Hi,
Just wondering if anyone has any ideas on how to use tofu and make it interesting? Have used it in a vanilla smoothie and that was good, filled me up for few calories…..but have not had great success with it in other ways, would love to hear if anyone has any suggestions as finding meat less attractive of late.
Thanks a lot 😀
Hi Col,
I’m guessing you used the soft tofu in your smoothie? You can also whizz the soft one into most dips and soups where you want a creamy consistency.
The firm tofu is best marinated for a few hours or overnight if you are using it in a stir fry as it takes on the flavour better that way. Try lime juice, ginger, soy sauce and some fresh coriander for a Thai style dish. You could use fish sauce instead of the soy if you aren’t vegetarian. In Aus you can buy it already marinated, maybe you can where you live?
The firm tofu is good in curries and stews. Add it at the stage where you are sautéing the veg with the spices, before you add water or stock. Then it will take up the flavour of the veg and spice, it’s pretty bland without it.
I also make a mushroom and tofu pie with a creamy sauce. Used to do it with pastry but now do it as a kind of pot pie with a mashed cauli on top. I’ll post the recipe as soon as I get round to working out ingredients for two serves, ( I normally cook for 7 of us) and take some photos.
Can you get tofu pillows? They are a puffed up version which are great in Asian soups like laksa, or with a handful of thinly sliced snow peas, mushrooms, capsicum, spinach and bean sprouts and hot miso poured over the top. Great ‘instant’ soup without the artificial additives of bought ones.
Hope this has given you a few ideas. 🙂
Hi Cherrianne,
Thanks so much for this, some great ideas, will marinate overnight as you suggest…also your mushroom tofu pie sounds really interesting, look forward to the recipe…..by the way, cooking for 7 must be a challenge every day?!
Thanks again, much appreciated 😀😀👍
Hi Col,
I’m very happy to help. Most of my cooking is done without recipes, just based on what I have available or what we like on the day, so I have to stop and think if I want to replicate something. I
will do the pie recipe soon.
I’ve been busy experimenting with lupin flour this weekend, trying to get a decent low carb, bread like alternative. Not quite there yet, but getting close.
Also have my F-i-Law staying so now cooking for 8. All my kids would be gold medallists if eating was an Olympic sport lol ;). Sometimes it feels like feeding a small army, usually when they’re asking for seconds before I’ve even started mine lol, but I’m so used to it now.
We are all vegetarians so any of the recipes I’ve posted would be ok for you if you’ve gone off meat. Try the harvest pie if you need something filling. The sage turns it into a real comfort food.
All the best with your tofu experiments.
hi sorry for the delay in responding to this thread. I am a vegetarian and use Tofu a lot. in addition to Cherrianne’s great ideas, another couple of thoughts for you.
Firstly make sure use high quality GMO free tofu (Cauldron is the one that I find most readily available.)
if you want it to have a denser texture, wrap it in kitchen towel and press it between to plates with a weight on top, to rid it of excess water (I don’t bother to do this for everyday use in stir fries.)
Tofu is bland, so as Cherrianne says it is all about getting the tofu to absorb flavour so I often use some combination of garlic, chilli, lime, ginger and tamari (wheat-free soya sauce, which many people say is healthier). If you chop it into cubes and marinade it in some tamari, for even 1/2 hour, then fry in a little olive oil and add to any sort of stir fried veg. e.g. I make a quick dinner that is low calorie, low carb, good fats and protein. – add fried tofu to a stir fry of shredded cabbage, onions and mushrooms (great with a tablespoon of peanut butter stirred in at the end and/or some coconut milk if you have enough calories left over!)
Good luck and do let us know how you get on!
Great thread, I am vegetarian but live in France which causes lots of problems. Even a goats cheese salad comes covered in lardons! Tofu is the one thing I can get but have never liked. Perhaps I will give it another try.