How to Cook Tofu

Tofu can be baked and served on a bed of rice.

Tofu is made by coagulating soy bean milk and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. The healthy protein contains good amounts of iron, B vitamins, calcium and magnesium. Vegans or vegetarians should add soy foods to their diets so they'll get ample protein and nutrition. Generally, you can choose from among three kinds of tofu: firm, soft and silken.

Things You'll Need

• Vegetables
• Seasonings
• Soy sauce
• Oil
• Frying pan
• Soup pan
• Vegetable broth or chicken stock
• Baking sheet

Instructions

1. Steam your tofu. Put it in the steamer for 10 minutes and serve it hot with a soy sauce mixture. To make the sauce, mix 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, a few drizzles of sesame oils, chopped green onion, sesame seeds (optional) and chopped green chilies (optional).

2. Deep-fry firm tofu. It's a good snack or appetizer. Peel two cloves of garlic and mince it well. Add salt and water, then use it to marinate tofu slices for at least 30 minutes. Reheat vegetable oil in the frying pan. When it's ready, deep-fry the marinated tofu until golden brown.

3. Make tofu soup. Heat the chicken stock or vegetables broth, and add roasted garlic, salt and pepper for taste. Cut tofu in 1-inch by 1-inch cubes, cut chives so they're about 1 inch long and add those in the simmered broth. When it boils, add spinach and turn off the heat.

4. Roast cubed tofu in the oven with other vegetables, such as squash, red pepper, eggplant, onions and mushrooms. Mix in a little olive oil, salt and basil. Substitute cumin for basil if you wish. Cook in a baking ban for 40 minutes, turning the food every 10 minutes until done.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also stir-fry tofu with other vegetables or mix it up with egg and other vegetables to form tofu burgers.

References

• U.S. Soy Foods Directory: Tofu