What are your best Tofu recipes?

[PJB]

O.K., I finally am a truly converted CL member...I ate a tofu meal for dinner prepared by my best friend and I LOVED IT! She marinated it in soy sauce with red pepper and then seared it on both sides for a few minutes, served over white rice and it was yummy. So, now I am searching for other tasty recipes that involve tofu and am wondering how you all feel about light tofu vs. regular tofu vs. soft and hard and so on. Can anyone explain the differences, give me any tips for handling this new stuff and do you have any recipes to share?

Thanks,

PJB

[Terrytx]

My favorites are Fettuccine and Tofu with Finger-Licking Peanut Sauce-CL-4/01 and Red Curried Tofu-CL-3/01

[gertdog]

PJB,

Here's a link to a recent thread about tofu recipes, which I think contains links to yet more tofu recipe threads!

http://www.cookinglight.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12052&highlight=favorite+tofu

As for your other questions, I've never tried light tofu. I've also never tried soft tofu. It was interesting for me to realize this since I eat a LOT of tofu.

I always use firm or extra-firm, which is easy to slice and dice for cooking. Tofu has a lot of water in it... many recipes call for you to drain the tofu before using by sandwiching it between two plates and placing heavy cans on top to squelch out the water. I usually just cut the tofu into the shapes I want, then lay them on paper towels and blot. If you have leftover raw tofu, most instructions I've seen tell you to store it in water in the fridge, and to change the water daily. I always try to use it up within a few days of opening the package.

Soft tofu is often called for in recipes where it will be pureed to blend in with other ingredients. It can make a soup "creamy" and a lasagna "cheesy" without dairy products. Sometimes it's even scrambled like eggs. But I've never tried using tofu this way.

I especially like baked, marinated tofu. Soy Boy makes something called Tofu Lin which is quite firm and is marinated in tasty seasonings. I cut this into strips and eat it raw in salads or wraps. I also throw the strips into stir fries. This kind of tofu stays fresh a bit longer in the fridge, too.

Enjoy experimenting, and let us know if you come across any fantastic new recipes!

[Ohioan]

PJB,

I, too, use the extra-firm tofu, and I highly recommend doing a "Search" of this BB for lots and lots of tofu recipes. To avoid overkill, start with the link-to-more-links that gertdog has given you. But if you happen to be fond of overkill ;), here's another great link to more links:

http://chinesefood.about.com/sitesearch.htm?terms=tofu&SUName=chinesefood&type=0&TopNode=3042

One of the links on this page is a how-to on draining tofu:

http://chinesefood.about.com/c/ht/01/01/How_Drain_Tofu0980518984.htm?terms=tofu

And don't assume that because the link is on Chinese Food About.com, you'll be restricted to Chinese recipes. One of the links on the first page is "Italian Tofu Recipes"! :rolleyes:

Oh, and one more link before I go (sounds like a country-western song, doesn't it?:)): www.tofu.com (duh)

Good luck and happy tofu-ing!:)

Cheers,
Phoebe

[DmOrtega]

Wow. I checked out www.tofu.com and looked at the "Arguments for Vegetarianism!". Wow. What interesting reading, long though. Dr. Neal Barnard has some pretty compelling reasons that we should eleminate meat and dairy products from our diet. My diet has has certainly changed over the years, hopefully for the better. We eat chicken and cheese. As far as other dairy goes, we try to stick to nonfat as much as possible. We are not vegatarians, but hope to someday be. Check out the article.

http://www.tofu.com/veggie.html

[Jennett]

My favorite tofu recipes are:

Thai Tofu-and-Winter Squash Stew (CL 1/99)
Stir-Fried Brown Rice with Pineapple and Tofu (CL 4/00)
Fettucine w/Tofu and Finger-Licking Peanut Sauce (CL 4/01)
Curried Chickpeas and Tofu (Moosewood Cooks at Home)
Gingered Greens and Tofu (Moosewood Cooks at Home)
Szechwan Eggplant and Tofu (New Moosewood)

Let me know if you'd like me to post any of these.

[BlueMoose]

I use firm tofu and equal parts eggs in egg salad (so, about half tofu and half eggs). I use soft tofu mixed with ricotta cheese in lasagnas and casseroles.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Appetizers

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
7 ounces roasted red peppers -- drained
6 ounces low fat firm tofu
1/3 cup cilantro -- chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 cloves garlic
1 can cannellini beans -- drained and rinsed
1/2 jalapeno pepper -- seeded

Combine everything together in a food processor and process. Dip will be somewhat chunky.

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