Ingredient Spotlight: Tofu

So you've decided to open up to tofu. Often mistaken for a bland, unexciting substitution for meat, tofu is more than just a placeholder. It can make soups, sauces, and smoothies creamier and add new flavor to stir fries and even sandwiches. But do you know which type to buy?

Tofu is made by coagulating soymilk (heating it and causing it to curdle, with the use of salts, acids, or enzymes) and pressing the resulting solids (the curds) into blocks. Much like making cheese, the type of tofu dictates how much liquid (if any) is strained from the solids, and the texture of the final product. If you've ever made ricotta, you can understand the basic process of making tofu.

In Japan, restaurants and food vendors make their tofu by hand and each region is known for their own variety. In the U.S., you'll find at least one variety of tofu in grocery stores, and sometimes many more than that. Each has its own ideal uses and while it may not ruin your stir fry to use soft tofu instead of firm, your tofu appreciation will grow as you discover each type's secrets.

Silken tofu
This tofu has a lot of moisture. It's best used in dishes where the tofu will be blended with other ingredients or used as a thickener. It won't hold shape well on its own and has a creamy, soft texture. To make things extra confusing, silken tofu can be found in several consistencies, but don't confuse this with the regular, or Chinese-style tofu below.
• DIY Chocolate Pudding - See the comments on this recipe for adapting it using silken tofu.
• Silken Tofu and Carrot with Soy Ginger Sauce - This simple preparation has big flavors.
• Raspberry, Pineapple, and Vanilla Smoothie - Silken tofu makes this fruit-filled smoothie extra creamy.

Regular or Chinese-style tofu
So-called regular tofu is the solid white block sold in liquid-filled containers you've seen next to the dairy case. Much of the liquid has been pressed out and the solids have been molded into a block. It's sold in liquid to help preserve freshness. Available in soft to firm consistencies, this tofu is best cooked in ways it can stand on its own.
• Tofu and Vegetable Pot Pies - A vegan take on traditional pot pie, this recipe uses extra-firm tofu to add to the delicious vegetarian filling.
• Bánh Mì with Lemongrass Tofu - Extra-firm marinated and pan fried tofu takes the place of pork in this Vietnamese sandwich.
• Ma Po Tofu - A classic Szechuan dish using soft (not silken) tofu.

What kind of tofu do you like to use?

(Images: Flickr user House Of Sims licensed for use under Creative Commons)

Comments (23)

Any clues about what 'pressed' tofu is? I found a Pad Thai recipe that called for it, when I couldn't find any at the store I found some instructions online that said you could just 'press' firm tofu between two cookie sheets with some weight on top (like a couple bags of dried beans). It held together fairly well in the wok. Is that all that pressed tofu is?

Rolen -- you got it!

Pressed tofu is pressed until most of the water is out & usually sold marinated in stuff like teriayki, BBQ or other flavorings. It's usually sold in small plastic packets with 4 cakes to packet, each the size of a small deck of cards. It's got a much firmer texture than firm tofu - almost rubbery, and it holds up well no matter how aggressively you toss it about.

I have attempted tofu many times and used all the tricks suggested and I can't get it to taste like anything other than how playdough smells.

@ Rolen: "pressed tofu" is also sometimes labeled "dried tofu" at asian grocery stores (look in the fridge section, cool not frozen). It's not really dried in the sense of "dried out", but rather simply pressed to remove water and condensed to create a firmer, denser tofu with a texture completely different from even the firmest "firm tofu" you've ever had. Also as DCarl1 mentioned, this product is often with marinated skin, so it will often look brown on the outside but be a light colour inside.

This stuff is actually really delicious just on its own, i like to slice it and dress it in chopped green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili sauce, and grated ginger for a quick side dish (served cold like a salad).

If I don't have time to press tofu, I just "dry fry" it. Add the tofu to a hot nonstick pan with NO OIL (if you don't use nonstick, you could lightly spray the pan with canola oil, but otherwise there shouldn't be any liquid). Cook the tofu until golden on all sides and the liquid has drained out-- if you press down on the tofu with a spatula you'll see what I mean. Then AFTER this step you can marinade it or add it to your recipe... it will absorb much more flavor this way!

I really love tofu - I only ever buy the extra firm kind because I don't like the other textures. I use it in stir frys with veggies, or by itself, cut into chunks. It goes great in salads with lots of veggies. So delicious! And such a great way to get protein if you're trying to cut back on meat intake.

One of my favorite ways to prep tofu is to freeze it and thaw it first. It allows you to press out so much more moisture and creates a sponge for your marinade.

if you can ever buy fresh tofu, try it! it is like night and day with the packaged stuff in the grocery store. it's like a nice cheese from the shop versus kraft singles. it's really easy to use. the silken is great in soups and firmer preparations are great cubed in stir fries. super easy!

I like to press it and then marinate it in teriyaki sauce. Then pan fry it until crisp. My 3 year old loves this.

@ Rolen:

you can also get the pressed/dried texture by pressing out the water in towels then slicing and dry baking in the oven at 350 for 20 min (flip it once after 10 min.) Then slice into whatever size piece you want and use it.

I don't like my tofu soft and usually press and dry bake prior to using to get all the moisture out; it stays firm and can be used in more of a variety of ways. I think it also allows the tofu to take on more flavor.

I just press my tofu using the cookie sheet/weight method, though store-bought pressed tofu will be more firm.

To get flavour in your tofu, treat it like you would a tough piece of meat that you wanted to grill- marinate it to death. Use a marinade recipe specifically for tofu- I like the one from the Refresh restaurant cook book. They tend to be more concentrated and less fatty/sugary than meat marinades and work well with the unique flavour-absorbing properties of tofu. I marinate mine at lease for a full day if I'm serving to people who don't like tofu.

Whoawren has it right! Freezing first then thawing and cooking gives it such a great texture. I like to cover it in olive oil and spices then bake it until crispy

It is important to state that one should buy GMO-free tofu at all times.

I often use extra-firm tofu and for special treats, deep-fried tofu for its ultra chewy texture. I've also experimented with making my own vegetarian fish with tofu skin and seaweed, which I also found at an Asian market.

Can one use vinegar or lemon to curdle soy milk to make tofu? I use vinegar to curdle milk when I make ricotta cheese.

@canadian cook-> tofu is a sponge. it comes packed in water, so the sponge is already "full". One needs to empty the sponge by pressing it, then you can let it sit in marinade all day, then bake or fry it and it is amazing.

my trick is to press it in the morning when I get ready for work, and then put together the marinade (takes 5 mins), then let it marinade all day and fry or bake it when I get home.

one of my favorite recipes for the above is sesame tofu; from deborah madison's "vegetarian cooking for everyone"

Growing up my mom always used this trick of taking the block of tofu and nuking it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. It really draws out a lot of the moisture and it's quick/saves time if you're in a hurry.

I've never heard the freeze and thaw method! I'm definitely going to try that one.

I always have storebought baked tofu on hand to make a quick pita sandwich dinner or lunch (baked tofu, tahini dressing, feta, & veggies.) I haven't found many other uses yet for it though...

always always always buy firm.

I love to marinate my tofu. I often use tamari and lemon juice, but any soy sauce will do the trick. If I go fancy I add pomegranate juice to the tamari, or some fresh ginger and chilli.

Buy a tofu press. It's worth every penny.

I got a TofuXpress a few months ago and never looked back.

I recently got the Mark Bittman cookbook and he suggests a variety of ways to prep tofu before using it in stir-fries. I just tried deep-frying, and it was really fabulous. Not the healthiest option, but when it's in a stir-fry with lots of veggies, I feel I can add a little fat and not be too worried. It really helped the tofu hold up to aggressive tossing during the stir-fry process, instead of crumbling, which usually happens to me even if I press the tofu to get the water out beforehand. It also adds a really nice, almost meaty texture.

Thanks jillrenee, but I've already tried that several times and it still has the yucky playdough taste. I think it might just be my tastebuds.

I whipped up a delicious recipe with silken tofu: Tofu, Peanut Butter, and Banana Spread
It's also great just as a pudding. I posted the recipe here: http://munchkinfood.blogspot.com/2010/12/tofu-peanut-butter-and-banana-spread.html
I think it would even convert tofu haters!