That's right. Tofu.
Isn't tofu mysterious? I've always felt like I should like it. (In fact, I LOVE it!) But there IS a strange sense of duty there. I mean, if a vegetarian health nut doesn't like it, then who would, right? Tofu, with all of its protein goodness, just might be abandoned altogether. And we certainly can't have that. So I guess I love tofu both on principle and because I actually enjoy eating it.
But until recently I was stumped at how to cook it myself. Absolutely stumped. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I haven't tried to cook tofu. I've pressed, blended, pureed, and baked like the best of them. But always to disappointment. I've gone through periods of abstention and periods of reinvigorated attempts. Then recently I decided that the vegetarian-healthnut-mom that I am absolutely needs to solve this mystery so that I can impart my health nut tendencies on my daughter. Again, it's a principle thing. My daughter should eat tofu.
So now I'm all ears. Please, please, please - if you have unlocked any secrets to cooking tofu at home, share your wisdom with me. Seriously. Email me those recipes!
In the meantime, maybe, just maybe, I've started to chip away at the tofu code. Just recently, as I returned to the tofu department of my favorite grocery store with renewed resolve, it dawned on me that I might have known the solution all along. And I can report that after several of my most recent attempts my husband couldn't keep his hands off the plate while I wrestled with the camera (alla, picture!) and my daughter requested the leftovers for her lunch today. We're talking real success, folks.
So what's the solution, you ask? Well I'm sure it's obvious. Just FRY the darn stuff!
So, you've pressed, blended, pureed, and baked tofu - have you ever tried the freezing trick? A girlfriend of mine does it because it changes the texture entirely and absorbs flavor better (she claims). She crumbles it up after defrosting for ground meat substitute, but there are other techniques. Here's a link for the basic idea: http://www.blogher.com/freezing-tofu-dispelling-myth-tofu-tasteless
ReplyDeleteI knew the trick about freezing tofu and then using it like ground meat, but I didn't know that freezing helps the tofu hold marinades better. Hmm. . . More things to try in the kitchen! Thanks for the tip!
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