Vegetarians/vegans can you please tell me some things about tofu?

I would like to cut done on the amount of meat I eat and try tofu as a substitute. However, I've never had tofu and I don't know much about it. I do know it's like a sponge and will take the flavor of whatever you decide to flavor it with. Can you grill it on a George Foreman grill? Is there anything in particular you have to do to prepare before you cook it? What are some things to use to add flavor to it? How much does it cost?



ThanksVegetarians/vegans can you please tell me some things about tofu?
Tofu is the packed, fermented solids of soymilk - and can be used like meat.

You can get it fresh which is a million miles nicer than the horrible refridgerated stuff you can buy in white tubs in the supermarket.

If I were you, find an Asian ( Thai or Chinese ) supermarket near you and buy your tofu there.



A lot can be done iwth it. If you buy a packet of it, you can cut it into slabs and roast, fry, bake, steam, grill, or eat plain - it is edible without cooking, aas it's already been prepared.

You can buy firm, soft, meduim texture.

I like firm but that's just my preference.



When tofu is first made, it is pressed into a sort of block, a bit like cheese is made, and you buy the cut off slabs of the soy';cake';.



If you can get it properly fresh, you will never taste or smell anything so good. It is made from freshly pressed soybeans, and the smell of hot fresh tofu is like steamy, peanuttty bread, all tasny, and rich, and hot.

It pulls apart like a bready, hot loaf too, and the taste...omg.

It is SO good, when hot and fresh. It literally is like a nutty tasting bread.

Most Asian supermarkets will have local suppliers, and these places don't mind people going to the actual factory to buy the tofu as it comes out of the vat.



Once you have your tofu you can crumble it, mash it, use it like meat, or potatoes.

You can add cumbled tofu and some turmeric and curry powder to a pan, with oil, and chives, to make a scrambled tofu =- like scrambled eggs.

You can marniate the slabs in soysauce, chili flakes and garlic and ginger, then coat them in panko, or a little flour and fry til they are crispy- like fish sticks.



You can deep fry tofu- in chunks, and skewer on sticks to eat with a peanut dipping sauce. You can get a thick steak of it, and stuff it with nuts, bean sprouts, green peas and drip some sesame oil and sauce over it, then bake it in an oven tray.



Really, you can use it like you would a potato, or a slice of meat. The only thing is you don't have to cook it, as you do with meat, to get rid of worms.

You can use a goeorge forman grill.



Brush a tofu steak about one inch thick, with some paste made from soysauce, peanut butter and minced garlic, chili flakes and lime juice and brown sugar. Dredge the steaks through some seasoned flour ( salt, pepper and chili)

Brush each side of the steak. Add oil to the grill

Then get the grill hot, and add the steak. Cook slowly to get all sides crispy and blackened.

After five minutes each side, serve the steak with some buttered noodles and green peas.





Add oil, 2 TB curry powder, minced garlic and diced onion to a saute pan and cook til the onion is clear and the curry spsices are fragrant.

Then add chunks of firm tofu and stir with wooden spoon. Add 1 cup frozen green peas, and some cauliflour chunks.

Add a cup of water or broth and simmer for five minutes on medium heat til the water simmers away.

Serve with plain rice.



It costs about $1.50 for a tub of that stuff in the supermarket, it's cheap.



My favourite, and they sell it at Asian markets, is called ';baked tofu';. it's not really baked, it is made when they cook the soybeans they use soysauce, and some sesame oil and spices in the boilign water ( they use all kinds of spices, that is just the one I LOVE), and they also press the tofu between heavy weights, so that the final product is a thinner much cheiwer and denser version of the plain white tofu, in white tubs.

The baked tofu is firm but chewy- it has a chicken consistency and it is SOOOO good. I am totally addicted to it.

Inside, the colour is the same- white, but the outside surface of the tofu is stained with the soysauce and herbs, so it's dark brown. I absolutley love baked tofu.

It costs the same more or less.



Knowing the little I do about tofu, I am glad I know good Asian market,s because they know how to do it. If you only go to an American supermarket, it's the same as trying to get an American apple pie in the middle of Japan- they wouldn't do it right, and would use weird ingredients.



Also another thing with the fresh tofu- even though some people say it's like a sponge, I don't really think it is. It DOES have lots of water in it- don't freeze it, otherwise the texture changes and becomes tough, but it only absorbs certain amount of flavouring, the same way fish does.

I like the actual taste of the soybean. That is why getting the best quality tofu you can really helps.



You really get waht you pay for in tofu. DOn't just get the cheapest one, it doesn't taste good. Get organic and get fresh as possible, the taste if the tofu meat is really really good. Kind of nutty and milky, but also quite rich and hearty.



You can eat baked tofu just like cheese, I munch on little cubes of it, or cut it into strips and fill burritos with it. I just love baked tofu.Vegetarians/vegans can you please tell me some things about tofu?
You have to make sure you completely drain it before you try to flavor it, otherwise it won't soak into it. You can do this by wrapping your tofu in paper towels and placing a skillet with a heavy item on top of it, like a book. You can marinade it in whatever you want, you could try looking up recipes on google.
i personally dont like tofu!! but u can do alot with it, some favorites ar tofu soup, there is other meatless supplements that tast better , like boca burgers , theres fake meatballs bacon , wings, just about everything , sooo you shouldd definitly try it out !!!!
I love TO FU. Only if it's made of carrots of couse.