Mary Anna DuSablon - Cooking with tofu

by Mary Anna DuSablon

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Copyright 1981 by Storey Communications, Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

DuSablon, Mary Anna

Cooking with tofu / by Mary Anna DuSablon

A Storey Publishing Bulletin, A-74 ISBN 0-88266-288-0

ISBN 0-88266-288-0

What is tofu? It is a delicious, mild-flavored cheese made from soybeans. It was invented in Asia about nine or ten thousand years ago, and the reasons for its lasting popularity will become evident as soon as you try it.

A culinary chameleon, tofu takes on the flavors and seasonings of anything with which it is cooked. You can use tofu as a main ingredient, or keep a cake of tofu on hand to add as a thickener, as a protein extender, or as an ingredient in soups, stews, vegetable or egg dishes, and desserts. I like to nibble on it fresh sometimes with a little soy sauce sprinkled over it.

Tofu looks like ricotta cheese pressed into a dense, congealed square. It has a somewhat chewier consistency than ricotta.

Why eat tofu? Tofu is a low-calorie, low-sodium, cholesterol-free, protein-rich, inexpensive food. It is easily digested. Those who are allergic to lactose in milk can substitute tofu in recipes calling for cream, cream cheese, ricotta, or cottage cheese. It is sometimes used as an egg substitute, as you will see in our mayonnaise recipe. So whether you are concerned about your health, your pocketbook, or both, you will find tofu to be one of the best protein foods you can buy.

Made from soybean milk, tofu is high in usable protein and contains all of the 8 essential amino acids. By eating grains, seeds, nuts, dairy, or meat with your tofu meal, you can boost the amount of this available protein by as much as 40 percent.

Tofu has the lowest fat count of any source of protein, and very little of that is saturated fat. This is particularly important since tofu can be substituted for part or all of the cream, sour cream, or cheese in your cooking, after a little experimentation.

Tofu contains many important vitamins and minerals, the most abundant being calcium. It is also a good source of iron, phosphorus, potassium, the essential B vitamins, choline, and vitamin E.

If you have not enjoyed the taste of tofu yet, you are in for a treat. Start by buying a cake of tofu at the supermarket and trying it in simple recipes.

You can find tofu in most supermarkets in the dairy case or among the oriental vegetables in the produce department. It may be labeled tofu, bean curd, bean cake, or soybean curd; but it is all the same product. It often comes in a plastic container with a see-through plastic top. Inside the 12-ounce or 1-pound package will be a square of tofu covered with water.

If your supermarket does not carry tofu, look for it at a health food store or an oriental food market. A word of advice: tofu does come in cans. I bought some, and it looked unappetizing, felt like rubber, and tasted terrible. If you are trying tofu for the first time, be sure you buy fresh tofu.

COMPOSITION OF FOODS

Nutritive Value of Foods, Home and Garden Bulletin #72, USDA: Washington D.C. (1970).

Nutritive Value of American Foods: In Common Units, prepared by Catherine F. Adams, USDA: Washington D.C. (1975).

The No-Nonsense Guide to Food and Nutrition, Marion McGill and Orrea Pye, Butterick Publishing Company: New York (1978).

Keep tofu in the refrigerator. It will last in the refrigerator for about a week, but it will stay fresh longer if you change the water every other day. Once you have opened the tofu package to change the water, transfer the tofu to a container with a lid. I usually store my tofu in a square, plastic, freezer container with a snap-on lid. You can also store tofu in the freezer for up to 3 months.

If you are in doubt about cooking with tofu how the texture is to work with, what it tastes like here is a delicious and foolproof recipe to start with.

2 tablespoons butter

6 ounces tofu

cup chopped green onion or cooking onion

cup chopped green pepper or mushrooms

2 to 3 eggs

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese (optional)

Melt the butter in a skillet; then add the tofu, crumbling it up with your hands. Saut the tofu for 3 minutes, stirring and breaking up the clumps until the tofu is slightly dry. Add the vegetables and continue sauting another 3 to 4 minutes. Beat the eggs slightly and add them to the mixture. Scramble them until firm, then season to taste. Serve Eastern-Western Eggs with grated cheese on top.

YIELD: 2 SERVINGS

TIME: APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES

The water content in all tofu differs occasionally, whether store-bought or homemade. You may have to adjust the liquids in your recipes accordingly. Remember, it is easier to add more liquids to a recipe than more dry ingredients.

To make a firmer or drier tofu, place the tofu on your drain-board, wrapping it with cheesecloth or paper towels. Place a saucer or small dish on top of the tofu and a 1-pound can on top of the dish to press the water out of the tofu. Drain for at least 15 minutes. Parboiling the tofu will also result in a drier product.

If you wrap tofu in a clean towel and twist and wring the water out, you will have a crumbly, dry tofu good in stir-fry dishes.

To use tofu as a thickener for sauces and gravies, make your sauce or gravy thinner than usual. Then whip the tofu in, using a wire whisk. The texture will not be smooth, but it is an interesting consistency, and your sauce will be richer in protein.