Tofu is one of the primary sources of protein and nutrients for vegans. There are so many appetising recipes that can be made with the help of Tofu. Very often, people buy tofu from the market and somehow it tastes very artificial. This is because the tofu available in the market is ingested with a lot of chemicals and preservatives to increase its shelf life.
A great way to make sure that one is eating the right type of tofu and getting the best nutritional benefits from it is by making tofu at home. While it may seem a daunting process, it is quite simple. If a person doesn't like the taste of tofu available in the market, then chances are high that they will fall in love with tofu once they start making it at home.
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* Types Of Tofu
Tofu is made by using soybeans that are first boiled, then curdled and then finally pressed into blocks. It is very famous in south-east Asian countries like Korea, Japan, and China. It is a great source of various proteins and vitamins. What people don't know about tofu is that it comes in various varieties and all of them have different purposes.
The biggest difference between all these varieties is the way that they have been pressed and the quantity of water they hold. The silken tofu variety is very soft and melts directly in the mouth. It has a very similar texture to custard. It is best used for things like miso soup and other blending activities. The other varieties of tofu including firm tofu and extra firm tofu are a lot more than the silken variety. These are more chewy and hard.
* Pressing Tofu Correctly
The way that one presses the tofu gives it the needed text or shape. Depending upon the type of tofu one wants to make, a specific pressing technique is to be followed. If someone wants to make extra firm tofu, then pressing it too much will make it very dry. The right way to press tofu is by cutting the blocks of tofu into small pieces and laying them on a flat surface. Then with the help of a few paper towels, one has to cover these blocks along and then keep a heavy object like a pan. In the pan, one has to put some objects like cans, jars or books that can increase the weight of the tofu. Then this has to be left for 20 minutes.
* Marination Of Tofu
Another important tip that one must remember while preparing tofu is that enough time should be given to the marination process. Different types of flavours can be given to the tofu during the marination process. The process requires at least 30 minutes and one can even marinate it for four hours or overnight to get the best results. It is important to take a shallow dish to marinate tofu properly.
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* Sesame Oil
The best kind of oil that can be used for preparing tofu is sesame oil. It is the opportune oil to prepare food and also gives the appetising taste to the tofu. As compared to Olive oil or any other kind of oil that can be used, sesame oil suits the texture of the tofu very well and cooks it beautifully.
* Sauce For Tofu
Having a great source of tofu can make or break the tofu game. All the marinating tofu plays a very important role in giving tofu its flavour, but it is still not enough to ensure that tofu has the kind of taste that one wants. This is when sauce comes to the rescue and gives tofu its potential flavours. Many people skip the step of adding sauce and that is when the whole recipe goes haywire. Never skip adding sauce even if you have added a lot of spices and flavouring ingredients during the process of marination.
* Cornstarch
Using cornstarch to make French fries and other deep-fried snacks crispy is something that most people know about. Just like other snacks, one can also use cornstarch to give tofu a crunchy and crispy texture. This can be done by adding some corn flour to a bowl and mixing tofu with it. Or both cornstarch and tofu can be added to a ziploc bag and then shake it. Then the tofu can be pan-fried in sesame oil until it becomes Golden- Brown from all sides. Remember that tofu doesn't need a lot of oil and the whole process can be done with the help of 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil.
These are some simple, but effective ways to give tofu a great texture and taste.