tofu tips?

knitnat28

Hi! My husband and I have gotten into a food rut, and I saw a recipe that I want to try, but it calls for tofu and I've never cooked with it before. It calls for firm tofu because it will be cubed and fried. Is tofu tricky to cook with? Is there anything I should look for when I buy it other than it saying firm? Thanks in advance!

SURFERxGIRL

If the recipe calls for firm tofu, make sure that's what you get (or you can get extra firm as well). You'll want to get the one that is in the produce/refrigerated section of the grocery store, not the one in the Asian Foods aisle. Also, you'll want to make sure you don't buy silken tofu! If you're cooking it (as opposed to using it for a creamy dessert, smoothie, etc), silken tofu tends to fall apart in the pan and make a mess (This happened to my mom on her first and only attempt at cooking tofu. Looking back it was funny, but at the time, not so much! )

Depending on the dish you're making and how much time you have, you can take the tofu out of the container, chop it and freeze it, which gives it a heartier (meatier) texture that absorbs marinades and sauces better. Alternately you can also press the tofu, to remove some excess moisture. Just wrap the tofu clock with some paper towels/dish cloths, place it on a hard surface with a plate and a can on top, and leave for 20 minutes or so. A lot of the extra water will be pushed out of the block, and you can then easily chop, bread and fry it. This is my go-to method when I'm frying up tofu.

Good luck! Hope I helped a little bit.

Oh, and just so you know, tofu tends to be pretty bland and absorbs all the flavors and sauces that are around it, so it's really versatile!

knitnat28

Thanks so much! I didn't know about avoiding the silken type or having to press it, so this was very helpful. I appreciate it.

SURFERxGIRL

No Prob. When I first became a vegetarian and was cooking new things like tofu for the first time there was a definate learning curve so I'm glad I could help.