How to Cook Tofu
For many people tofu has a really negative vibe, boring, tasteless etc etc etc. Sure its hard to change your eating habits and add new textures and flavours to your diet, but you sometimes it worth it. I have heard it all, but mostly I hear “how do you get it to taste good” so here a few ideas.
Tofu is make from soya bean curd and is set using essentially reduced seawater which is then pressed into blocks and rinsed. There is plenty of information on line regarding its manufacture.
There are different types based on texture, names vary but to avoid to much confusion just stick to three:
Silken which is great for tofu scrambles and soft fillings. (I’ll deal with this in another “how to cook plants)
Firm which is somewhere between hard and silken, sort of a medium type. I use this for a fried tofu crumble.
Hard which is the firmest and my favourite. I use this for almost all of my tofu dishes and the one that I will talk about here. There are many other tofu products designed for soups etc so hunt around and give them all a try.
High in protein it is a great way to add some texture to a stir fry, salad and soup dishes. I know there is a lot of “soy is so bad for you” mentality which is fine, everyone can choose what they want to eat. I just consider simply that people have been eating it since possibly the 15th BCE or before, and that soy is considered one of the scared grains of China.
Finally as far as industrialised GMO soy is concerned, yes most soy is produced as a monoculture and yes the fingers of industrial agriculture are involved to some degree in its production. But consider that the fingers of industrial agriculture are spread exceptionally wide unintentionally touching almost food crops world wide. Its about choosing a Organic product from a quality supplier and there are some excellent ones around. I like the organic NutriSoy when I’m in Sydney. Remember not all tofus are created equal.
Tofu is a great medium for carrying flavour, so I have a few go to seasonings that I use to pre-flavour my tofu before I use it. Sometimes I might marinate it but not often.
Method
Cut the tofu into slices about the thickness of my finger.
Fry them in a little cold pressed oil usually sunflower with a little toasted sesame added. The heat is quite high.
Turn them quite a bit to get a good even crust.
Add a pre-made mix of toasted sesame and nori and have add this with just a touch of sea salt.
Add Bragg’s amino’s which have a mild soy taste, and come in a convenient spray bottle. (try Flannery’s in the old About Life store in Bondi Junction). I just love Bragg’s but if you want something stronger some tamari is the perfect substitute, its also gluten free. Just be careful as it will burn easy so take it off the heat before adding.
Once cooked it’s ready to be used or stored for a day or so in the fridge. If using slice it up in a salad or roll or maybe chop it up for a stir fry or a soup.