Tofu

[chocoshopoholic]

I have never cooked with tofu before, and to be honest the only thing I've eaten has been tofu katsu curry which I enjoyed.

Any hints/tested recipes that I can try please?

[OddSocksHighHeels]

I find it tends to need a good sauce on it.

A couple I like are:

Scrambled tofu - mash it with a fork and fry it with onion and garlic until it has a nice golden colour, add soya sauce, some spices and chopped nuts or seeds. I usually eat this on toast or in a wrap. It's nice with mayo too.

Peanut sauce - chopped and fried tofu, mix some stock, turmeric, cayenne pepper, big spoonfuls of peanut butter and soya sauce. Once it's melted pour it into the pan to cook it down on the tofu. Nice with some veg and rice.

Spread a layer of bbq sauce on a tray, add chunks of tofu on top then another layer of bbq sauce. Bake it for about 30 mins and use extra sauce for dipping. I'd eat this with salad or in a sandwich. I'm sure it would be good with rice or noodles or something too.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Mapo tofu, or black pepper tofu are favourites here

[Emochild]

Dd soaks it in soy sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame oil then coats in sesame seeds and stir fries it

[TheSpottedZebra]

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2008/oct/25/vegetarian-recipes-black-pepper-tofu

This Ottolenghi recipe is amazing!
Also, check out Jamie Oliver for tofu recipes, he has nice ones.

And General Tso's Tofu is a lovely Chinese recipe, if a bit faffy. It's normally deep fried but here is a non deep fried version www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/general-tsos-tofu/

[IHaveBrilloHair]

That's the black pepper recipe I use.

[AnnieOnAMapleLeaf]

Best recipe for tofu I have ever found.

[chocoshopoholic]

Thanks very much all, lots to try and then Annies if it all goes wrong!

[magimedi]

Tofu satay is delicious. Use regular tofu,, not the silken one.

TOFU SATAY

500g tofu
1/2 tablespoons cornflour.




For the sauce:

3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter - try to use a good one, with no added sugar.
1 tbsp chilli bean paste - I use Lee Kum Kee Chilli Bean sauce - widely available. (I got mine in Waitrose, ).
1 or 2 cloves finely grated/minced garlic
2 tsp peanut oil
2tbsp cider vinegar
2tbsp soy sauce
freshly ground pepper
2tbsp sugar syrup - dissolve 2 tsp sugar in 2 tbsp hot water.



Mix all these up - and add extra of any according to taste. You may want to add more warm water to thin it out. Taste as you go - you may want to add less chilli, specially if it's a new jar!

For the tofu - you want firm tofu - freeze it. Get it out the night before you want to use it. Open the tofu over the sink - squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands. On a chopping board squeeze out more water using kitchen towel as a blotter.

Cut the tofu into bite sized pieces. Gently mix these with 1 or 2 tbsp corn flour till all the pieces are coated.

In a frying pan, heat some oil ( not olive, peanut or sunflower best as they are tasteless)- fry the tofu until most sides are golden and crisp, put into a bowl and cover with about a third of the sauce (reserve some of the sauce for serving). Let it sit for at least 1 hour.

Then put tofu and sauce into a frying pan - cook for 5-10 mins until crispy - serve!

The sauce quantities are for 500g of tofu.

[whois]

Key to nice tofu is understanding that it is like a sponge. For best results, press for at least 30 mins to get the water out, and then cut into 1 inch cubes then marinade for as long as possible to get some flavour in.

Deep frying produces the best texture IMO (crispy on the outside, melty and delicious on the inside) but I hate deep frying so instead bake at 200deg (fan oven) for 30-40 mins as the best compromise.

Loads of nice recipes online, this one is tasty and easy.
cookieandkate.com/2014/roasted-brussels-sprouts-and-crispy-baked-tofu-with-honey-sesame-glaze/

I normally buy a few blocks of tofu and press them all at the same time for as long as possible then. Then cube them and freeze each block on a separate bag in the freezer. The freezing changed the texture and makes it better I think.

Then, when I'm thinking of making tofu for dinner in advance, the day before I do the marinade and chick the frozen tofu in the marinade in the fridge. Then the next evening all I have to do is bake the tofu and anything else. Otherwise I find the pressing and and marinating preclude tofu from being eaten midweek.

[VeryPunny]

Can you get a hold of Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian book? Some great recipes in there.

[AndMiffyWentToSleep]

I love it as Magimedi suggests, coated in cornflour, BUT I've discovered you can bake it like that to make crispy cubes and it is delicious! And much healthier than frying, needless to say.

And yes, I agree that Ottolenghi's black pepper tofu is delicious, as is mapo tofu, which is really easy: thebackyardlemontree.com/2013/06/17/fuchsia-dunlops-vegetarian-mapo-tofu/

[ppeatfruit]

Some lovely savoury recipes upthread. I don't eat dairy and the best non dairy cream I've had is made with tofu. I made a trifle with it and the french people I made it for completely demolished it!! I made both custard and cream layer with soya.

All you need is a stick blender, put the tofu (it can be silken if you like) in the bowl with a sweetener of your choice, I usually use maple syrup. add some milk, soya or almond and whisk energetically , thinning as you go with the milk if it's too thick. Then use it !!

[DeliveredByKiki]

What do you use to press it whois

[whois]

I put it on a tray with either clean tea towels or kitchen roll underneath and on top of the block. Then put on a chopping board on top of the tofu weighted down with food tins.

Have to change the towels/kitchen roll a few times I find for best results.

I had some olive tofu from waitrose last night and it was amazing! Quite salty but very tasty. Didn't need to press it, just shallow fried it in a little oil to get it a bit crisp.

[HeadDreamer]

Another vote for mapo tofu. It's not vegetarian though if that's what you are after. It's traditionally cooked with pork mince, but I use turkey mince here.

[HeadDreamer]

And there are faster way to drain the tofu than pressing. I usually use the hot water method.

justbento.com/handbook/bento-basics/quick-tip-using-tofu-bento-friendly-recipes

[whois]

How does that work then HeadDreamer, are you just making it softer so easier to squeeze out the water or something? Interested to try that as I find pressing tofu a pain.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I do it overnight