Tofu blues?!
Tofu blues?
I LOVE tofu, problem is that when I cook it, it never turns out quite right. It is edible, but not that breaded like texture on the outside and spongelike texture on the inside. How should one cook tofu? Every recipe I have says to cook it in 1tbsp of canola or coconut oil over medium lo heat until golden brown and heated through, but it just doesn't have the appeal that it does at restaurants when I cook it. Help me please!
Answers:
Well, ask a Chinese person. My wife happens to be Chinese. So, this is what you do:
Ahead of time, make a cut in the tofu package
and let it drain well (we always use firm tofu)
Use a wok of course.
On *high* heat add extra virgin olive oil
When it's good and hot (not smoking, eh!)
when it moves around very fluid-like
throw in garlic (grated, chopped, whatever)
throw in ginger (keep fresh in freezer then fine grate or cut)
stir stir stir
OK,
put the block of tofu in.
Use a spatula to cut the block into thick slices, about 1/2inch.
flatten them all out in the pan -- hurry up, don't let things get too hot! Don't use your spatula and move the wok around in circles to move the tofu around in the wok and get them coated with oil and garlic/ginger. Do that a few times, then use spatula to flip them over and continue. Put some Bragg soy sauce (because it tastes the best) in there. when the soy sauce is almost gone (don't let it burn or get too dry) you're done. Slide them out on top of your previously stir fried veggies (done in pretty much the same way, except put a lid on the veggies then add a *little* water down the side to steam them). Let the veggies flavour themselves, and use the tofu for the salty topping. Eat with brown rice. Keep it simple, and it's good.
My wife says that in Chinese cooking they use high heat to get the Chi of the fire into the food. You cook it as fast as possible on the highest heat. Basically you are heating the vegetables all the way through, but not really cooking them very much.
Canola oil really sucks for cooking. It gets too hot too fast and not to mention, it's a rapeseed hybrid, not really suitable for consumption in my opinion. Coconut oil has some nice flavour to it, but I have found that it's not suitable for most cooking in my experience. I like coconut oil/butter on toast or used in sauces etc. I find that extra virgin olive oil can really take a lot of heat and not become damaged.
i use corn oil and just a little bit....like put some oil on a rag and wipe the bottom of the pan with it...so there are no pools of oil. the best thing i found is to let the tofu sit so it browns nicely on each side. if youre too impatient, it will break apart and not get that crispy outside. also, dont cook too much at a time because that lowers the temperature of the pan and again, you wont get the right texture.
Are you using the right kind of tofu? There are different kinds, you know - hard, soft, for frying, etc. etc...
I love tofu, too! :)
I was told you have to 'press' tofu to get out excess moisture before pan-frying: Place the block on some paper towels and lay more on top. Weigh down with a weight like a book on a smaller cutting board to press out any excess liquid for about 30 minutes. Change the paper towels every 10 minutes or so.
I could be wrong, though; I haven't made tofu that often. This is just something I remember reading from a Japanese cookbook.
You have to press it (and weigh it down with something) in a towel or paper towels before frying it, then marinate it (if that is what the recipe calls for) and/or do the breading if called for. If you want more of a meat like texture, drain it and rinse, then freeze it first and thaw before marinating it and frying. I have not quite worked this out myself...I am at the beginner stage where you think you are frying it when really you are boiling it in oil (because you didn't get all the water out first)....I have a bunch in the freezer right now to work with later. Also use firm tofu for frying. (Soft is more for smoothies and puddings, etc.)
if you go to the oriental market in the chinese or korean or vietnamese part of town you'll find tofu thats already been deep fried packed just like the raw stuff, for a lot less money than the chain store stuff too ($1.50 per lb.) just cut it up and toss it in your stir fry, saves you twenty minutes of prep time and has that nice chewy skin on it already. While your there pick up some frozen rice noodles steam em up for about ten minutes and you have your starch in no time too.
If you are using a firm tofu that paper towel method is good...there are silky soft tofu's that are very good "scrambled" with curry poder and vegies as well. The soft Tofu is great with garlic and basil stirred into it and stuffed in cooked manicotti noodles then baked with spaghetti sauce over the top. I also use it in meatless Lasagna, and as "eggs" with red peppers for breakfast. Hope that helps?
The tofu that you like is deep fried like french fries! You can do it yourself with a deep fryer.
Alternately, try Tofu Nuggets. I cut the tofu into slices, coat each slice in a mixture made from beaten eggs, and then roll the tofu in a mixture of breadcrumbs, ground almonds and seasonings (depending on my mood). I lay the slices on a greased baking dish and bake them in the oven until they're crispy (flipping halfway through). Crunchy on the outside but not unhealthy and deep-fried.
If you're desperate for deep-fried tofu you can always buy it at an authentic Chinese grocery store.