Tofu?

[NotQuiteCockney]

As part of my move towards accidental veganism, a friend pointed out that we should try tofu. Probably we should. I've always found it not very tasty. Is it actually good for you? Is it high in protein? (What is it?)

And most importantly, how can you cook it to not be gross?

Anyone?

sorry hun, I honestly have no idea on any of that sorry

Where are the bloody vegans when you need them?

I dont know the content ,it is probably locust bean or something!you can buy it from health food shops.

Oi, vegans, stop knitting lentils and come help!

Maybe they're lounging about, they need some meat to give them enough energy to be helpful?

(I think it's some sort of fermented bean stuff. I could look up what it is, online. But recipes that I trust are harder to find!)

this maybe helpful

it's soya bean curd - like you get in chinese restaurants if that's any help.
It is nutritious but very bland so you have to cook it with spicey sauces or whatever to make it taste of anything.
We don't use it much TBH but for a BBQ I sometimes put it on a kebab with veggies and marinate it for a while.

this may also be good

Tofu is bland tbh but can be really nice if cooked properly. I can give you a recipe for Tofu Laksa if you want - Spidermama makes tofu icing!!

Tofu kebabs are nice too but I think the best way to eat is as they do in the Far East. You need a new cookery book!

Cauldron marinated (cooked) tofu is a nice gentle intro into all that is tofu. Just ate a large pile of it and it's delicious. You can then get inspiration for the more bland stuff that you buy in boxes.

You can actually make it youself if you're keen (a bit like yoghurt only different). But don't ask me, I haven't done it.

please promise me that none of you will ever pronounce it 'toff-oo"

I shall be round at your house with a big stick if you do

It really should be "dow (as in cow) foo"

OK?

Can I sat toe-foo - is that OK? Don't need to say it actually, think it's bleurghity bleurgh.

That was say, not sat.

yes moo you can say that
and yes moo it is utterly vile in all its incarnations IME, apart from the hard marinated stuff at a push and if you were absolutely starving and marooned on a desert island

When I lived in asia, street vendors deep fried it, twas called "Chow Do-Fu". The tag line was "smells like shit, tastes like heaven" Actually, I thought it tasted like shit too

However, I have had a lovely salad, japanese style with cubed tofu, tossed in sesame oil and soy sauce, with raw mushrooms, pine nuts and spinach. Mmmm. And I'm not a big fan meself!

It's soya bean curd. I find the best way to use it is to marinate (in curry paste or in honey/ginger/soya sauce/five spice combo) and then fry til the outside is crispy.
I also like it fried plain and so do the kids believe it or not.

There was a thread about making icing with it using it instead of cream cheese. I've yet to try that.

We like the marinaded one fried until crispy and then added to stir fry or noodle soup. Both girls slurp it all up! Don't like the plain stuff at all though.

NQC, it is fab. Get the Cauldron plain sort, cut it into cubes and then marinate it in a mixture of loads of soy sauce, with a bit of sesame oil, some mustard, paprika, chilli powder, garlic if you like it, and (these are the special secret ingredients that make it just mmmmm) brown sugar and lemon juice.

Leave for a few hours, then grill, turning till all sides are brown. Let it get quite well done and crusty on some of the sides (or take individual cubes out at different stages so you can see how you like it best). It changes from meltingly soft to chewily interesting, and many shades in between. I like it best with the outside almost crispy, and the inside still soft.

It is both good for you and high in protein, and calcium, if it has been made with calcium to coagulate it (most are)

Although my alternative guru friend says that the sorts we get in the west are rather processed and nasty and contain a lot of toxins I would make sure you get the organic one at least as soya is often a GM crop.

You dont have to actually eat lumps of tofu to get the benefit - try Swedish Glace ice cream, soya yoghurt, Tofutti Soya cream cheese (from health food shops, where you can also get really tasty herby tofu sosages to go on a BBQ)

Another good recipe is to put a block of tofu, olive oil, lemon juice, soy sauce and a squeezed lemon in a blender. Whizz up and you have tasty vegan "mayonaise" (sp??)!

Message withdrawn

Those tofu products are verrrrry processed, though (that Swedish Glace ice cream is pretty nice though)

BTW NQC I keep wanting to say I hope I have not offended you at all. I have noticed we haven't been on the same threads at all lately and I am starting to conclude you may be avoiding me I miss your odd knitting sex doctor style banter

I'm not avoiding you! I was waiting for you to turn up here!

(I'm not on MN that reliably atm. Building work stress, long shift at the co-op on Thursday, and some sort of bizarre exercise compulsive behaviour.)

Yes, I'm not really comfortable with the fake ice cream etc. (I like real ice cream! Also, do monks buy a lot of blow-up dolls?) I just wanted a different option for vegan meals.

I think I put some cauldron plain tofu in my Ocado order, so will try that. No Chinese supermarkets near here, I think. (Vietnamese, maybe?) I should try to find one, though, as it's probably my only hope of finding seitan, isn't it?

I keep reading that thread title and answering it thus:
Tofu? No thanks!

I'm generally resistant to the stuff, but felt, that now I can cook, I should give it a chance. Both my veggie exes didn't go in for tofu (I think one said it was good deep-fried, but somehow that doesn't tempt.), so I never go the habit of eating it.