A Mid-Month Morsel for January...
Let’s chat about why you don’t eat tofu. You might hear you should eat more plant food or read that tofu is high in protein. Maybe you even fried a slab and the first bites turned you off. But cooked right, tofu makes a toothsome topping for stir-frys, rice bowls, ramen and more. (For a special way to serve these, check out our versatile ramen bowls.)
Here are some trouble-shooting tips to encourage you to give tofu another try!
1. You tried tofu and it didn’t taste good.
That wobbly pale block is both not pretty and pretty bland. So is flour. But you wouldn’t eliminate flour based on the unpalatable taste of a spoonful. Like flour, the blandness of tofu is its main benefit. Tofu makes a culinary blank canvas that takes on the flavour you add. If all you add is oil for frying, it’ll taste as unappealing as fried flour.
Solution: Add simple flavourings when cooking, even if it's just soy sauce.
2. You’re using the wrong type.
Tofu comes in different types: silken, soft, medium, firm, extra-firm and even super-firm. For most entrees, choose a tofu that holds together but retains a pleasant texture. Too soft and the tofu falls apart. Too hard and the texture is rubbery.
Solution: To fry on its own, medium tofu and firm tofu nestle into the Goldilocks zone and are just right.
3. You’re substituting tofu for something else.
I was a kid in the late seventies when “health nuts” touted carob as a more nutritious alternative to chocolate. I don’t know if the idea came from a marketing campaign, but the comparison backfired. People loathed carob. Carob makes a terrible chocolate. Chocolate tastes addictively rich, deep and smooth. Carob has a nutty, honey-inflected subtle flavour—which makes it a perfect carob. Similarly, a tofu slab as a stand-in for a meat or cheese slice may not satisfy. But tofu makes a great tofu.
Solution: Treat tofu as its own thing.
4. You don’t know how to cook it.
It may be that if you can’t treat tofu as a substitute, you don’t know how to serve it. Here’s a mental shift that may help. Traditional western menus cast meat as the starring ingredient or main entree. Consider other cuisines—Chinese, Thai, Indian—in which a medley of dishes make up the meal.
Solution: Whether in a recipe or a menu, think of tofu as a member of an ensemble cast.
It’s time to cast tofu in its proper role. Here are three options to try tofu as a topping for ramen bowls (see them here), rice bowls, grain salads, and even a nice slice of toast.
How to Cook Tofu 3 Ways
Regardless of your cooking method, the first step to prepare tofu is to squeeze out its moisture. Here's how:
- More moisture is removed if you cut the block first. Turn a tofu block on its side and cut into eight rectangles. If you’re feeling fancy, cut the rectangles crosswise to make triangles. For bite-sized cubes, cut the rectangles smaller after pressing the tofu for handling ease.
- Place the slices between layers of paper towel or a clean tea towel. Place something heavy on top. I put a cutting board on top of the towel and add a couple of big cookbooks.
- Let rest for at least 10 minutes and up to a half-hour. The firmer the tofu, the less pressing it needs.
- After it’s pressed, try one of these cooking methods.
Easy
This Teriyaki Tofu recipe from “Food & Wine” got a five-star rating from 3.3K readers. If you don’t want to make a teriyaki sauce from scratch, substitute a bottled brand.
Easier
Add slices or cubes to a mixing bowl and gently toss with tamari or soy sauce—about a tablespoon per block of tofu. If you have time, it’s best to let that marinade for a half-hour. Next, add a tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat. Add a tablespoon of cornstarch and toss again until the pieces are evenly coated.
Heat a neutral cooking oil to coat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add tofu. Brown on one side for about four minutes. Resist the urge to move it around. Flip and brown on other side until dark golden and crisp.
Some find that frying tofu leads it to absorb too much oil. For more crispness, instead of frying, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake the coated tofu for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the tofu halfway.
Easiest
Skip the marinading time. Instead, use a pastry brush to generously coat both sides of each slice with soy sauce. If you don’t have a pastry brush, use the back of a spoon to move the sauce around.
Heat a neutral cooking oil in a pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the slices and fry until golden-brown. When you turn the slices, drizzle on another spoonful of soy sauce—don’t be shy—and sprinkle a dash of garlic powder. I like to use the same pan to sauté spinach for a quick comfort-food lunch. Enjoy!
If you want more than tofu on your ramen or rice, check out 14 Simple Ways to Elevate Instant Ramen.
Tofu cubes photo by Polina Tankilevitch.