What is tofu, and how do cook with it?

I wanted to go vegetarian, and i'm looking for meat alternatives. I have been hearing about tofu.What is tofu, and how do cook with it?
Tofu is made from soya beans and water.

It is high in protein and calcium and well known for its ability to absorb new flavors through spices and marinades.



It's very versitile, so there are many different recipies you can make using it.

This site has some, to get you started:

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/tofu-recipes.phpWhat is tofu, and how do cook with it?
is a soft white food made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks.There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu that has been processed in some way. Tofu has very little flavor or smell on its own, so it can be used either in savory or sweet dishes, and is often seasoned or marinated to suit the dish.



Types of tofu

Firm tofu - Firm tofu is dense and can be cubed and stir-fried, grilled, scrambled, pickled, smoked, baked, barbecued or served in soups. Firm tofu is higher in protein, fats and calcium than other types of tofu.



Soft tofu - Soft tofu is more suited for recipes in which tofu needs to be blended.



Silken tofu - Silken tofu has a creamy structure and is also used in blended dishes. In Japan, silken tofu is consumed as such with some soy sauce.

Benefits of tofu

Rich in Nutrients - Tofu is rich in both high quality protein and B-vitamins. Tofu is, therefore, an excellent substitute for meat in many vegetarian recipes. As opposed to soya milk, tofu contains a lot of calcium. This calcium originates from the coagulant (nigari). When making tofu, the soy proteins are precipitated with calcium, providing tofu with a ready source of calcium. Calcium in tofu contributes to the prevention of osteoporosis.



Easy to digest - An additional benefit of tofu is that it is extremely easy to digest. This is because the soybean’s fiber is removed during the manufacturing process.



Reduce cholesterol - As most other soyfoods, tofu reduces heart disease by lowering the level of the ';bad'; LDL cholesterol, and as the result maintaining the level of ';good'; HDL cholesterol.



Rich in isoflavones - Tofu is rich in isoflavones. When making tofu, the soy isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, remain bound to the soy protein. Firm tofu contains about 35 mg isoflavones per 100g. Isoflavones will reduce the risk of osteoporosis, a disease associated with reduced bone density and increased bone fractures. Isoflavones will also lower rates of breast cancer and prostate cancer, and reduce menopausal symptoms including mood swings and hot flushes.





I made this yummy dish the other day and tonight we will have the

leftovers. I used tofu with reduced fat and served it over rice. The

nutritional info comes from the magazine and I assume that it uses regular

tofu.



* Exported from MasterCook *



Barbecued Tofu And Vegetables



Recipe By : Vegetarian Times Magazine, December 1999, page 22

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : 30 Minutes Main Dishes, Vegetarian

Soyfoods Vegetables

Today's Menu



Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1 pound firm or extra-firm tofu

2 medium green or red bell peppers

OR 1 of each cut into wide strips

2 medium carrots

thinly sliced on diagonal

1 medium zucchini -- thinly sliced

1 medium onion

halved and thinly sliced w/rings separated

3/4 cup barbecue sauce -- up to 1



4 SERVINGS DAIRY-FREE



A good-quality prepared barbecue sauce makes this dish both easy and

delicious. Even the tofu-phobic will clamor for seconds.



MEAL PLAN: While entree is baking, combine 2 pounds red potatoes,

quartered, and 2 tablespoons water in microwave-proof dish. Cover;

microwave on HIGH 8 to 10 minutes; drain. Round out this meal with a salad.



Preheat oven to 425F. Lightly oil large baking dish and line with foil.



Drain tofu and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Blot thoroughly between

clean kitchen towels or several layers of paper towels. Cut slices into

strips or dice.



In large bowl, combine tofu with remaining ingredients; stir gently until

blended. Transfer mixture to prepared pan.



Bake 10 minutes; stir gently, then continue to bake until mixture is heated

through, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.



PER SERVING: 153 CALORIES; 8G PROTEIN; 5G TOTAL FAT; (0G SAT. FAT) 20G

CARBOHYDRATE; 0MG CHOLESTEROL; 439MG SODIUM; 4G FIBER
Tofu is a soybean based meat alternative. you can cook it any way you would cook meat (except the grill). I like using extra firm or firm and cooking it with bubbling terryakki sauce and veggies in a non-stick skillet pan
hello, it's great that you want to go vegetarian.



here are recipes using tofu, including home-made meat alternatives..

http://www.nutritionmd.org/recipes/advan…



go here for a searchable recipe database

http://www.nutritionmd.org/recipes/index…



processed meat alternatives (US) include

';Boca’s veggie burgers, faux chicken patties, and “beef” crumbles; Morningstar Farms’ faux chicken and steak strips; Gardenburger’s breakfast “sausage” and “riblets”; Lightlife’s “smart dogs” and “bacon”; and Yves’ and Turtle Island Foods’ faux ham and turkey deli slices';

(from http://www.petaliterature.com/VEG297.pdf…



processed meat alternatives (UK) include

Burgers

? Goodlife ? Vegetarian’s Choice ? FRY’s ? Wicken Fen ? Dragonfly ? Direct Foods (burgamix –

for making your own) ? supermarket own

Sausages

? FRY’s ? Realeat ? Linda McCartney ? Cauldron ? Wicken Fen ? Biona ? Veggie Master ? Redwood Foods ? Taifun ? Direct Foods (Sosmix – for making your own)

Nuggets

? FRY’s ? Veggie Master

Mince

? Realeat ? FRY’s ? Redwood Foods

Other

? Linda McCartney deep country pies; sausage rolls ? FRY’s schnitzels; cutlets ? Veggie Master chicken-free chunks; fish-free steaks; poultry-free breast ? Redwood Foods fake meat slices (Cheatin’ ham/chicken/sausage/pepperoni/turkey/bee… fake fish (fishless fingers, salmon-style paté,

veggie tuna, scampi-style pieces); schnitzels

(from http://www.animalaid.org.uk/images/pdf/b…



here's a recipe for veggie meat you can make at home

http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/06/veg…



hope that helps.
Tofu is soybean curd. It is a very versatile food, and as you see, comes in many varieties.



I have tips in my profile on how to cook with tofu, and you can check www.vegweb.com for recipes.