What kind of tofu to buy

Historically, the Koreans enjoyed silken tofu in their jigae stew , while the Japanese incorporated it into hiyayakko, a simple dish made from chilled tofu and toppings with ginger, scallions, and soy sauce. Try dropping it into miso soup or showcasing it in a Szechuan mapo tofu. Firm tofu stands strong in a frying pan and excels as a meatless stand-in for a steak.

Here again, this style encompasses several textures and as more water is pressed out of the curd, the firmer it becomes. Most firm varieties are popular in the West, so finding it is typically a cinch. If you have a taste for the traditional, try vegetarian potstickers , but if you like to reinvent the norm and enjoy alliteration give tofu tacos a go.

Also known as yuba in Japanese, tofu skins are made from successively peeling off the top layers that form while simmering soymilk. Despite what they lack, tofu skins still make for a toothsome companion in many dishes! Serve 'em up as orange sesame yuba rolls or simply nest them in a soup. Fermented tofu may sound more dubious than delicious, but many compare its flavor to another familiar and well-loved food: cheese!

There are many varieties of fermented tofu and each carries a distinct flavor, so be careful to follow your recipes precisely. Yet just as with cheese, you need not search long to find a dish it compliments just perfectly.

Stir white fermented tofu in your bowl of congee or add red fermented tofu into a dipping sauce, destined for hot pot. Mexico has the tortilla, Greece has the pita, and Poland has the pierogi —no matter where you are in the world, people enjoy stuffing their food into pockets and eating it.

Each one works with different recipes. For example, silken tofu is great is puddings, baked goods, and sauces. Regular tofu is great for making a breakfast scramble or stir fry.

Marinated tofu can be sliced, cubed, or served whole over salads, pasta, or with accompanying side dishes. This is silken tofu. It says it right above the word tofu. This kind of tofu is more gelatinous. I use this most frequently as an egg replacer in cakes, pies, and even some breads. I also use it as a substitute for soft cheeses.

Silken tofu comes in 3 different varieties: Soft, Firm, and Extra Firm. If so, it probably has a limited amount of water. You can drain that if you choose before adding it to your recipes. It is more firm in texture. Yes, tofu can have a presence. Unopened tofu has a long shelf-life. Regular tofu comes in variations of firmness. Why press tofu? Because you want to remove the excess water so you can replace it with flavors from a marinade.

Besides, once pressed, the tofu will be firmer. You should also press the tofu before cooking, to remove any excess liquid that is absorbed in the package. To press tofu, remove it from its packaging. For most intents and purposes, extra-firm silken tofu is exactly the same as firm silken. Because custard tofus are consumed with minimal preparation, your best bet is purchasing them fresh from a local manufacturer. Even the most prettily packaged mass-produced ones taste flat and bitter.

It's so delicate that the quality shouldn't be overshadowed by a complex preparation—use a soft silken or block tofu for that. Or drizzle with agave for a sweet treat. This is my personal favorite tofu style. It closes the circle of tofu preparation techniques, as a dry tofu—like soft silken—requires little to no cooking.

Chop it up, toss it into a noodle or brothy curry dish, and enjoy. How to Prep: No prep needed; simply remove the package and go. This extra-firm tofu is most often smoked in tea leaves, giving it a light hue and smoky flavor.

It's so dry and dense, you can barely see the curds, and is very similar to dry tofu, but with a lighter up-front flavor. This tofu is tough—you could play a game of catch without it breaking. Best Uses: Any dish in which you're looking for a smoky flavor and chewy texture Smoked Tofu Recipes:. Sichuan-Style Asparagus and Tofu Salad ». One last option, for extra credit: these sweet-and-salty prepared fried tofu pockets, called inari.

This Japanese snack is made of deep-fried tofu , called aburaage , that's been puffed up and hollowed out, like a pita bread, then simmered in a sugar and soy sauce. Aburaage and inari both come pressed flat and, when cut in half, form pockets that can be stuffed with rice for inarizushi.

This is a simple sushi style with a relatively uncomplicated execution. I personally prefer to just buy inari, as the at-home recipes I've tried never turn out to my liking, though some may find commercial inari too sweet.

Aburaage and inari also make excellent additions to udon or soba soups. Inarizushi » Vegan Tofu and Herb Salad ». Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data.

Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. If you're planning on making tofu "cheesecake", pumpkin pie or other baked type desserts, you'll want Extra-firm or Firm SILKEN tofu unless the recipe calls for something else. The only brand of silken tofu I'm familiar with is Mori-Nu. Silken tofu is packaged in an aseptic shelf-stable little white carton, and while some stores still sell it refrigerated, it is perfectly OK to keep it on the shelf too - so you may find it with the Asian foods or in some totally random part of the supermarket.

The only brand I know of is "Mori-Nu". If you're planning to blend the tofu for a smoothie, dip or sauce, you'll want the softest silken also Mori-Nu tofu you can find. Excellent overview. I never even thought of seeking out local tofu Post a Comment. Most days I love it. Other days I come home and turn into a couch potato and snuggle with my girls. View my complete profile. My Blog List. Vegan Crunk. From the kitchen of a captious vegetarian. Simple vegan winter squash soup 3 weeks ago.