Tofu

Preparation

Tofu has very little flavor or smell on its own. As such, tofu can be prepared either in savoury or sweet dishes, acting as a canvas for presenting the flavours of the other ingredients used.

Western methods

Generally, the firmer styles of tofu are used for kebabs, mock meats, and dishes requiring a consistency that holds together, while the softer styles can be used for desserts, soups, shakes, and sauces.

Firm western tofus can be barbecued since they will hold together on a barbecue grill. These types of tofu are usually marinated overnight as the marinade does not easily penetrate the entire block of tofu. Grated firm western tofu is sometimes used in conjunction with TVP as a meat substitute. Softer tofus are sometimes used as a dairy free or low calorie filler. Silken tofu may be used to replace cheese in certain dishes (such as lasagna).

The versatility of tofu and soy protein can be industrially processed to match the textures and flavoured to the likes of cheese, pudding, eggs, bacon, etc. Tofu's texture can also be altered by freezing, pureeing, and cooking. In the Americas, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, tofu is frequently associated with vegetarianism and veganism as it is a source of high-quality, non-animal protein.

Eastern methods

In Asian cooking, tofu is eaten in a myriad of ways, including raw, stewed, stir-fried, in soup, cooked in sauce, or stuffed with fillings.

Lightly flavoured

The light greenish "bean" smell of tofu is much enjoyed in East Asian cuisines and fresh tofu is often eaten plain or simply flavoured.

In Japan, a common lunch in the summer months is hiyayakko, silken or firm Asian tofu served with freshly grated ginger, scallions, and soy sauce. In many parts of China, fresh tofu is similarly eaten with soy sauce or further flavoured with katsuobushi shavings, century eggs, and sesame seed oil.

Dòuhuā, is a soft tofu dish. The fresh tofu is served warm and here dressed with sweet syrup. Lamma Island, Hong Kong.Dòuhuā is served with toppings like boiled peanuts, azuki beans, cooked oatmeal, tapioca, mung beans and a syrup flavored with ginger or almond. During the summer, dòuhuā is served with crushed ice; in the winter, it is served warm.

In Korean cuisine, dubu jorim consists of cubes of firm tofu that are pan fried and seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, and other ingredients. Cubes of cold, uncooked tofu seasoned with soy sauce, scallions, and ginger, prepared in a manner similar to the Japanese hiyayakkoare also enjoyed.

Fried

A common cooking technique in many parts of East and Southeast Asia involves deep frying tofu in vegetable oil, sunflower oil and canola oil to varied results. Although, tofu is often sold preprocessed into fried items, pre-fried tofu is seldom eaten directly and requires additional cooking. Depending on the type of tofu used, the texture of deep fried tofu may range from crispy on the outside and custardy on the inside, to puffed up like a plain doughnut. The former is usually eaten plain in Chinese cuisine with garlic soy sauce, while the latter is either stuffed with fish paste or cooked in soups. In Japan, cubes of lightly coated and fried tofu topped with a kombu dashi-based sauce are called agedashi-dofu. Soft tofu that has been thinly sliced and deep fried, known as aburage in Japan, is commonly blanched, seasoned with soy sauce and mirin and served in dishes such as kitsune udon. Aburage is sometimes also cut open to form a pocket and stuffed with sushi rice; this dish is called inarizushi.

Soups, stews, and braised dishes

A rather famous hot Sichuan preparation using firm Asian tofu is mápó dòufu. This involves braised tofu in a pork, chili, and a fermented bean paste sauce. In the Shanghai region it is called málà dòuf.

Dried tofu is usually not eaten raw but first stewed in a mixture of soy sauce and spices. Some types of dried tofu are preseasoned with special blends of spices, so that the tofu may either be called "five spice tofu" or "soy sauce stewed tofu". Dried tofu is typically served thinly sliced with chopped green onions or with slices of meat for added flavor. Most dried tofu is sold after it has been fried or pre-stewed by tofu vendors.

Soft tofu can also be broken up or mashed and mixed with raw ingredients prior to being cooked. For example, Japanese ganmodoki is a mixture of chopped vegetables and mashed tofu. The mixture is bound together with starch and deep fried. Chinese families sometimes make a steamed meatloaf or meatball dish from equal parts of coarsely mashed tofu and ground pork. In India, tofu is also used as a low fat replacement for paneer providing the same texture with similar taste.

Tofu bamboos are often used in lamb stew or in a dessert soup. Tofu skins are often used as wrappers in dim sum. Freeze-dried tofu and frozen tofu is rehydrated enjoyed in savoury soups. These products are often taken along on camping trips since a small bag of these dried tofu can provide protein for many days.

In Korean cuisine, soft tofu (sundubu in Korean) is used to make a thick soup called sundubu jjigae

As flavouring

Pickled tofu is commonly used in small amounts together with its soaking liquid to flavour stir-fried or braised vegetable dishes (particularly leafy green vegetables like water spinach). It is often eaten directly as a condiment with rice or congee.

Information courtesy of Wikipedia