Problem encountered while cooking with tofu?

i decided to finnaly give tofu a try...



i but some marinated if with Bulzamic(or what ever the word is)Viniger and put it back in the fridge for two+ hours.

(i was using extra firm btw)



so then i take out a pan- put it on the stove and throw some sliced carrots and pepper on it to fry for 3 min, then grab my merinated tofu and throw it on the pan, and i fry it for a good 15 minutes- so at this point its looking really good, nice and flavored..



as soon as i chew the first cube of tofu- it had almost no taste (maybe even a bit sour) like the outside was all flavored but the inside remained the same... i didn;t really like the taste of it



so... what did i do wrong,



is it supposed to taste like this??



how do i get it to taste goooooooood??Problem encountered while cooking with tofu?
Have you tasted straight balsamic vinegar? It's really rather tart!!



You should slice, drain and press your tofu before your marinate it. Marinate it overnight if you can. Soy sauce based marinades tend to soak up very well.



Heat oil in a frying pan and brown the tofu on both sides, then remove it and cook your veggies, then put the tofu back into the pan, and add the extra marinade and stir fry for a minute or two to let the flavors combine. If it seems too liquidy, dissolve a tbsp of cornstarch in a tbsp of cold water, then add it and stir it around to thicken the sauce.



You could also try slicing, draining, and pressing your tofu, then freezing it for 24 hrs, then letting it thaw, press it again and it will soak up marinade like a sponge! It also gets much more chewy that way.Problem encountered while cooking with tofu?
Balsamic vinegar or an Italian salad dressing would be a great choice to marinate tofu for a salad. The smaller you cut the pieces and the longer you marinate them the more flavor you get. I prefer a soy and garlic or teriyaki marinade for stir fry. I also roll mine in cornstarch before frying tofu in oil after marinating it. It takes more than a few minutes as you brown each side but you get a crunchy flavorful exterior and a creamy interior which is a nice contrast. Then add the tofu to your stir fried veggie mixture over rice or by itself.
I have had this problem before also.

But it depends on the firmness of tofu, and on your tofu brand! That could make all the difference. Try Firm, and marinating it- and maybe a different brand. Some taste yuckier than others.

I'm not a big fan of Nasyoa-

I would go to a thai rest. and see if they have anything tofu on the menu

order it.. so you don't loose hope

You can get it to taste wonderful. Keep trying
Did you add salt?
Marinating tofu is a myth. I don't know why it's still in all the books. It simply does not work because tofu cannot soak up any of the marinade. You just can flavor the surface but the inner will remain neutral just like you experienced. Tofu tastes like tofu, which is neutral.



If you want it to get some other taste, there are only two ways:



1. Make thin slices (5 mm ) soak them in a spoonful of soy sauce. 1 minute is enough, the soy sauce should simply be on all surfaces. Do not use sweet soy sauce. Fry the slices immediately in a pan or boiling oil until they get roasted from both sides. The taste will be a bit like fried egg (roasted protein). However, the slightly sour taste will always remain.



2. Mince the tofu together with a bit of salt and oil plus seasonings according to your taste. Some fresh herbs will also do fine. The mixture can be used as it is or fried in form of tiny balls which should be coated beforehand.



Hope this helps.
i read somewhere that it's best to squeeze out as much of the liquid you bought the tofu in out of it, it should then soak up the marinade better. not sure about marinating in balsamic vinegar only, though...it is just a nice tasting vinegar. try combining with other spices, or use soy sauce. you can taste your marinade before putting it on the tofu...if it's not nice by itself, the tofu is not gonna make it any better :)
Did you press your tofu? Pressing your tofu gets as much water out so your tofu can soak up more of the marinade. I also freeze mine to change the texture.
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