tofu,cut 6-8 pieces

salt and ground white pepper powder to taste

handful cut scallion

Detailed recipe with instructions is found here: Shrimp and Tofu Soup

What do you think about his one? Unfortunately it is not vegan but looks nice nevertheless :)

What is Tofu Made Of

Do you know, what is tofu made of?

Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk with salts such as calcium sulphate and pressing the resulting curds.

Soy beans are soaked and then ground down with water, the resulting liquid after straining is what makes soy milk. 

The soy milk is then heated up and coagulated. The common coagulates are calcium sulfate, magnesium chloride and nigari. Less coagulant produces softer tofu, more produces harder tofu.

Read full story about what is tofu made of

Vegan Tofu recipe: Pan Fried Glazed Tofu

I came across nice recipe with tofu. It looks quite easy to make.

 

 

Detailed recipe is availabe here: Pan Fried Glazed Tofu

 

 

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package extra firm tofu (some brands say “hard tofu)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 -2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon chili sauce (I use Thai sweet chilly sauce)
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon of Mirin
1 teaspoon sesame seed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

 

 

Short directions:

Drain tofu. 
Mix the soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, chili sauce, chili powder, garlic and Mirin (if you have it).

Toast the sesame seeds lightly in a dry non-stick skillet.

Add vegetable oil in the non-stick skillet and let it heat for about 30 seconds on medium. Saute the tofu slices for 2-3 minutes on each side until they get golden brown.

 

 

Remove tofu from skillet keeping skillet over medium. Carefully add the soy sauce mixture into the hot skillet and let it bubble and thicken. Return the fried tofu slices back to the skillet and glaze it with the sauce.

Arrange the tofu over rice and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

 

 

 

 

 

What do you think? Do you like this tofu recipe?

 

Simple Recipe: Crisp Tofu in Tomato Pepper Sauce

If you read my blog you probably got the idea that I love tofu. You can fry the tofu or use it in many different ways.

Recently I came across nice tofu recipe. I think you will love it too.

What you will need:

• 200ml (7 fl oz) vegetable oil
• 500g (1 lb 2 oz) silken tofu, drained and cut into 3cm (11/4 inch) cubes
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp minced red Asian shallots
• 1 birdseye chilli, finely sliced
• 4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 spring onions (scallions), cut into 5cm (2 inch) lengths
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to garnish (I didn't use.)

 

Read entire recipe for Tofu in Tomato Pepper Sauce

 

What do you think? 

Tofu tutorial

Ever heard of tofu? I'm sure you did. If you really don't know what to do with it I suggest reading this tofu tutorial.

Who gets a hankering for some tofu?

Me! For those of you who have been reading my blog for awhile, I am sure you have figured out that I am not normal

Is it me or does tofu get a really bad reputation?

Whenever I just mention the word tofu, people instantly express a strong hatred for it. I guarantee that 95% of those people have not even tried it…

If you prepare it right, tofu can be can actually be really delicious. Once you find the right marinade and cooking preparation, it will hard for you not to like it.

It is such a blank canvas for any craving!

In the mood for BBQ?

Tofu can do that.

In the mood for Asian?

Tofu will shine there as well.

Trust me and give it a shot!

 

Read entire article here: Tofu Tutorial with aditional tofu recipe inside.

 

What do you think? Do you like tofu?

Useful Tips for Cooking Tofu

I love tofu and have been eating it quite some time. Here are some really useful tips that are good to know when using tofu. 

Did you know that it is essential to remove as much water as possible from it before marinating it? And never to marinate it with oil.

Store Tofu in a Fridge
If you open a pack and do not use it all, then drain, rinse, and submerge in fresh cool water in a clean container. Store in the fridge for no more than a few days.

What is the right amount

Tofu is a concentrated protein and should be eaten in small quantities, combined with grains and veggies. You do not need it as much as meat. A couple of smaller slices will usually do.

Choose the right type of Tofu 

Tofu comes in a wide variety of forms, from extra soft to extra firm. Some types are better for particular cooking method. Soft tofu may be scrambled like eggs while firmer tofu is better suited for frying.

Press the Tofu
Because tofu is full of water you should press out the old water so you can get new water with flavours in.

First drain the water that it's packaged in and cover in a clean paper towel. Weigh down the dish towel with a kilogram weight to remove any excess water that's left. This should take around 15 minutes. If you slice it first you can speed up the process.

Marinating tips

Marinating tofu is popular way of giving it a flavour of your taste. If you are marinating for less than one hour, it can be done at room temperature with tofu covered. Check tofu recipes here.

Tofu hates marinades containing oil
Tofu has a lot of water in it, even after you press it. Since oil and water don't mix stay away from oil in your tofu marinade. Using oil will actually create an oil slick on the tofu and the flavors will have a hard time to get in. 

How to Cook Tofu
Tofu may acts like a sponge. If you removed the water from your tofu be careful if you put it in any liquid since it will absorb that taste.
In a soup or stew, you can preserve the the flavor of a marinated tofu by first frying it on a little oil. If this process is skipped, the tofu's flavors will mix with the soup or stew broth.

Barbecue it for 4-5 minutes on each side.

Bake it. Slice pressed and drained firm tofu blocks into thin slices and bake on a cookie sheet (sprayed with non-stick spray) at 350-400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Saute cubes or thin triangles of pressed and drained firm tofu in coconut oil until golden brown.

Deep fry it. Fry thin slices of pressed and drained firm tofu in your deep fryer until light brown and crispy.

Add it to chili or stew. After firm tofu is drained and pressed, it can be crumbled into pieces that are much like ground turkey or ground beef. Add crumbled firm tofu to chili or stew and cook through for at least 15 minutes at medium heat. If you marinated it, fry it on oil to lock in marinated taste inside.

Or you can just stir-fry the tofu

Read entire article with important tips to cook tofu.

What do you think about tofu cooking tips?

 

How to make Tofu - really simple guide

Tofu is irreplaceable food in vegan recipes. It is nutritional, tastes good and is simple to cook with. But how easy it is to make it on your own?

 

According to this article it is simple, you even don't need any special equipment.

 

One of the keys to making good tofu is using quality ingredients. I've found that the cheapest (and yummiest) dried soybeans are from my local organic market where I can buy them in bulk (as opposed to small packages of beans).

 

 

What do I need to make my own tofu?

Ingredients needed:
- 1 1/3 cups dried soybeans
- Coagulant: You have several choices in this department:
1) 2 tsp. liquid nigari or
2) 2 1/4 tsp. granular or powdered nigari or
3) 2 tsp. Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) or
4) 4 Tbsp. lemon juice (freshly squeezed) or
5) 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

 

 

To sum up the process:

1. Make your own soy milk

 2. In a cup, mix together your chosen coagulant with 1 cup water and stir until dissolved.

3. Quickly rinse out the cooking pot and put it back on the stove. Transfer the soy milk to the pot, and cook it over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spatula. When the of the soy milk is between 150 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit, remove the pot from the heat.

4. Add coagulant 

5. With a soup ladle, gently transfer the coagulated soy milk into the cloth-lined colander

6. Fold the cloth over the top of the coagulated soy milk, and place a weight of about 1 1/2 pounds on top and let stand for about 15 minutes

7. Place a large bowl in the sink and fill it with cold water. Gently transfer the tofu into the bowl of cold water. 

 

And that is it. Of course, for a detailed instuctions please refere to original article.

 

What do you think? Which recipe do you use for making your own tofu?

 

 

What are Tofu Nutrition Facts

Tofu is highly nutritious in the sense that it provides you with protein, fat, calcium, iron, etc. If you take in one half-cup of raw firm tofu, you’ll consume 10 grams of protein. 

 It has many important minerals, vitamins and protein. 

 

Tofu Nutritional Facts
Tofu is rich in many nutrients: proteins, iron, B-vitamins. If made with calcium, it is also a great source of calcium.

Tofu is very low in sodium which makes it a perfect food for people on sodium-restricted diets.

Tofu also contains isoflavones, which help to prevent cancer and heart disease.

Tofu Protein Value
Tofu is ideal protein food. It is often used as a meat substitute in vegan or vegetarian diets. It contains all the essential amino acid that human body can not produce on its own. For each 100 grams of tofu it contains about 8 grams of protein. If you put it in calories that is 11 grams in 100 calories of tofu.

 

What do you think? Do you include tofu in your regular diet?

Stir-Fried Tofu with Ginger recipe

Stir-fried tofu recipe is very easy to prepare. It is a perfect nutritional tofu dish.

Image by rayb777 via Flickr

Ingredients (for 2 people)
- 1/2 cup of soy sauce
- juice from one lemon
- 1/2 ts of fresh, grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- spices
- tofu
- vegetables:
     1/2 bunch broccoli
     1 carrot, sliced
     2 onions, chopped
     1 pepper, sliced
- cayenne pepper
- coconut oil

How to fry tofu in a pan

Tofu nutritional values are very convicing and it is no wonder it has grown so popular.

 

Frying tofu is very popular and really easy way to prepare meal with tofu.

 

Ingredients:
- tofu
- vegetable oil (preferably coconut)
- marinade *(optional: marinade which you prefer: soy sauce, garlic, pepper, chili, ginger, vinegar...)

Instructions:

1. slice tofu in smaller pieces. Some prefer cubes, other triangles or slices. Cubes tend to take longer to fry, because you should fry them evenly on all six sides whereas slices need to be fried only on two sides.

 

Red full story how to make fried tofu in a pan

 

Bon Appetit!

Tofu protein nutrition value

Tofu is nutritionaly  very rich food. Here are listed protein values.

Tofu protein amounts per 1/2 cup (126g)

History of the tofu

According to one Chinese legend, tofu was invented when a cook decided to experiment by flavoring a batch of cooked soybeans with the compound nagari. Instead of flavored soybeans, he wound up with bean curd. Nagari is frequently used in the production of tofu today.

 

The history of Tofu started more than 2000 years ago in China.