Miriam Jacobs - Sensational Soy: Recipes for a Healthy Diet

Miriam Jacobs

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Edited by Dale Gelfand
Cover illustration by Mary Rich
Cover design by Carol J. Jessop (Black Trout Design)
Text illustrations by Mary Rich, except page 24 by Laura Tedeschi
Text production by Nancy W. Ringer

Copyright 2000 by Storey Communications, Inc.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Jacobs, Miriam.

Sensational soy: recipes for a healthy diet / Miriam Jacobs.
p. cm. (A Storey country wisdom bulletin; A-249)

ISBN 1-58017-321-7 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. SoyfoodsTherapeutic use. 2. Cookery (Soybeans).

I. Title. II. Series.

RM666.S59 J33 2000

613.26dc21

00-063759

Soy has finally come into its own. Tofu, the most common soy product, has been available commercially since the 1960s, but most of us viewed it with suspicion what were we supposed to do with that gelatinous white mass to make it palatable? In the 21st century, however, the news media espouse soys health benefits, and every corner marketplace features a vast array of soy products. Doctors, nutritionists, and health gurus alike advocate its use, and renowned chefs the world over are serving up delicately seasoned and mouthwateringly delicious soy dishes. Soy has come a long way from its tofu roots, indeed.

You may be aware of soys incredible ability to safeguard human health, and you probably know that it is low in fat and packed with nutrition. But if youre like most people, you dont know much about cooking with soy beyond tossing cubed tofu into a broccoli stir-fry. Now is your chance to find out! In the following pages youll find a collection of recipes that call for soy in all its myriad forms and flavors. Once youve taste-tested your way through these delicious dishes, youll begin to understand soys amazing versatility. I hope youll put your knowledge to good work by creating even more recipes to feed your family and friends and keep them in the best of health!

Tofu is curdled soybean milk. Sounds horrible, doesnt it? But if you think of soybeans as milk, then tofu is cheese. Cows milk or goats milk is, of course, separated into curds and whey during cheese production, and soy milk is so separated to produce tofu.

Tofu comes in two different textures: regular and silken. Regular tofu is usually called simply tofu. It has a fibrous, spongelike texture. Silken tofu has a creamier, custardlike texture. Silken and regular tofu are packaged in three different forms:

Soft

Firm

Extra firm

These forms translate into dense, denser, and densest. The denser the tofu, the greater its caloric content. But not to worry. A 2-ounce serving has only 120 calories, or about the same as an equivalent piece of turkey, while packing a much greater nutritional wallop: 13 grams of protein, 8 milligrams of iron, and 120 milligrams of calcium.

Tofu has a very mild flavor in fact, many people consider it to be flavorless. Why eat something that has no flavor? First, for its nutritional value. Tofu is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all eight amino acids essential to human health. It is loaded with nutrients and offers a healthful alternative to meat. Second, it adds texture and substance while soaking up the flavors of the foods its cooked with. Need to beef up your vegetarian chili? Toss in some chopped firm tofu. Wish your vegetable spread was a little creamier? Mix it up with some silken tofu. Want more hamburgers per pound of ground beef? Add in some mashed tofu.

As the popularity of tofu increases, so does the availability and variety of tofu products. And theyre not always the plain, bland tofu-in-a-box that were accustomed to. You can now find flavorful tofus smoked, grilled, marinated, or seasoned in natural foods stores and most grocery stores.