What kind (brand) of tofu should I use in this recipe?

[Peggy C.]

http://cookinglight.recipes.aol.com/pls/details.jsp?searchString=hot+and+sour+soup&partner=Cooking+Light&firstOffset=0

I'm making this for my supper club tomorrow and I'm not sure which is the best kind of tofu for it. Also do you (anyone) think I can substitute chicken for the pork or eliminate it all together? The hot and sour soup I usually get in restaurants doesn't have meat.

Thanks!:)

[wallycat]

I haven't made this recipe but if it were me, I'd probably use a silken tofu (like in the boxes, aseptically sealed)....silken is usually used in soups, plus if there's meat in there, like the pork, I think it would make a nice contrast for texture....
But that's just me....
sometimes I just use whatever I have on hand :D

[gertdog]

The Nasoya firm tofu that I dissed yesterday on another thread might actually work well in this recipe. ;)

When I use Nasoya, I tend to feel I'm working with a large Jell-o jiggler... it's smooth and silky but also holds together. I prefer a denser tofu (hence the diss) but for a soup like this the texture might be just right.

[Peggy C.]

I don't remember the brand name I used, but it was a silken extra firm tofu. This recipe is really delicious, the broth was very similar to that of a restaurant, but it didn't have as much stuff in it. I will make this again with more veggies and maybe the pork that it called for originally, but I omitted.

[laughsandlaughs]

Actually I think you should not use Silken Tofu in this recipe...it calls for extra firm, and in a soup I think the non-silken version would be better. If you were going to puree the whole thing, I'd say go with silken, but otherwise, just a firm tofu, found in the dairy case would be best....imho!

[aggie94]

I'm with laughsandlaughs. I'd go with the refrigerated tofu, the kind that comes packaged in water, either firm or extra firm. That's what I use in hot-and-sour soup, although I'll admit I've never made this particular recipe before.

Oops. Just saw that you already made this with silken. Anyway, glad it worked out for you. I'd still go with the other kind.