This article contains the basic menu for preparing cheap protein: tofu. If you've had a bad experience cooking tofu, don't worry. Try one more time. Tofu is incredibly versatile and is a great, heart-healthy cholesterol-free protein. Tofu (which is basically condensed, curdled soy milk, made similar to cheese) is a very healthy addition to any dish and is easy to mix and match with any menu.
Step
Step 1. Buy tofu
Although pre-made tofu is now available in many supermarkets and grocery stores, it's best to buy fresh, locally produced tofu. Packaged tofu has traveled many kilometers to get to you and may contain preservatives that can reduce its taste and nutrition. In general, the fresher the tofu, the better.
Step 2. Determine the type of tofu you want to buy
The hard/solid tofu has a “sandy” texture and is generally used in stir-fried menus or other dishes that require “rough handling”. Silk tofu has a smoother and softer texture, but should be handled with care. This type of tofu is most suitable as tofu steak or to mix dessert menus.
Step 3. Press the tofu
If you use tofu packed with water, discard the water. You can do this by pressing the surface of the tofu or slicing it. First, prepare a material that absorbs water (tissue or clean cloth) and weights. Place the tofu between the rags, place a plate on top of it as a weight, and use a small tin to press down on the plate. Just press the tofu slowly until the water comes out.
Step 4. Cut the tofu into squares or thin slices
Step 5. Cook
Tofu can be sauteed, fried, grilled, grilled, etc., until it is solid and the skin is firm enough to keep the tofu intact when touched by a spatula or fork.
Step 6. Prepare the sauce to balance the soft and light taste of the tofu while adding texture to the dish
The choice of traditional Asian sauce is a mixture of soy sauce with sesame oil. You can also add a little chopped garlic and cayenne pepper if you like. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the sauce as a finishing touch before serving the tofu.
Step 7. Fry or bake the tofu
Step 8. Mix the tofu into another dish
Step 9. Place the tofu in a bowl of stock along with the rest of the ingredients to make soup or vegetables
Step 10. Saute the tofu with the vegetables of choice and the sauce
Step 11. Serve the tofu over the salad
Step 12. Make a vegetarian pizza
Add tofu, basil, cheese, tomato sauce, olives, onions, green and red peppers, sweet corn, and tomatoes to the instant pizza dough that you can buy at the supermarket. Bake.
Step 13. Serve the tofu over the noodles and sprinkle with the delicious sauce
Step 14. Grill the tofu alongside the greens (like spinach) and rice
Step 15. Make a tofu sandwich
Step 16. If you want to serve vegetables and tofu with dipping spices, cook the seasonings (boil until some of the water evaporates) and use them as a dip
Tips
- There are several different textures of tofu (soft, standard, and hard are some). Generally, tofu is packaged with additional liquid (which tastes quite bland). This liquid often makes the taste of tofu disliked by many people because when the solid tofu is submerged in the liquid in the package, the sauce and other seasonings become less absorbent into the tofu.
- An alternative step is to season the tofu with spices that match the dish you want to serve. For example, for stir fry: season tofu with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ground spices. For Indian cuisine: ginger, garlic, curry, cumin, fenugreek, etc. For Italian cooking: oregano, garlic, olive oil, basil, etc. Season the tofu and refrigerate for 1 hour up to a maximum of 2 days. Note: this is a good time to use zip-lock plastic bags. Put the tofu and seasonings in the bag, close the bag and leave a small hole at the end, then from there suck the air in the bag to vacuum it so the seasonings can penetrate more deeply into the tofu.
- Try eating raw tofu straight away. You'll be surprised to find that it tastes really good.
- The best way to make tofu more appetizing is to press the water out of the tofu for 1-2 hours before you cook it. Or season the tofu and let sit until the spices absorb. Cut the tofu into 4 rectangles and place them on a plate that has been lined with two layers of a clean washcloth. Cover the tofu with two layers of a clean cloth and a plate on top. Press the tofu down by placing a weight on a plate, such as a few books or a toaster. When you're done, the washcloth will absorb a large amount of the tofu's moisture and the tofu will have a better texture and allow the seasoning to absorb more.
- You can easily get tofu products anywhere, whether in supermarkets, traditional markets, or at the nearest stalls.
- Experiment! With tofu, there are many different dishes you can make. You can vary the cooking method, the sauce, and the mix of ingredients.
- For a firmer, meat-like texture, freeze the tofu for at least overnight. Choose tofu whose packaging contains water (not soft tofu) and place the tofu complete with the unopened package in the refrigerator. Defrost the tofu first and prepare as usual. Frozen tofu is perfect for grilled or barbecued dishes and will taste better especially for people who don't like to eat unseasoned tofu. More solid and textured.
- Once frozen, thaw the tofu and squeeze out all the water. Now the tofu will be more spongy and can absorb a lot of flavor, so be careful when seasoning it. Don't use sauces that contain a lot of sugar. Tofu absorbs very well, so the sweetness of an abundance of seasonings (such as traditional barbecue sauce) can overpower anything else you might want.
