Some hate it, some love it, tofu varieties is always a hot topic. While it is a staple in Chinese cuisine, it often carries the label of “too-healthy-to-taste-well” in western countries. This couldn’t be any further from the truth! As tofu itself has very subtle flavor, it will blend in with whatever seasoning you add. But the Chinese kitchen culture has produced a great variety of tofu. If you are a newbie to this topic, read on to find out more about the different kinds, what makes them great and how to combine them best?
Tofu, also known as bean curd, is a food made by curdling soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. There are many different tofu varieties, including fresh tofu and tofu that has been processed in some way. Tofu is made to be soft, firm, or extra firm. Tofu has a subtle flavor and can be used in savory and sweet dishes. It is often seasoned or marinated to suit the dish.
1 Fresh tofu
Depending on the amount of water that is extracted from the tofu curds, fresh tofu can be divided into three main varieties. Fresh tofu is usually sold completely immersed in water to maintain its moisture content.
Soft or silken tofu
Soft/silken tofu (called嫩豆腐 or 滑豆腐, nèn dòufu or huá dòufu, in Chinese): This tofu has the most water content. Its texture resembles custard, and it’s commonly used in desserts and drinks. Try it as an alternative to dairy in smoothies!
Click below to see our favorite recipes:
Silken Tofu and Berry Smoothie https://www.huffpost.com/life/taste
Ginger-Miso Tofu Dressing https://www.huffpost.com/life/taste
Pea and Silken Tofu Dip https://www.huffpost.com/life/taste
Firm tofu
Firm tofu (called 老豆腐 lǎo dòufu in Chinese): This tofu has less water and springs back when pressed because the outside is relatively dry but the interior remains custard-like. Cut firm tofu into cubes and add to soups, rice or pasta dishes.
Clip bellow to see our favorite recipes:
Orange Tofu and Broccoli https://www.huffpost.com/life/taste
Sichuan-Style Tofu with Mushrooms https://www.huffpost.com/life/taste
Extra firm tofu
Dòu gān (豆干, literally “dry tofu” in Chinese): This tofu has the least amount of liquid and has a texture that closely resembles cheese or protein. It’s much more rubbery than firm tofu. It holds its shape well and is excellent for slicing, cubing, and all varieties of frying: pan-frying, stir-frying, deep-frying. It can also be baked, grilled, and crumbled and used like ground meat.
Click below to see our favorite recipes:
Tofu, Veggie and Sesame Fried Rice https://www.huffpost.com/life/taste
Indonesian Tofu Sate https://www.huffpost.com/life/taste
Kung Pao Tofu https://www.huffpost.com/life/taste
2 Processed tofu
Many kinds of processed tofu exist, due to the tofu ways in which fresh tofu can be used. Some of these techniques probably originate from the need to preserve tofu before the days of refrigeration, or to increase its shelf life and longevity. Other production techniques are employed to create tofus with unique textures and flavors.
Fermented
Fermented tofu (腐乳literally fu ru, in Chinese) is made when several molds are introduced to tofu and are allowed to grow for a few days. Then, salt and seasonings, such as cinnamon, star anise, chili, ginger, and Chinese liquor, are added to the tofu. This may marinate for a week, or up to a year, until the tofu has hardened in texture and been infused with a very deep savory flavor. Fermented tofu has a soft and spreadable texture and a salty and savory taste resembling that of certain cheeses .It can be used in varieties cooking methods or as an ingredient in a dipping sauce.
Click below to see our favorite recipes:
Chicken in fermented tofu https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/chicken-in-fermented-tofu-303499
Fried
With the exception of the softest tofu, all tofu varieties can be fried. Thin and soft varieties of tofu are deep fried in oil until they are light and airy in their core (豆泡 dòupào, 豆腐泡 dòufupào, in Chinese, literally “bean bubble,”) describing the shape of the fried tofu as a bubble.
Click below to see our favorite recipes:
Crispy fried tofu https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/245295/crispy-fried-tofu/
Pan fried tofu https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/pan-fried-tofu/9169c74c-42ff-42da-a708-c68669ce4ecb
Frozen
Freezing tofu is more than just a way to store tofu that’s about to expire; it’s a way to take your tofu to a whole new level! Frozen tofu, once thawed, becomes spongy, and resembles the consistency textured vegetable protein (TVP). It has a chewy texture, and can be easily crumbled.
Click below to see our favorite recipes:
How to cook frozen tofu https://www.ehow.com/food/
Ginger-peach frozen tofu https://www.cooks.com/recipe/gf1u830a/ginger-peach-frozen-tofu.html
3 Byproducts of tofu production
Tofu production creates some edible tofu varieties of byproducts. Food products are made from the protein-oil film, or “skin,” which forms over the surface of boiling soy milk in an open shallow pan.
Tofu skin
Also called Yuba, dried bean curd or soybean skin, tofu skin is actually soybean milk skin, made by lifting away the sheet that forms on the surface of heated soy milk. The sheet can be dried in flat form, or bunched up into bundles. Tofu skin is great for absorbing flavors from braise or stew.
Click below to see our favorite recipes:
Homemade tofu skins https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/homemade-tofu-skins
Braised rolled tofu skin http://www.phamfatale.com/id_1202/title_Braised-Rolled-Tofu-Skin-Recipe-Yuba/
Okara
Okara, known as 雪花菜, xuěhuācài, in Chinese, lit. “snowflake vegetable”;is a tofu by-product, sometimes known in the west as “soy pulp” or “tofu lees”, consisting of the fiber, protein, and starch left over when soy milk has been extracted from ground soaked soybeans.
Click below to see our favorite recipes:
Scramble okara https://vegan8korean.wordpress.com/2011/04/16/vegan-biji-okara-scramble-recipe/
Okara crouquetes http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.hk/2009/03/okara-soya-pulp-crouquettes.html
Non-tofu “tofus”
Due to their Asian origins and their textures, many food items are called “tofu” even though their production processes are not technically similar. For instance, many sweet almond tofus are actually gelatinous desserts hardened using agar or gelatin.
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Almond tofu and cherries http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.com/2012/07/04/almond-tofu-and-cherries/
Egg tofu
Egg tofu (Chinese: 蛋豆腐, dàn dòufu) is the main type of savory flavored tofu. Silken tofu made with added egg, for a custard-like hue, taste and texture. Typically set and sold in plastic cylinders.
Click below to see our favorite recipes:
Pan seared egg tofu with sweet chili sauce http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2012/01/pan-seared-egg-tofu-with-sweet-chile-sauce-recipe.html
Homemade silky egg tofu https://esjoie.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/homemade-silky-egg-tofu/
