293910 Tue Aug 26 12:45:05 -0700 2003 47 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1610217 I can't come to love this stuff, but maybe I can come to tolerate it with less than a grimace. Any ideas? Tue Aug 26 12:45:05 -0700 2003 0 Chris VR 1 1610225 how have you been fixing them? Tell us what you've been doing, then maybe we can tell you how to modify it. I love the stuff :) All form of soy. Tue Aug 26 13:18:30 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Wendy Lai 2 1610239 I haven't- I've got no tofu cooking experience. I've had it at friend's houses, in prepared foods and once or twice in restaurants and the best thing I can say about it is that it lets you eat lots of sauce. But I picked up some to feed to my baby because it's a good finger food with lots of things that he needs, and what does he know about good taste at this point anyway? I figure if I start him early, maybe he won't have my hangup. So far he eats it but doesn't love it. But in the meantime I have this block of tofu in the fridge, taunting me as I change its water each day like some sort of hideous pet, and I don't want it getting the best of me. Tue Aug 26 14:00:34 -0700 2003 1610225 0 Chris VR 3 1610256 It won't work as finger food, but I suggest that you get some very fresh tofu. If you're keeping it that long in the fridge, it's getting tired and whatever you find yucky in the flavor is getting stronger. Tue Aug 26 15:18:20 -0700 2003 1610239 0 Melanie Wong 4 1610261 Maybe it'll become smelly tofu and he can sell it on the street corners. Tue Aug 26 15:26:49 -0700 2003 1610256 0 Peter 5 1610274 What's wrong with smelly tofu? When I was growing up in Taiwan that was my favorite. They let the tofu age for a long time. The tofu becomes porous and then they deep fat fry it. It is great with chili sauce, soy sauce and a few beers. Unbelievably good. Tue Aug 26 15:54:27 -0700 2003 1610261 0 Phaedrus 4 1610269 Why won't it work as finger food? I cut some up today and he seemed pretty content with it. I have a friend who has been feeding her daughter this for a while, which is where I got the idea. It's extra firm, if that makes any difference. This is a fresh batch, just bought yesterday. It's some combination of the flavor (or lack thereof) and texture I have a problem with, but with some of these great suggestions, I might be able to overcome it. Tue Aug 26 15:43:41 -0700 2003 1610256 0 Chris VR 5 1610288 You may have purchased it yesterday, but when was the tofu made? Are there any stores who made their own where you can be sure of getting something that was produced a few hours ago? The firm ones have been pressed, which takes time, not a lot of time but the tase is different. Very fresh tofu curds, unpressed, are soft. Tue Aug 26 16:41:30 -0700 2003 1610269 0 Melanie Wong 3 1610343 I've been feeding my son firm tofu from about four months of age and it is one of his favorite foods. Today at 22 months, I asked him if he was hungry and he said "yum, yum tofu!" (We had family here from Spain and they were horrified...) I like eating the firm variety cubed with a little soy, lime juice, ginger, and sometimes cubed avocado. Tue Aug 26 22:28:47 -0700 2003 1610239 0 butterfly 1 1610234 Eat what you like, not what you can tolerate. Don't bother with the stuff if you don't like it. Why torture yourself? Tue Aug 26 13:47:27 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Peter 2 1610240 Thanks for the advice, but I'm determined to give it a fair shake before I write it off altogether. Let me know if you have any suggestions. Tue Aug 26 14:01:57 -0700 2003 1610234 0 Chris VR 1 1610237 please forgive me if i tell you stuff you already know! for starters, you should always first drain all of the water by putting a weighted item on top of a plate on top of your block of tofu (i like extra firm). 2 recipes i love: cut the tofu into thin squares, dregde each piece in flour, then fry up in sesame oil and serve with a peanut dipping sauce (peanut butter, soy, red pepper flakes, garlic...)and an asian cucumber salad there is a recipe in one of the moosewood books for a curried chick pea, tomato and tofu sort of stew. it basically involves sauteeing onions and garlic with curry powder, then adding chopped tomatoes, cooked chick peas, and cubed (drained) tofu, and simmering for a while. put it in the fridge and eat it the next day when the sauce has really had a chance to saturate the tofu. Tue Aug 26 13:57:01 -0700 2003 1610217 0 jerusha 2 1610264 Actually, you don't have to press the tofu to drain them. You only do that if you want extra firm tofu, and you can buy those variety. There are silken (extra soft) tofu that you would never press, they'll just become mush. You use those for soups or something stewy. Or you can eat really fresh silken tofu with just a douse of soy sauce, seseme oil, rice vingar and chopped green onions. The extra firm can be pan seared until golden and crunchy on all sides then stir-fried with other ingridents. Tue Aug 26 15:34:26 -0700 2003 1610237 0 Wendy Lai 3 1610266 Extra-firm, that's what I've got in the frisge now. So it doesn't have to be pressed? Tue Aug 26 15:40:00 -0700 2003 1610264 0 Chris VR 4 1610277 i would press it, but maybe that's just me. Tue Aug 26 16:05:32 -0700 2003 1610266 0 jerusha 4 1610290 No, you don't need to press it unless you want it to be even firmer. Be sure you rinse it well, especially if you've kept it for a few days. Again, I'd try focusing on the quality of the tofu you're buying and less on the method of preparation to improve the flavor. Tue Aug 26 16:46:00 -0700 2003 1610266 0 Melanie Wong 4 1610475 It depends on what you're using it for. I always press extra firm when I'm going to marinate it. I'd rather start with a pretty dried-out and firm piece of tofu so it will soak up the marinade better but not fall apart. I have a good recipe that calls for a marinade of soy sauce, honey, molasses, mustard powder, chopped onion, minced garlic and a little cayenne. Broil or grill, then make a salad with steamed asparagus, butter lettuce, spinach, grated carrot, chopped tomato. Dressing is made with mayo, olive oil, lemon juice, curry powder, garlic. It's the only recipe I came to love from a particular cookbook I own. :-) Wed Aug 27 22:12:33 -0700 2003 1610266 0 LisaPizza 3 1610272 That is something I want to mention. Most of the recipes I have seen call for firm or extra firm tofu. The soft stuff you can use in soups and they add a nice thickness to the soup. But be careful not to use soft tofu to toss or to grill, it will be a mess. Tue Aug 26 15:51:30 -0700 2003 1610264 0 Phaedrus 1 1610244 I know one person who lets it get ripe, then spreads it over a piece of whole wheat bread. On the other slice of bread he brushes on tamara, then spreads tahini. Put together for sandwich which looks pretty good. I haven't tried it yet but intend to. I have always cubed it and used it in scrambled eggs or soup. At a Thai restaurant I patronize, it is in just about every dish with stir fried ingredients over rice. But I have to admit that when I cook with it, I always end up cutting off a few small squares and munching happily. For a baby, (if it isn't contraindicated by some rare bug that thrives in tofu, and for an answer you better do some research) why can't you just season with something sweet and spoon it into the little tike? Tue Aug 26 14:12:37 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Beau Noppatee 2 1610255 Oh the baby will eat it just fine, but he can't polish off a whole block by himself... yet. This kid is a major chowhound. Thanks for the ideas! Tue Aug 26 15:15:27 -0700 2003 1610244 0 Chris VR 1 1610250 I drain it for a few hours and then broil it. The best way to drain is to slice a block of it crosswise, lay the two thin slices on a cutting board on a slant in the sink with another board on top and then weigh it down with a cast iron skillet or something else heavy. the more time you give to draining the better. When you broil it, it gives it the chewy texture of fried tofu without all the oil. Once it is broiled I cube it and toss it with sesame noodles (my favorite) or in a stirfry or with vegetables in a curry sauce over rice. Tue Aug 26 14:47:49 -0700 2003 1610217 0 JessicaKlonsky 1 1610251 I'm a confirmed carnivore that used to despise doufu but now love it, thanks to my wife's myriad preparations of doufu in its many forms. It's very easy to make mapo doufu. Just go to an Asian market and get a packet of mapo doufu seasoning and follow the directions on the package. It's the only "cheat" I've seen my wife use, but it's quite common to use the packaged seasoning for mapo doufu in Shanghai, where she's from. (They even use the McCormick/Schilling label, yet.) Tue Aug 26 14:50:31 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Gary Soup 1 1610252 my favorite tofu dish is mabo -- and the easiest way to make it is House brand "Chinese Mabo Tofu Sauce." check the following links: http://www.house-foods.com/our_products/imported_products.html http://www.house-foods.com/yummy_recipes.html Tue Aug 26 14:58:15 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Joe B. 2 1610253 Correction: now that i think about it, soon tofu is my favorite way to eat tofu. but it's a PITA to prepare at home (and i'm refering to the full blown presentation). but mabo tofu is *real* easy to make, and therefore my favorite at-home tofu dish... Tue Aug 26 15:05:48 -0700 2003 1610252 0 Joe B. 2 1610257 Argh, what's with the scary tofu guy who follows my cursor on that second link?! He's taunting me, I tell ya :-) Tue Aug 26 15:18:47 -0700 2003 1610252 0 Chris VR 1 1610259 Hi. I like to marinade extra firm tofu in tamari, sesame oil and brown sugar. Blanch and chill some seasonal veggies and set aside on a plate. Take the marinaded tofu and dredge in flour and then grill the tofu on both sides in a grill pan w/ some olive oil. Lay tofu over veggies and pour some of the marinade over top. Very yummy. Tue Aug 26 15:21:35 -0700 2003 1610217 0 orla 2 1610270 Do you think this could be done on a grill? I have a friend coming for dinner tonight who would rather not have any of the ribeye I'm preparing, so this might be a good alternative. Can you be any more specific on proportions of sesame oil to tamari to brown sugar? I'm sure I can jigger something but it'd be nice to have a better idea of how it's supposed to come out. Tue Aug 26 15:46:24 -0700 2003 1610259 0 Chris VR 1 1610260 My family loves this. A little bit of pork helps a lot! Ma Po Tofu (Szechuan-Style Bean Curd with Pork) 1 lb. tofu (extra-firm), rinsed and cubed (½ inch) (good handful) snow peas 2 tsp. corn starch dissolved in 1 T. water 1 tsp. Szechuan peppercorns, lightly toasted and ground chop finely or process: 3 oz. lean pork 1 inch gingerroot 2 cloves garlic 1 or 2 hot chilies, seeded white part of 4 scallions combine: 1/3 cup chicken broth 2 T. soy sauce 2 T. rice wine 1 T. rice vinegar 2 tsp. sesame oil 1 tsp. Chinese chili paste or hot sauce ½ tsp. sugar Heat a tablespoon of oil in pan, add meat mixture and stir-fry a few minutes. Add tofu and green part of scallions (sliced), cook a minute more. Add sauce, bring to boil, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add snow peas and corn starch, cook till thickened and pods cooked. Serve over rice, sprinkled with Szechuan peppercorns. Tue Aug 26 15:25:12 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Liz K 2 1610263 Since Szechuan peppercorn is no longer available in the US, he can simply buy a packet of MoPo tofu sauce and be done with that. Tue Aug 26 15:28:55 -0700 2003 1610260 0 Peter 3 1610271 I'm more of a do it from scratch kind of gal, and the recipe above sounds pretty good. Will it absolutely not work without the proper peppercorns? Tue Aug 26 15:48:34 -0700 2003 1610263 0 Chris VR 4 1610284 It will work, just that the Szechuan peppercorns add a particular distinctive flavor. Tons of this dish are eaten each day in Japan (where it is likely in the top 20 everyday dishes there) without Szechuan peppercorns. wray Tue Aug 26 16:27:50 -0700 2003 1610271 0 wrayb 4 1610302 You can buy a good chili sauce/oil from a good Asian market and use that also. I am not sure if I ever had mapo dofu the "right" way. I think most of the time it's just really spicy tofu stew with ground pork. So just use whatever kind of hot sauce you prefer. Currently, my favorit chili sauce is this brand that's got a black and white photo of an old lady. I think there was some discussion about this while ago also. It's more chili oil. It's really flavorful and spicy. Tue Aug 26 17:51:45 -0700 2003 1610271 0 Wendy Lai 4 1610338 It's not mapo dofu without the numbing sensation you get from the Sichuan peppercorns. But if Sichuan peppercorns are no longer available in the US, you might still be able to track down a Sichuan-produced chili sauce that is made with both red peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. The ingredients are just oil and the two chilis and nothing else. My jar says "Chuan Wei you jiao" (Sichuan-taste oil sauce) on the front. Use several tbsp. to substitute for the chili paste in the provided recipe. Tue Aug 26 22:01:12 -0700 2003 1610271 0 foodfirst 2 1610341 For a little more zing and depth of flavor, I recommend breaking the stir-fry into steps: (1) drop the chilis into the hot oil first, and then when they are darkening add ginger and garlic (2) after a minute or so follow with the meat, and when it's lost its pink add the chili paste on its own (3) follow with the dofu and stir it around so it absorbs alot of the chili paste flavor (press your dofu beforehand to get as much of the water out as possible) (4) follow with rest of the sauce --- add some ground peppercorns here too (5) be sparing with the cornstarch, sometimes you don't even need it (depending on the thickness of yr chili paste) Skip the snow peas (this dish should be all about the chili and the Sichuan peppercorns) --- serve them on the side instead. Top with the scallions (instead of stir-frying them) and a little more ground peppercorns. I too prefer it with the pork but you can leave it out and it's just ma-la dofu. Tue Aug 26 22:10:40 -0700 2003 1610260 0 foodfirst 1 1610267 I love to mash it and broil it with the additions of grated ginger, chopped tomato, chopped scallion, red sweet pepper, garlic, tamarind and sambal oleck. It's even good leftover, chilled. Tue Aug 26 15:40:40 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Deb Van D 1 1610275 This is my childhood favorite, but it probably isn't for everyone. One firm slab of tofu, cut into cubes. Cut up as many preserved duck eggs as you like. Chop up some scallions. Put the tofu and chopped preserved eggs and scallions together, toss with oyster sauce and sesame seed oil until tofu is well coated. Add shreded pork sung on top. Very nice when eaten with congee. Tue Aug 26 15:57:26 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Phaedrus 1 1610280 Here's my simple preparation method: whisk together approximately equal amounts vegetable oil, soy sauce, and bottled oyster sauce, and a smaller amount of hot chile oil (optional). Cut tofu into blocks of any pleasing dimensions, saute in a nonstick pan, pouring sauce over the top, until browned. very easy. Tue Aug 26 16:10:33 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Bob. B. 1 1610285 This is the only thread I've ever read on chowhound that makes me want to barf. Tue Aug 26 16:30:12 -0700 2003 1610217 0 georgeb 1 1610287 My favorite way to eat tofu is a recipe that my mom came up with becuase we had lots of mushrooms on hand. Basically, grab as many different varieties of mushrooms you can (at the very least, I usually use Shitake, Enoki and Oyster), slice them and then saute them with some garlic, green onions and oyster sauce. At the same time, steam soft tofu until it's completely heated through. To serve, drain all the excess water from the tofu and top with the sauteed mushrooms. Garnish with some red chili flakes and green onions and cilantro. Eat it with rice and it's a tasty little meal. REALLY easy to make too. This will work with hard tofu too but I like the texture of soft tofu so I use that one more often. Tue Aug 26 16:36:02 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Macy U. 1 1610296 Chris, I took a glance at the info others have posted, good suggestions all. One can put tofu recipes into 3 general categories: 1) adding strong flavors/textures to tofu (grilling, strong marinades, frying, fermenting) 2) using tofu as a medium in stews and sauces (ma po tofu, using tofu as egg substitute in curried egg recipes, korean spicy stews with pieces of tofu) 3) enjoying the taste of tofu (with only dash of soy or sesame oil or chopped tops of green onion, etc.) Also you can see there are firm, soft and silky forms as well as some who think it necessary to press or drain the tofu before preparing. While it is very important to consider which form of tofu works best for each type of dish it's also important to consider the source/freshness. I have to say that much of the tofu I see in supermarkets and health food store I find unacceptable just because of issues of freshness. The Morinaga (there may be other brands I am unfamiliar with) tofu in the soft pack cartoons (like the juice and milk packaging, I forget the exact name for that packaging) has expiration dates, maybe 18 or 24 months from the date of manufacture. I would not want to use their tofu for any dish where the flavor of the tofu would is emphasized unless the expiration date is at least 6 months to a year away. Also this packaged tofu should be rinsed very well before using and used once you've open the package (within a day). In Japan tofu packages in the grocery store are stamped with the date the tofu was made and few would consider getting tofu more than a day or two old. Even though it is a processed food, there is a taste that is mild but aromatic that noticeable deteriorates (for me) once it is more than 24 hours old. (I learned this the first time I went shopping in Japan in a supermarket. I complained to my partner that all the tofu had expiration dates of that day or the day before since I could not read the legend that explained the date was the manufacture/packaging date, not the epiration date). Then there is the matter of firmness. Silky and regular tofu are the result of the initial draining of the bean curds. In the realm of "firm" tofu there is quite a bit of variation. In many Korean markets in the NYC area you can find tofu blocks immersed in a big tub which have noticable scoring from being wrapped and pressed in cheese cloth. They can sometimes be so firm that they cannot be easily broken or torn by hand. On the other had, the Morinaga packaged firm (and even "extra firm) tofu can easily be squeezed between your fingers. These less-firm firm tofus may benefit from additional pressing/draining for some recipes. What's my point? Freshness counts! Rinse before using. Once sealed packaging tofu is opened (like the Morinaga stuff), no more than a day in the frig (for taste reasons more than spoilage/health considerations). Fresh tofu (blocks that have been scooped out of large container/tub/tank) should have only a very faint grain/nutty smell and should not be kept more than a few days (with daily rinse/fresh water). The different textures? Regular tofu is good for most stew and mapo tofu recipes. Firm or extra firm (and depending on the source, perhaps with additional pressing/draining) for grilling, frying or marinating. There are some fermented/dried/dehydrated tofu which are very different and don't necessarily fit what I've just described. The "stinky" tofu, a specialty of Taiwan is just as exotic in the tofu realm as very ripe, soft, stinky cheeses are in the dairy realm. In fact the range of forms and uses of soy milk/tofu I feel extends in every way as wide as that of dairy. There is one variety of chinese pressed tofu that reminds me of smoked gouda visually and texture wise but it does not melt when it is sliced in very thin shoe string potato like strips and stir fried with shredded pork. Yum, I just made myself hungry, hope I can make it to a place that serves that dish tonight. cheers. wray Tue Aug 26 17:22:23 -0700 2003 1610217 0 wrayb 2 1610355 Wray--great posting! Thanks! Smokey Wed Aug 27 09:28:37 -0700 2003 1610296 0 Smokey 3 1610448 I couldn't agree more Wray. Having lived in Japan and S. Korea I am usually quite disappointed by the quality and freshness of tofu available in the U.S. It's no wonder so many people here think this potentially very yummy food item is "yuck." The "fresh" tofu that they sell in health food stores is often the worst culprit, because so much of it is poorly made from substandard ingredients. So I would also add to the above suggestions that if there is a Chinatown, Koreatown, or Japantown near where you live, or any Asian-owned markets that sell primarily to Asian customers, then those are probably the places to go for good tofu. Wed Aug 27 17:41:12 -0700 2003 1610355 0 Detroit-NYC Al 1 1610335 Emboldened by all the suggestions here, and faced with a guest coming for dinner who didn't want any of the lovely ribeye steaks I was planning on grilling, I decided to give it a shot tonight. I mixed up a marinade of tamari, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger and scallion. I sliced my block of extra firm tofu in half so I had two thinner pieces. I rinsed it, then pressed one of those pieces for a little while- maybe 20 minutes, and there seemed to be a fair amount of liquid coming out. I marinated the tofu, turning it a few times, for about 45 minutes. Then we grilled it along with the ribeyes, probably for about 5 or 6 minutes. We all had a taste, and all proclaimed it "a lot better than I thought it would be". In addition to the flavoring from the marinade, it picked up the smoky flavors from the grill. My guest ate it all and seemed to enjoy it more than she had expected (also not a big tofu eater, but not doing red meat right now.) Thanks all for the encouragement and advice, and I will be trying more of your suggestions! Tue Aug 26 21:45:28 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Chris VR 1 1610339 A couple of very simple traditional Japanese ways: 1) Make miso soup - very easy. Boil water, add instant dashi powder (Hondashi is a good brand), miso paste, dried kombu seaweed and tofu in small cubes. (All items available at your neighborhood Japanese food store - get the pre-washed and cut kombu.) And don't all you purists start writing in about using instant Dashi... I'm assuming that I'm giving directions to a novice - otherwise I'd provide my niboshi and katsuo dashi recipe (not that it's hard, but it takes time). 2) Deep fat fry tofu in good size cubes (1 1/2 x 2 in). No need to flour or anything - just pat dry and drop in the peanut oil. Grate ginger and daikon, cut scallion into the thinnest possible slices. Serve several fried tofu pieces in a small bowl with the other ingredients and shoyu on the side. Just eat the cube with some of each item - very simple and delicious. You can do exactly the same without even frying the tofu - just raw. Raw is best with the soft (Kinogushi) style, although I'd get firm for frying. Tue Aug 26 22:08:47 -0700 2003 1610217 0 applehome 1 1610375 I agree that the freshness of the tofu counts. Have started a thread on the Boston board about local brands. Wed Aug 27 12:40:11 -0700 2003 1610217 0 aromatherapy 1 1610487 Does anyone have a recipe for citrus-baked tofu? I encountered this at a small health-food takeout restaurant in NYC which is no longer around. It was absolutely delicious -with a lovely orangey sauce- and I'd love to know how to make it. Thu Aug 28 00:32:09 -0700 2003 1610217 0 Cloudy 1 1610534 I find it funny that something as tasteless as tofu is one of the most hated foods. I think it's a texture thing. So I've come up with a few tricks. 1. Cut xtra firm into cubes and dredge it in cornstarch. Then saute them in oil till brown. Add homemade barbecue sauce. 2. I also make "Cheese" for vegan lasagna with tofu. Make a mixture of white miso and tahini enough to cover the blocks of tofu you're using. Cover the tofu with the mixture and refridgerate for several hours or overnight. Then take most of the miso mix off and hand mash it to ressemble riccotta cheese. Guests can't believe there is no cheese in the lasagna. Thu Aug 28 11:39:56 -0700 2003 1610217 0 scottso 1 1610581 with so many delicious foods out there you may want to reconsider making yourself eat something "yuck" Thu Aug 28 18:48:21 -0700 2003 1610217 0 neda