Understanding Tofu

By Hklbrries

"Tofu is more than just a healthy source of meatless protein. It's a quick-cooking culinary chameleon with an uncanny ability to absorb flavors, making it a winner for the "I-don't-have-time-to-cook" crowd.

While tofu used to be relegated to Asian restaurants and health food stores, you can find it today in almost all grocery stores in the deli or produce sections.

It's increased popularity follows preliminary research that indicates tofu and other soy products may help reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer.

Even though most people know it's good for them, they don't know what to do with these jiggly white blocks of soybean curd. Having a positive experience with tofu requires some knowledge about the different types and preparation.

Tofu comes in three consistencies: soft, firm and extra-firm.

Soft tofu is best suited for mashing or blending until smooth, then used in sauces, smoothies, dips, spreads, egg dishes, desserts and baked goods.

Firm or extra-firm tofu holds up well in stir-fries, or marinated and grilled. It can be successfully added to lasagna, salads, soups and chili.

Freezing the tofu before using produces a chewy, meat-like texture (my personal favorite). It can replace all or part of the meat in a recipe.

To freeze, remove tofu from its container, cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight or longer. To thaw, place in a bowl with very hot water or microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high power. When defrosted, pat the tofu dry with a paper towel to remove remaining moisture, and it's ready to use.

While most tofu requires refrigeration, the Mori-Nu brand, packaged in aseptic cardboard containers, can be kept at room-temperature - a plus for campers.

Once opened, uncooked tofu should be put in a container and water added to protect it from absorbing flavors and odors, or drying out. The water should be changed daily. The tofu should be used within seven days; if it has a sour smell, throw it out. Leftover cooked tofu will last two to three days in the refrigerator.

In its uncooked state, tofu has a bland taste, ready to sponge up added flavors. Some manufacturers add spice, herbs and flavorings to the tofu prior to packaging. Small Planet Soyfoods near Newport, WA, produces excellent tofu in Italian, vegetable, curry and hot versions.

A quick, easy way to add lots of flavor to tofu is using a seasoning mix. New Menu produces a line called TofuMate (found at health food stores) in Taco, Szechwan, Breakfast Scramble and Mediterranean Herb flavors. All you do is brown cubes of tofu, add water to the seasonings, pour the mixture into the skillet and stir until the moisture has dissipated - the tofu version of Hamburger Helper.

You also can buy tofu products that are pre-baked with added flavors. I tried White Wave's Baked Oriental Style and Soy Deli's Premium Baked Savory Tofu. Both had textures like hot dogs. I added the Savory Tofu to a salad to boost the protein content; the flavor was good, but the texture was less squishy when I added the Oriental Style to a stir-fry.

While unflavored tofu has less than 20 mg of sodium in a 3-ounce serving, that shoots up to 350-600 mg in the pre-baked versions.

You may have scratched tofu from your shopping list because of its fat content, but it's a good way to get the moderate amount of fat needed in a balanced diet. There are 2 to 5 grams of mostly healthful polyunsaturated fat in a 3-ounce serving of plain tofu, and 1/2 to 2 grams in the same amount of "lite" tofu.

Both the Vegetarian Times Cookbook (Macmillan, 1984) and "The Art of Tofu" (Morinaga, 1997) have excellent tofu recipes."

Craig T Hunt

Ingredients

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Preparation

Step 1

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