Tell me how to make Tofu nice!

[Mrs Miggins]

Occasionally, I buy tofu thinking I'll try doing something else to make it nice but it is always turns out completley lacking.

I know that I like the tofu i've had in restaurants but I have no idea how to make it all nice and browned and spongey and even taste of something.

I tried cutting some into cubes last night and frying it in some sesame oil. It took 100 years but it did eventually brown. Unfortunately, it was still rubbish. I think the oil was perhaps a mistake - maybe I should have dry fried it. Or perhaps I bought the wrong kind of tofu (it was silken firm).

How, dear Suburbans, How?

 

[Athos]

Swap it for some bacon.

 

[fogbat]

You can't.

Sorry

 

[fredfelt]

Last month I gave myself 4 attempts trying to make Tofu nice. I used different kinds of Tofu and a proper marinades. After this experimentation I've decided to stop experimentation with Tofu.

I'm vegie but I happen to agree with Athos here.

 

[gentlegreen]

I prefer it raw myself - makes a lovely sandwich with tahini and salad.

 

[Athos]

I prefer it raw myself - makes a lovely sandwich with tahini and salad.

No it doesn't.

Vegetarian, he speak with forked tounge!

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I would agree there - it's tasteless and almost textureless. That would not (IMO) make a nice filling for a sandwich!

 

[coccinelle]

You get a block of tofu from a Chinese food shop, cut it into biggish lumps and fry it in oil till it becomes quite crispy. Then you can store it (even freeze it) or cook it with any sort of spicy food.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

You can't.

Sorry

But But you can you can I have eaten tofu in restaurants that has been well nice...

 

[ringo]

I haven't had much luck marinating it but I do like it fried then added to black bean sauce or loads of soy or, best of all, a ton of chilli oil/sauce/both.

I buy the already marinated in chilli tofu now from Chinese superstores. Much easier.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Silken tofu is best for dips and similar, that's why it doesn't fry very well.

Firm tofu is for frying in the manner you describe. You can get flavoured firm tofus now, with smoky or basil or so on which are pretty good as well.

 

[fogbat]

But But you can you can I have eaten tofu in restaurants that has been well nice...

That was actually chicken - they lied

 

[Lea]

Mrs Miggins, are you vegetarian? If not here is a recipe for Ma Po Tofu which I think is quite nice.

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/tof1/r/mapotofu.htm

 

[fredfelt]

A friend somehow mixes it with chocolate and makes some kind of chocolate pudding. It's is quite nice, but think just the chocolate would be better.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Mrs Miggins, are you vegetarian? If not here is a recipe for Ma Po Tofu which I think is quite nice.

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/tof1/r/mapotofu.htm

No - not a vegetarian - I just like to eat a variety of foods

 

[Lea]

Oh I found a vegetarian version of Ma Po Tofu:

http://shiokfood.com/notes/archives/000016.html

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Silken tofu is best for dips and similar, that's why it doesn't fry very well.

Firm tofu is for frying in the manner you describe. You can get flavoured firm tofus now, with smoky or basil or so on which are pretty good as well.

Aha! I did suspect that but it was all they had in Waitrose. The swines. Should have gone to the Chinese supermarket I know but I just fancied trying it again and it was there...etc...etc...

 

[quimcunx]

A friend somehow mixes it with chocolate and makes some kind of chocolate pudding. It's is quite nice, but think just the chocolate would be better.

This. I've always looked at dishes with tofu in them and thought, 'That'd be okay if it wasn't for the tofu'.


I'd recommend doing what coccinelle said. Get the proper stuff for frying, fry it crispy, put it in the freezer and eat something else instead.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

That was actually chicken - they lied

 

[subversplat]

I tend to deep-fry it until you think it's a bit too cooked, let it cool, then add it to a stir fry for that chinese takeaway sort of tofu feel. It magically stops being all crispy and becomes nice and chewy with a slight crust.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

....put it in the freezer and eat something else instead.

You're all too defeatist!!

 

[subversplat]

Aha! I did suspect that but it was all they had in Waitrose. The swines. Should have gone to the Chinese supermarket I know but I just fancied trying it again and it was there...etc...etc...

Silken tofu comes in an aseptic sealed cardboard package, firm tofu comes in a chilled sealed plastic bag with liquid, they'll be stored in completely separate places

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I tend to deep-fry it until you think it's a bit too cooked, let it cool, then add it to a stir fry for that chinese takeaway sort of tofu feel. It magically stops being all crispy and becomes nice and chewy with a slight crust.

That's what I want it to be like! So deep frying eh? I'm really only eating it because I'm dieting and looking around for low fat sources of protein....deep frying kind of stuffs that plan! Arsecakes.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Silken tofu comes in an aseptic sealed cardboard package, firm tofu comes in a chilled sealed plastic bag with liquid, they'll be stored in completely separate places

Oh! I definitely bought the wrong stuff!

 

[subversplat]

Try it with a shallow fry, I think the main trick is to fry it and then use it as a prepared ingredient rather than trying to cook from the packet.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Aha! I did suspect that but it was all they had in Waitrose. The swines. Should have gone to the Chinese supermarket I know but I just fancied trying it again and it was there...etc...etc...

Get yourself along to a proper independent health food shop, they should have a bigger range.

You don't really need to fry tofu too much, a flash fry on a very hot heat is usually enough, spesh in some nice nutty or sesame oil to brown it. Like gg said above, eating it raw is fine, remember it isn't meat so doesn't need to be treated like meat. Main reason for frying it in dishes is to ensure it stays whole, so i often fry it before cooking say a stir-fry, and then adding the chunks back in just before the end.

 

[subversplat]

Oh! I definitely bought the wrong stuff!

Waitrose almost always has the stuff around the chilled ready meal section with various other Cauldron/Quorn/Food Doctor type meals.

 

[Brainaddict]

Perhaps you do this anyway but I recently learned that you should squeeze the water out of the tofu if you want it to absorb the sauce. It's amazing how much you can squeeze out - then it becomes like a sponge and soaks up whatever it is cooked in.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

I'll try that too....

 

[Mrs Miggins]

You don't really need to fry tofu too much, a flash fry on a very hot heat is usually enough, spesh in some nice nutty or sesame oil to brown it...

Will that make it TASTE of something though? or just give it a better texture?
Do I need to marinate it AFTER i've squeezed out the water and fried it perhaps?
Hmmm...that might be an idea....