How to Cook Healthy Chinese Meals With Tofu

Cooking healthy Chinese dishes is simple, easy and fast. Tofu (soya protein from the soya plant) adds additional high quality protein to the diet and is a staple of Chinese cooking, particularly important for those on strict vegan diets. The combination of the taste and texture in tofu mixed with fish or vegetables gives the dishes their exquisite, Oriental flavor.

In this article I will offer some tips for healthy Chinese cooking with tofu.

Things You'll Need

• Wok
• Tofu
• Bok choi
• Chinese vegetables
• Chinese seaweed
• Salmon
• white fish
• soya sauce
• ginger
• green chillies
• bsmboo shoots
• chestnuts
• garlic
• shrimps, scallops, crab
• spring onions
• olive oil

Instructions

1. Check that you have all of the correct utensils and ingredients before you start cooking. Preparation and organization is key to success in Chinese cooking. Prepare the fish and vegetables, for example, by washing and cleaning them gently and chopping or dicing to the appropriate size and removing bones from the fish. Keep in mind that larger pieces will take longer to cook and never overcook vegetables or you will lose all of the important nutrients.

2. Chinese people like to cook meals using a wok to create simple stir-fry dishes. These are quick and healthy meals to prepare and cook for the family. A popular dish is fish and tofu. Prepare the wok by heating it to a very high temperature and test by sprinkling a few drops of cold water onto it. It is ready if the water droplets vaporize immediately upon touching the wok. Next, pour a little olive oil and low-sodium soya sauce into the wok and wait a minute or two before adding the vegetables or fish. Turn and mix the fish and vegetables several times and cover with a lid for 4 to 5 minutes. This will allow the steam to cook the ingredients quickly, retain their flavor and help to keep the nutrients and tastes sealed in. Once the vegetables and fish are partially cooked, add tofu squares (prepare the tofu by cutting into smaller squares) to the wok and cover again for another 4 to 5 minutes for the tofu to cook fully. The dish is ready to serve and eat immediately.

3. Chinese dishes are sometimes steamed in wooden steamer baskets, which are containers with perforated holes at the base allowing steam to rise upwards. This type of cooking is often seen in a popular Chinese buffet called "dim sum." This is a very healthy way to cook and eat tofu dishes because very little or no cooking oil is used. You can buy the steamer baskets (available in many sizes) at most Chinese supermarkets or local Chinatown. One popular chinese dish is tofu, bok choi and seaweed. A Chinese dinner is not complete without a vegetable dish, and any type of vegetable can be added to the meal. Ginger is added to the dish to give extra flavor. All of the ingredients, including the tofu, are placed onto a metal plate and thin slices of ginger are placed on top. Add a pinch of salt and several tablespoons of low-sodium soya sauce. Cover the baskets with the lids and allow to steam for 10 minutes or until the ingredients are cooked. Serve with a meat or fish dish and brown rice.

4. Tofu can also be cut up into squares and fried lightly in a wok to seal in the juices and flavor. Heat the wok to a high temperature and add a little olive oil, pinch of salt, some diced garlic and soya sauce. Stir for a few minutes and quickly add the chopped tofu. Mix to prevent the tofu from sticking to the wok. Season to taste. Serve with chili sauce and rice.

5. Chinese tofu and fishball noodle soup is a popular, delicious, quick and healthy meal. Use a homemade soup base and add chopped tofu and chinese fish balls (these are readily available pre-packed at most Chinese supermarkets). Include some chopped spring onions and slices of ginger. Turn the heat to high and allow the soup to boil for a few minutes, then simmer for 5 minutes. Next, add Chinese noodles and cook until soft in texture. Serve in a soup bowl with some Chinese crackers.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to use good quality produce and ingredients if you want to maintain a healthy diet and stay fit and healthy.

• Buy your Chinese ingredients from the local Chinese supermarkets or Chinatown. There will be more varieties to choose from.

• Ask for assistance at the Chinese markets if you cannot read the labels or want to know how to make a certain Chinese dish. Sometimes you can find Chinese recipe books available for purchase at the market.

• Always check the expiration date of the ingredients, especially the pre-packed tofu you find in supermarkets.

• This article is written for entertainment purposes only.

Resources

• Jewell TV
• Jewell Productions