Tofu

Tofu was something I would never imagine myself eating, but now I cannot imagine life without it. It is a delicious meat substitute that takes on the flavor of what it's marinated in or cooked in. It firms up with pressing and/or the longer it's cooked so the texture or bite can be anything you need it to be.

Right out of the package, tofu doesn't taste like anything, nor would I want to eat it raw. I'm going to tell you how to prepare extra firm tofu to get simple textures similar to familiar meats. Tofu is never going to be "steak". (That requires a whole different processed product.)

Here are a few of the ways I prepare extra firm tofu to get the familiar meat textures and what I use them for...

Press, Drain, Crumble, Bake - ground meat texture (tacos, stroganoff)

Press, Drain, Slice, Bake - baked chicken texture but not quite as firm (snack slices, sandwiches)

Press, Drain, Cube, Pan Fry - stir fried chicken texture (stir fries)

Drain, Crumble, Pan Fry - scrambled eggs texture (breakfast scrambled, quiche)

I use a tofu press to press the tofu. The tofu press is very simple to use:

You remove the tofu from the packaging

Place the tofu block in the press

Place the press plate over the tofu and insert the spring, and let sit for an hour or so in the fridge.

Drain the liquid and apply to your recipe.

Instructions will come with the product but it really is quite simple and easy clean-up.

If you do not have a press:

You'll need a cutting board, a dish cloth or kitchen towel, a large enough container with sides to hold the tofu and an inch of liquid, and something to use as a weight (heavy pan).

Fold the towel or dish cloth in half or fourths to increase absorbency. Place the tofu in the container and place the towel on top.

Then, place the weight on top. Your weight should be heavy enough to press down evenly across the top of the tofu, but not so heavy that the tofu crumbles under the weight. A heavy pan is perfect. Let the tofu sit for at least 15 minutes, but an hour is ideal.

You can use the tofu without "pressing" it, it will just be "softer"; not quite as firm. It all depends on your preference once you get to know the product. I would only use extra firm when I first started eating tofu, but now I find the firm is good in stir fries and noodle dishes as well as crispy baked tofu (recipe coming soon).