Category: Tofu

Give Tofu a Chance

May 20, 2009

I get a lot of questions about tofu. These days I think it’s something that people feel they are “supposed” to like. Or at least “supposed” to use. There is so much information out there about the impact that a meat based diet has on the planet and I think people are really starting to read and listen. People who are wanting to do something to minimize their impact often find eating less meat approachable. But what do you do if you don’t like tofu?

First of all, let me say that you don’t have to like tofu. Even if you are a vegetarian. And there is no rule that says a vegetarian meal has to include tofu. I have many many recipes posted here on this blog and there are only four that include our little soy friend. There are tons of options if you don’t want to eat meat and are afraid of soy. Take a peek through the main course section over on the right hand side bar and I think you’ll find some lovely things to eat.

That said, I do think tofu gets a bad rap. It’s not a meat substitute – it is it’s own thing. The most common complaints I hear is that tofu doesn’t taste like anything and that it is mushy. Tofu doesn’t taste like much on it’s own but it absorbs other flavors beautifully. If you make some kind of delicious marinade or sauce, it will taste like your delicious marinade or sauce. And mushy? It doesn’t have to be so! If you buy extra firm (sometimes called super firm), the texture thing goes out the window.

This salad is a new favorite of mine. First you marinate some extra firm tofu and then roast it at relatively high heat which firms it up even more. A bed of bean sprouts are laid on a plate, followed by thin slices of cucumber, the tofu, and an amazing peanut sauce is drizzled over the top. It is a wonderful salad to serve with a light Asian inspired meal. Of course, the salad is infinitely adaptable – cabbage, steamed broccoli, bok choy, even asparagus would be lovely here. Next time I make it, I am going to double the tofu so I have some extra to snack on. Yes, snacking on tofu. Try it!

One Year Ago: Fear of Filo

Indonesian Tofu, Bean Sprout, and Cucumber Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Adapted from Vegetarian Classics
Serves 4

1 recipe roasted tofu (recipe follows)

Peanut Sauce:
1/4 cup natural-style peanut butter
2 tbsp. tamari soy sauce
1 tbsp. lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3 tbsp. water

The Salad:
2 cups mung bean sprouts
1 small English cucumber, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 scallion, very thinly sliced

1. Chill the tofu thoroughly.

2. To make the sauce: combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and beat vigourously with a fork or small whisk until very smooth.

3. To assemble the salad: spread 1/4 of the bean sprouts on each of 4 salald plates. Layer on 1/4 of the cucumber, followed by 1/4 of the tofu. Drizzle the sauce over each portion and garnish with the scallion. (DT: I added another tablespoon or so of water to the dressing to thin it out a bit.)

Roasted Tofu

1 pound extra-firm tofu
1 1/2 tbsp. tamari soy sauce
1 tbsp. Asian sesame oil
1 tbsp. dry sherry

1. Slice the tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place them on a clean cotton towel or on paper towels. use another towel or more paper towels to pat the tofu very dry. Cut into 3/4 inch cubes.

2. Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, and sherry in a large bowl. Add the tofu and use a rubber spatula to gently toss it with the marinade. Let marinate at least 30 minutes, or cover and chill up to 24 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

4. Place the tofu and its marinade in a single layer in a large shallow baking dish. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until golden all over and the marinade is absorbed. Shake the dish after 15 minutes to prevent the tofu from sticking. Can be served warm, room temperature, or cold.

Category: Asian,International,Salad,Tofu,Vegan
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Asian Noodles

May 5, 2009

I joke sometimes that if I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, that it would be french fries. I do so love french fries but I think a lifetime of them, even the very best ones with lots of ketchup, would get old. But some kind of Asian noodles in some kind of Asian curry sauce with tofu with some kind of green vegetable? That could sustain (and not bore) me.

I make a lot of dishes like this. I have never met a Southeast Asian noodle dish I haven’t liked. I love rice noodles, bean thread noodles, soba, somen, and Chinese egg noodles. I love green, red, and yellow curry. I love the combo of coconut milk, soy sauce, and curry. I love mixing shallots, garlic, and ginger into a kind of holy trinity. I love any excuse to eat tofu and to have it taste like something other than a sponge.

For tonight’s dinner, I had planned to make Burmese Noodles from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. As I was preparing to make the curry paste, I remembered I still had some homemade red curry paste in my refrigerator, and suddenly Burmese Noodles didn’t appeal to me. On the facing page, was a recipe for Noodles in Thai Curry Sauce which sounded good but plain. I decided to mix the two recipes and throw in some changes of my own. Almost every time I make an Asian curry, whether I am using noodles or rice, I throw in some tofu. I don’t obsess about my protein intake but when given the chance to eat tofu, in a dish where it plays so nicely with others, I take it.

One of the beautiful things about this recipe is that you can change it your heart’s delight. Use a different kind of noodle, use a different green vegetable, omit the tofu, substitute Thai basil for the cilantro if you are a cilantro hater. By all means, use a commercial curry paste – there are some good ones out there. Below you will find how I adapted it. Although I make dishes like this often, these noodles were one of my better creations.

Here are 2 low fat notes. This kind of dish can actually be kind of unhealthy. Two ways that I try to combat that are by using low-fat coconut milk, and by not deep frying the tofu. Last night I sprayed a hot non-stick skillet with non-stick spray and fried the tofu that way. You want a bit of a crust on it. You can also get that by shallow-frying it in bit of flavorless oil (like canola).

Noodles in Thai Curry Sauce with Tofu
Inspired by Deborah Madison
Serves 3-4

Since I was using my own curry paste (which is less spicy than store-bought), I added the full 3 tablespoons. If you are worried about spice, add just 1 to begin and more to taste if necessary.

8 ounces dried Chinese egg noodles (linguine can do in a pinch)
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, pressed dry and cut into 1 inch pieces
Canola oil
2 large shallots, thinly sliced into rings
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 15-oz. can unsweetened lowfat coconut milk
1-3 tbsp. Thai red curry paste
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 handful snow peas, strings removed
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 scallions, thinly sliced into rounds
3 tbsp. chopped cilantro

Cook noodles in pletny of boiling water until tender, about 4 minutes for the Chinese egg noodles and slightly longer for linguine. Drain and rinse well to stop the cooking and to keep them from sticking together. Set aside.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and add the tofu. Cook on each side, flipping as the tofu turns slightly brown. Pour out onto a paper lined plate and set aside.

Heat a wok or a skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in just enough canola oil to coat the bottom and add the shallots. Cook until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, and soy sauce and stir to break up the paste. Add the snow peas and green peas. Lower heat to medium-low and cook until the snow peas start to become tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the noodles and tofu and stir well. Add the scallions and cilantro and give it another good stir. Allow to cook for 2 minutes to blend flavors.

Category: Asian,International,Noodles,Tofu,Vegan
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Sushi Rice Salad

April 25, 2009

What do I make when I’m making miso soup? Sushi Rice Salad. I’ve made sushi rolls before – I have the bamboo mat to prove it. But, while they are delicious, healthy, and nutritious, they are also kind of time consuming and fussy. When I crave those flavors, I make this salad. A purist would gasp but someone wanting sushi would just dig in.

This recipe is written on yellow legal paper in my own hand and I have no idea where I got it. I have tweaked it significantly over the many times I have made it so I am going to officially call it my own. Whoever wrote the original says to use long-grain rice. Every single time I have made it, except for this last one, I have used sushi rice. You have to wash sushi rice endlessly so it doesn’t gum up and wouldn’t you know it, every time I made this dish, the rice gummed up. Last week I decided to make it with brown rice and I loved it. Try whatever you like.

Sushi Rice Salad
Serves 4-6

You should be able to find all the more unusual ingredients in the Asian food section of your grocery store.

1/2 cups long grain rice or brown rice
1/4 cup + 3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, divided
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sesame seeds, lightly toasted
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. finely chopped pickled ginger
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 English cucumber, seeded and chopped
8 oz. extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes
2 sheets nori
1 avocado

Cook rice. (If making brown rice, simply boil in a large pot of water, as you would for pasta. Cook until tender and then drain.) Meanwhile, in a small saucepan 1/4 cup vinegar to boil with sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved and remove from heat.

Transfer rice to a large bowl and stir in vinegar mixture. Cool rice. (If there is excess liquid in the bottom of the bowl, drain rice again.) Stir in sesame seeds, remaining 3 tbsp. vinegar, oil, ginger, scallions, cucumber, tofu, and carrot.

Cut nori sheets into 1 inch wide strips. Peel and pit avocado. Quarter, then cut cross-wise into thin slices. Add avocado to salad with nori. Toss well.

Dressing

I like a lot of wasabi with my sushi. I like my nose to burn a little bit. If you like things mellower, add between 1 and 2 tsp. wasabi and then see how it tastes before you add it to the salad.

3 tsp. wasabi paste
1 tbsp. hot water
2 tbsp. cold water
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. ginger juice

In a small bowl, stir all ingredients together. Drizzle dressing over salad and mix carefully.

Category: Asian,Grains,Main Course,My Favorites,Super Healthy,Tofu,Vegan
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Two Tofu Tips

August 13, 2008

Yes, two tofu tips. Say that 10 times fast.

I have another weekend of cooking on the horizon. My baby brother is turning 30 and we are going to a bbq for him on Friday. I got roped into (or did I volunteer?) making two desserts, two appetizers, and a side dish. On Saturday I am cooking the “Market Fresh Dinner” I donated to the Phinney Ridge Community Center auction back in May – five courses. Since I haven’t started anything for either of those events, I figured it was in my best interest to start cooking ahead for tomorrow’s client dinners so I could free up some time to cook ahead for the other events. Whew.

Besides, tomorrow’s main course is a stew and I can’t think of a single stew-like thing that doesn’t benefit from sitting overnight. Flavors meld, liquid gets absorbed, spices mellow – all good things. In this recipe, you are advised to freeze a block of tofu, then allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge. Once it is thawed, you squeeze all as much liquid as you can out of it and then puree it in the food processor. What I ended up with is something that looked like a spongeball, but when I added it to the stew, it just disappeared. Almost completely – just little white flecks. Indistinguishable in a stew with lots of other ingredients.

I immediately thought of all the people I know who are trying to get more protein or soy or both into their diet (or into their children’s diet), and how you could use this same technique for just about anything with a liquidy base. Any soup, tomato sauce, stew – whatever. Tofu, as we all know, doesn’t really have a flavor so I really do believe you can try this with any of your favorites.

I used a pound of firm tofu for a very large quantity of stew, so maybe start with half a pound. Remove it from it’s packaging and wrap it in plastic wrap, then place it in the freezer. It will turn a kind of alarming shade of yellow, but will turn back to white once it is thawed. Once thawed, squeeze out the excess water and puree.

That’s tip #1. #2 has to do with silken tofu. That is the stuff that is vacuum packed in cardboard and is usually found on the Asian food aisle (not in the refrigerated section). Silken tofu is a lovely substitute for sour cream – yes, it’s true! The dish I made today is a Corn, Tomatillo, and Hominy Stew and (coming from a vegan cookbook), the author advised making a Ginger Lime “Cream” to go alongside. I used a carton of silken tofu (usually around 12 oz) and pureed it in the food processor with ginger, lime juice, rice vinegar, canola oil, and salt and pepper. It has a slightly different flavor than sour cream, but the same texture and is filled with protein. It would be delicious with fajitas or enchiladas. I have also made a faux aioli with roasted garlic and lemon juice that fooled my whole dinner party. No one knew it was tofu. Do not be afraid of soy!

Category: Tofu
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Let’s Talk About Tofu

June 19, 2008

When I mention to the people who I don’t know well that I am a vegetarian, I get a myriad of responses. First and foremost, almost everyone asks if I eat fish. Somewhere I heard that vegetarians don’t eat anything with a face – last time I checked, fish have faces. Other responses: often, people ask why I don’t eat meat. Sometimes I will hear that their sister/brother/sister-in-law/brother-in-law is a vegetarian – I almost expect them to ask me if I know this relative. Sometimes they say silly things like, “Oh, you must eat a lot of salad.” (I’m sorry, what year is it again? Have you never heard of things other than salad that don’t include meat?). And sometimes they ask me, with the most incredible disgusted expression on their face, if I like tofu.

Well, yes I do. I really really do. And you might too if you knew what kind to get and what to do with it.

I think meat-eating people sometimes think of tofu as a meat alternative. Like their plate would have a steak, baked potato, and asparagus on it while mine would have a slab of tofu, baked potato, and asparagus. As much as I love tofu, I wouldn’t like it like that. Who would? Tofu has basically no flavor of it’s own and a texture that some people find objectionable, so eating it essentially naked does no one any favors. In my opinion, tofu does best in Asian food preparations where standing in for meat is natural.

Tofu needs help in both the flavor and the texture department. So let’s start with what kind you should buy. I would heartily recommend you stick to extra-firm tofu. It is less sponge-y and just more solid all around. Be sure you are buying the kind that is either shrink wrapped or packed in water and is in the refrigerated section – not the kind that is sold vacuum packages on the shelf. That is silken tofu and while it has it’s place (like in miso soup), it is not what you want for the time being.

I really like the tofu that Trader Joe’s carries and I also love this brand. They have a great option that gives you two 8 oz. pieces that are sealed separately, so if you only need half a pound, you can have it without wasting the other half a pound. (My old favorite came in 12 oz portions which was really annoying.)

One big key to preparing tofu is to make sure you get as much water out of it as you reasonably can. I have seen all kinds of directions for pressing it with heavy cans on over-turned pie plates and all of that just makes me tired even thinking about it. Who has time for that? I just take about 4 paper towels, wrap the tofu block up in the towels, and press down. As I slice it, I press it with the towels again. Removing excess moisture from the tofu will allow it to absorb more of the flavor you are introducing it to, and will also help prevent a lot of splattering if you go to fry it.

One very simple preparation (and one that lends itself well to stir-fries of all kinds), is to cut your block of tofu in to 1/3 inch by 2 inch planks. Put it in a plastic bag and pour in a couple of tablespoons of soy sauce. I like Tamari best here – it has more depth of flavor than regular soy sauce and you should be able to find it on your international food aisle. Seal the bag, and let it marinate for half an hour or so. Then, heat up a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add just enough tofu to cover the bottom. Don’t even bother to add oil. The heat will carmelize the natural sugars in the Tamari and the tofu will develop a nice little crust and a firmer texture. Be sure to turn it over half way through.

The above photo is a lovely little appetizer that I brought to my clients E and J today. It’s great because it requires no cooking and yet has lots of flavor. If summer ever does decide to visit us here in the great Northwest, this will be a nice recipe to have on hand.

Spicy Lime and Herbed Tofu in Lettuce Cups
Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine
6 First-Course Servings

The original recipe calls for fish sauce in the dressing. I substituted soy sauce but if you are not opposed to a little fish sauce, by all means use that. There really is no substitute for that flavor – even I have to admit that. Lemongrass can be a little tricky to find but Whole Foods always has it. It is worth searching out – the flavor and aroma are incomparable.

Dressing
1/4 cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh lemongrass, cut from the bottom 4 inches of 4 stalks with the tough leaves removed
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 medium limes)
2 tbsp. tamari soy sauce
2 tbsp. water
2 tbsp. sweet chili sauce

Tofu
1/2 diced seeded cucumber
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup diced seeded plum tomatoes
2 tbsp. chopped seeded jalapeno chile
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. chopped mint
1 tbsp. chopped basil (preferably Thai Basil)
1 16 oz package extra firm tofu, drained, cut in to 1 inch cubes
6 large or 12 medium butter lettuce leaves

For the dressing:
Puree first 5 ingredients in blender. Let mixture stand for at least 15 minutes and up to one hour. Strain mixture into small bowl, pressing on solids to release any liquid; discard solids. Stir in sweet chili sauce. (Can be made one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

For the tofu:
Combine first 7 ingredients in large bowl. Add tofu and dressing to bowl, toss to coat. Arrange 1 or 2 lettuce leaves on each of 6 plates. Divide tofu mixture among lettuce leaves and serve. (You can advise people to roll it up and eat it with their hands or use knife and fork).

Category: Appetizer,Asian,International,Tofu,Vegan
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