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What’s for Dinner? The Perfect Tofu Soup Recipe

Saturday, June 30th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

tofu is an amazing food that can be adapted for any recipe. One of the most common uses for tofu is for use in tofu soup. Have you ever wanted to find the perfect tofu soup recipe? There are so many different kinds of tofu soup recipes that it is difficult to pick one. Split Pea Soup with tofu is a common tofu soup recipe.

You can use tofu in tomato soup and miso soup as well. However, perhaps the most popular type of tofu soup recipe is Hot and Sour tofu soup. This is a delicious tofu soup recipe that can be found in many restaurants, and it is especially popular on Asian menus. While some restaurants use meat ingredients in their soup, tofu provides the perfect alternative for the vegan or vegetarian diner.

Hot and Sour tofu Soup

The recipe for Hot and Sour tofu soup will make approximately twelve servings. The soup takes a mere fifteen minutes to prepare, and it requires one hour and fifteen minutes in cooking time. In order to prepare Hot and sour tofu soup, you will need: 1 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms, 12 dried tiger lily buds, 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, 2 cups hot water, 1/3 ounce bamboo fungus, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 5 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 (8 ounce) container firm tofu, cut into 1/4 inch strips, 1 quart vegetable broth, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, 1/2 tablespoon chili oil, 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 green onion, sliced, and 1 cup Chinese dried mushrooms.

To begin preparing the tofu soup recipe, place wood mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and lily buds in 1 1/2 cups hot water in a small bowl. Soak for twenty minutes, until re-hydrated; then drain and reserve the liquid. Trim the stems from the mushrooms, and cut them into thin strips. Cut the lily buds in half. Soak bamboo fungus in 1/4 cup lightly salted hot water in a separate bowl for about twenty minutes, or until re-hydrated. Drain the bamboo fungus and then mince. Blend soy sauce, rice vinegar, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a third small bowl and mix in 1/2 of the tofu strips. Mix the reserved mushroom and lily bud liquid with the vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. After bringing it to a boil, stir in the wood mushrooms, lily buds, and shiitake mushrooms.

Simmer for three to five minutes at reduced heat, and season with red pepper, black pepper, and white pepper. Mix remaining cornstarch and remaining water in a small bowl and stir into the broth mixture until thickened. Next, add the soy sauce mixture and the remaining tofu strips into the saucepan. Bring back to a boil, and add the bamboo fungus, chili oil, and sesame oil. Finally, garnish with green onion and serve. You have created a deliciously nutritious traditional Asian dish for your family and friends to enjoy!

Looking for a New Recipe? Try Making Tofu Soup

Thursday, June 28th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

With cold weather comes the wish to eat something nice and warm. When you think about nice warm food, soup is something that usually comes to mind first. If you want to make something warm and healthy, then why not try making some tofu soup?

tofu Soup Recipe #1: Miso Soup with tofu

If you are looking for an easy recipe for tofu soup, then this recipe is a great choice. For this recipe you will need 3 teaspoons of Miso (which is another word for soy bean paste), 3 teaspoons of green onion that is in thin slices from the bottom to the top, 1 tablespoon of stock that is fish-flavored, 3 cups of water, and half a cup of tofu.

Once the ingredients have been assembled, combine the fish flavored stock and the water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the tofu (which should be diced) and then dissolve the Miso into the soup. The onion should be added to the soup just before serving it (this recipe makes 4 servings).

Instead of adding sliced onion to this tofu soup, there are several other things that you could add in its place. You could add shredded carrots or shredded radishes, diced eggplant, or sliced potato.

tofu Soup Recipe #2: Japanese tofu Soup

If you would like to try to make a delicious Asian tofu soup, then try this recipe. You will need the following ingredients: 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 package or 8 ounces of oriental egg noodles, 5 scallions with their tops included that should be sliced diagonally, 5 cups of chicken bouillon, 1 small head of cabbage that has been thinly sliced, 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 12 ounces of firm tofu that has been sliced into half-inch cubes, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Cook the oriental egg noodles according to the directions that are on the package. Then drain them, put in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and place them to one side. Next, in a large skillet or a 12 inch wok, heat the other tablespoon of the olive oil for 30 seconds over moderate heat, and then add the ginger and the scallions. Stir for 2 minutes, or until they are tenderly crisp.

Add bouillon to the mixture and bring it to a boil (the heat should now be high). The cabbage should then be added, and the heat reduced to moderate. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is tenderly crisp. Lastly, stir in the tofu, salt, pepper, and cooked noodles. This recipe serves 6 people, so make it for a dinner party!

More Ideas These are but two out of many tofu soup recipe ideas that you can choose from. For more information, consult a cookbook or the internet. With the proper practice, you will be making lots of different tofu soup recipes in no time.

 

 

 

 

 

A Few Useful Tips You Can Use for Any Tofu Recipe

Tuesday, June 26th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

Let us presume that you are new to tofu cooking and you are looking around for new tofu recipes to entertain your friends. Before you set out to cook any tofu recipe, check out the following tips. With a little practice and the right kind of advice, you can make tofu imitate any type of non-vegetarian substitute.

Use tofu in Practically Any Recipe

Known as the vegetarian’s meat, tofu can indeed taste like meat some times. The same tofu can be excellent for a pie filling or dessert sauce. How can you use tofu as a substitute for different foods? The answer is simple – tofu can be whatever you want it, provided you know what type is suitable for which type of tofu recipe.

1. For cutlets, you will need extra firm tofu. Freeze it for about 48 hours if you want it to taste and feel like fish. In case you plan to substitute chicken in your tofu recipe, then you will need to refrigerate the tofu for about three to four days before using it just about the way you would chicken.

2. Always, freeze in separate slices, which are at least 1/4th inch in thickness. For any normal tofu recipes you will need a minimum 48 hours freezing. When thawing it extra care should be given to extract whatever moisture is found. The lesser the water, the better absorption capacity it will have, the better and more natural will be the ensuing taste.

3. When your tofu recipe asks for puree, keep in mind that puree is best done by running the silk tofu through the blender. The softer the tofu would be the better the consistency of the puree. However, do not add water while blending if you can help it. Use fresh silk tofu instead.

4. The pureed tofu is the best substitute for sour cream, yogurt and even egg. Five tablespoons of pureed tofu should be used as a substitute to one egg for best results in a tofu recipe.

5. In case you need dairy milk or buttermilk in your recipes, you can instead use your own tofu blend, i.e. – take one full packet of silken tofu (the best would be Mori-nu), add to it two to three tablespoons of lemon juice (or white vinegar) and one cup of water and blend at high speed. This liquid tofu will stay for one week if refrigerated.

 

Tofu Smoothie

Sunday, June 24th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

If you like smoothie, tofu smoothies would suit you nicely. As unique liquid meals, they can fill the requirement for a healthy yet delicious snack or mean replacement. tofu smoothies can be as varied as the individuals creating them base solely on their taste buds.
Smooth texture of tofu
tofu is bean curd or in essence, a cheese like substance made from soybeans. The soybeans are boiled, mashed and ground extracting the milk, which is coagulated by a curdling agent like salt, lemon or vinegar. The resulting product is a creamy textured substance called tofu that can be substituted as protein in any dish where animal or dairy sustenance would be used. In tofu smoothies, the milk or ice cream is replaced by the bean curd.

tofu has the unique quality of absorbing the flavor of whatever of where ever it is placed. The best quality is that it is low calorie, experts have given it a degree of healthy benefits including lowering cholesterol, and helping got maintain a healthy weight. tofu smoothies can help keep your health goals on track.

Types of Smoothies
The unique trick with tofu smoothies is that you can utilize vegetables, fruits or both in creating them. tofu can be substituted for eggs, flour, milk, or meat in many dishes you create for yourself and your family. When making a tofu smoothies decide first what you are craving in your drink.

A quick refreshing tofu smoothie recipe includes two bananas, three ounces of silken tofu, a cup of berries of your choice including raspberries, strawberries and blue berries, an once of orange juice, a tablespoon of vanilla, half cup of ice, and two tablespoons of honey. Combine these ingredients in your blender until mixed. Give it a taste test for sweetness and add more honey if you desire.

Another simple tofu smoothie recipe is even easier. Simply add tofu to your blender along with a cup of ice and your favorite fruit along with a cup of orange juice and blend. Then enjoy the delicious healthy flavor or your tofu smoothie.

tofu smoothies also work well with other healthy additives such as wheat bran, bee pollen, aloe vera and other ingredients that suit your maintenance regimen. these smoothies can be balanced to add your weight loss, or health support according to the plan you are working on. You will find that a delicious tofu smoothie is easy to make and a wonderful treat that is beneficial too.

Have a Tofu Turkey at Thanksgiving

Sunday, June 24th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

Have you ever stopped to think how the vegetarians celebrate the Thanksgiving holidays? Since, they do not touch meat, what could they substitute the centerpiece turkey with? Honestly, it is pretty depressing to think of this holiday without meat; however, it is true that more and more people are agreeing that no celebration should be the cause of any type of animal slaughter.

Vegetarianism Is Catching On Fast All Over the World

There are different reasons why large numbers of people are turning vegetarians every year. The majority of the reasons for the “conversion” are more or less related to health concerns, though there are other important reasons such as change in religion, cultural changes, etc.

An expose by PETA (the animal rights organization) showed the horrible conditions the turkeys were kept in dingy and confined places, specifically bred and raised for slaughter on Thanksgiving Day. PETA encourages people to join the battle in protecting and loving all animals – including the ones that are specifically bred to be killed and used as food.

Shifting to an all-vegetarian diet will not only save a large number of these majestic birds; it will also help you be and feel healthier. An all-out vegetarian diet will protect you from cholesterol; give you a higher percentage of fiber and anti-oxidants such as Vitamins E and C among others. In short, you will be healthier, besides being a kinder and more caring human being.

Introducing the Tofurky (or the tofu turkey) As a Viable Alternative

The tofu turkey is an excellent substitute for the turkey and the PETA has indeed taken a lot of pain in publishing and working hard at popularizing a good number of tofu turkey recipes that could easily replace the meat in texture, smell and taste. You can have all types of excellent foods cooked with the tofurky. When cooked as per instruction, the recipes come out so well that even die-hard non-veggies agree that it makes a great substitute.

The downside of the tofu turkey is that it takes time to understand and manage the tofu and the way it should substitute a host of animal-based products. However, with a little practice and a good deal of will power, anyone can shift from a meat-oriented/based Thanksgiving Day to a Tofurky Day.

In order to be in form for the holiday preparations, you will need to practice a little before hand with the tofu turkey recipes you will want to replicate for the D-day. This is even more important if you planning to have guests over on that day.

Tofu Lasagna Recipe

Friday, June 22nd, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

If you are a vegetarian,you are probably in love with tofu. As an incredibly versatile food, tofu can be used in just about everything—even lasagna! Try this delicious tofu lasagna for a yummy vegan twist on an Italian classic. With only 510 calories per serving, this dish is not only tasty, but healthy as well.
Recipe for tofu Lasagna
For: 8 servings

Time: Two and a half hours
Ingredients needed:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil,
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion,
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic,
• 4 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes,
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil,
• 1/3 cup tomato paste,
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley,
• 1 teaspoon salt,
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper,
• 1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles,
• 2 pounds firm tofu, 2 tablespoons minced garlic,
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil,
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley,
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, ground black pepper to taste, and
• 3 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained.

Sauce is the Key
The first thing you will need to do in order to prepare your tofu lasagna is prepare the sauce. To do this, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onions until they are soft for about 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook 5 minutes longer.

Next, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil and parsley in the saucepan, allowing them to simmer for one hour. Add the salt and pepper at this time. Bring a large kettle of salted water to a boil while the sauce is cooking and boil the lasagna noodles for nine minutes. Drain and rinse the noodles well.

Next, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the tofu blocks in a large bowl and add the garlic, basil and parsley. Mash all the ingredients together with your fingers and mix well.

To assemble the tofu lasagna, spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan. Sprinkle one-third of the tofu mixture over a single layer of noodles. Over the tofu, distribute the spinach evenly. Ladle 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce over the tofu, and place another layer of noodles on top.

Sprinkle another 1/3 of the tofu mixture over the noodles, drizzle 1 1/2 cups tomato sauce on top of the tofu, and cover with a final layer of noodles. Top the noodles with the remaining tofu and pour any leftover tomato sauce. Bake the tofu lasagna for 30 minutes in a foil-covered pan and serve hot. You have created a delicious tofu lasagna dish that everyone will enjoy!

Ma Po Dou Fu Recipe

Sunday, June 17th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

Ma Po Dou Fu is a classic Sichuan cusine. Translated loosely, the name of the dish means “Lady with the Pock face tofu.” This recipe uses beef/pork, if you are interested to make Ma Po Dou Fu (without Beef/Pork), check out this post.

Ingredients:

• 400g Silken tofu
• 4 baby leeks of 2 leeks
• 30ml peanut oil
• 100g ground beef/pork
• 1.5Tbs Sichuan Chilli Bean Paste (Dou Ban Jiang or Black Bean & Ginger Sauce)
• 1Tb fermented black beans (or black bean paste)
• 1Tb Sichuan Chilli Paste
• 100ml chicken stock
• 1tsp sugar
• dash of light soya sauce
• salt
• cornstarch (mixed with cold water to thicken)
• 0.5tsp roasted Red Sichuan Pepper (hua jiao)
• 1stalk spring onion

Steps:

Cut beancurd into 1 inch cubes and steep in salted hot water. Cut leek into thin slices. Cut spring onion into fine silvers

Season wok, add peanut oil and heat over a high flame until smokin. Add minced beef/pork and stir fry until crispy and a little brown but not dry. Remove meat and put on paper towel to absorb oil.

Turn heat to medium. Add chilli bean paste and stir fry for a minute until oil is rich red. Add fermented black beans adn chilli paste and stir fry for another 30 seconds until mixture is fragrant adn oil is nice and red.

Add drained beancurd and stock. Mix in gently by pushing back of ladle or wok scoop from center of wok. Do not stir or beancurd will break up. Season with sugar, light soy sauce and salt. Simmer for about 5 minutes until beancurd absorb the flavors.

Add leek and meat and gently mix in. When leek is cooked, add cornstarch mixture in 2-3 stages. Mix well until sauce has thickened to cling glossily to the meat and beancurd.

Pour everything into thick bowl, scatter meat, Red Sichuan Pepper and silvers of onions.

Silken Tofu- Healthy Cooking Ingredient

Saturday, June 16th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

If you aren’t a fan of blocks of tofu, then consider SilkenTofu.

Difference Between Regular tofu and Silken tofu
When you shop for tofu, you will notice that there are many different brands of tofu that you can choose from. There is:

• pre-cooked tofu,
• seasoned, tofu, and
• plain tofu brands.

However, when it comes to categories of tofu, there are two main ones: regular tofu and SilkenTofu.SilkenTofu is also called Japanese-style tofu, or soft tofu. Silken tofu (hence its name) is of a softer consistency than regular tofu. In fact, it is so soft that if it is not handled correctly, then it will fall apart.

Another way you can easily discern between SilkenTofu and regular tofu when shopping for it, is that it often comes in aseptic packages that do not need to be refrigerated. Regular tofu is does require refrigeration, and is packaged in water, so be aware that in grocery stores, silken tofu is often not found near the regular tofu, but rather in a special section.

However, a similarity that both SilkenTofu and regular tofu have, is that they can be found in the same consistencies:

• extra firm,
• medium,
• soft, and
• firm.

Both categories of tofu are made from the same ingredients. However, they cannot be interchanged in a recipe, because each category of tofu is processed differently.Now, because regular and silken tofu cannot be interchanged in a recipe, then it is important for people to realize that if the former is needed for a recipe, then it will be specifically noted. Although the two main categories of tofu cannot be interchanged, do not worry if your local grocery store only carries one brand of the tofu you need, because each category can be interchanged within itself.

So, when it comes to the kinds of recipes that do use SilkenTofu, they generally involve desserts, salad dressings, or sauces, since that kind of tofu gives such things a creamy consistency. Remember that this kind of tofu is good for up to a year if the package has not yet been opened, and good for a week (if submerged in water, securely covered, and placed in a refrigerator). Once you get used to SilkenTofu, no doubt you will be using it in the many different recipes that can use it.

Tofu Curry Helps In Dieting

Saturday, June 16th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

tofu is made out of soymilk and contains essential vitamins and mineral without the excess calories that can ruin our diet. Vegetarians use tofu as a meant substitute but it is fast becoming popular with many weight watchers who besides maintaining a slim figure are also looking after their health.

Cooking tofu
Asian spices are known to increase the metabolism because of the spicy side of their condiments and through it you will achieve burning calories as well as cleansing of the body through perspiration. tofu curry is a tasty way to keep a diet enjoyable while counting calories.

Here are some of the points you must take in consideration while making tofu curry in order to keep the calorie count low and the taste unaltered.

1. Cook it last
Don’t fry the tofu before using it in the curry instead place it last in the mixture say about 5 to10 minutes before the curry is done and let it simmer after you have turned the flame out for another 10 minutes in order for all the spices to penetrate the tofu and provide you with the tasty tofu curry taste.

2. Cut down on Carbo
If you are counting calories, try and use brown rice or whole wheat bread with your tofu curry or if possible no rice at all; don’t use the usual pita bread that is normally served with it at the restaurant and last but not least try and avoid all possible frying in your tofu curry as oil adds aggressively to that calorie count.

3. Alternative to onions
When cooking tofu curry at home you don’t have to have all the other ingredients such as onions fried in oil to get the curry taste. You can spray some oil just enough to grease a non-stick pan cut and stir tofu cubes in it and add curry powder, salt and turmeric for color. You will have the curry taste in matter of minutes without any gravy so you will not need rice to complement it.

tofu is a great way to enjoy a healthy diet while watching your waistline but without compromising on the vitamins and minerals in the process. There are many other ways in which you can cook tofu with spices or without and even make desserts out of it that yet again will be kind to your figure while not compromising on taste.

Make Mapo Tofu with or without Pork

Thursday, June 14th, 2007 by The Cooking Guy

Mapo tofu is a spicy tofu dish from Szechuan, China. Translated loosely, the name of the dish means “Lady with the Pock face tofu.”

Mapo tofu Origins
Story has it that a lady with a peculiarly pock marked face lived outside of a small town in China and offered her dish to travelers. It became renowned and a dish unto its own. Mapo tofu traditionally consists of tofu, pork or other meats in a spicy hot bean sauce. Other ingredients can be added to the Mapo tofu dish as well including mushrooms, onions, rice, and tomatoes among other things. Vegetarians can adapt the dish to suit their needs as well using only the tofu.

One Spicy Fellow 
What gives Mapo tofu its kick is the spicy hot Szechuan peppers. Many cooks in various restaurants particularly in the West dilute the heat of the peppers to suit the palate of their more sensitive customers. Nonetheless, Mapo tofu can be served in a variety of ways that are unique and quite delicious.

A Delicious Recipe
One tasty recipe for Mapo tofu is quite simple. Brown some ground pork in sesame oil and set it aside. Drain a pack of firm tofu; when the water is removed, chop the block of bean curd into small chunks and place in a bowl. Now brown chopped garlic, minced onions and some mushrooms in the sesame oil. Add to this delicious smelling concoction some black bean paste and chili sauce.

Mapo tofu is known for being spicy so decide how much heat you can handle. It is good to add some type of stock at this time such as a vegetable or chicken broth. Let this mixture come to boil and simmer for about 10 minutes then add the cooked pork. Pork is the traditional meat for Mapo tofu in China but you can substitute another type of animal protein if you wish. This dish can be made vegetarian by leaving out the meat and only using vegetable stock.

Allow the ingredients to heat and blend in this tasty Mapo tofu mixture. Next, add the chopped tofu and make sure it is fully coated in the savory recipe. Cook for about eight minutes more. This mouth-watering mix can be eaten as is or over noodles or rice. Further chili seasoning can be added at the table for those who desire more intense spiciness.

Mapo tofu will definitely clear your sinuses. Whatever the truth of the legend of Mapo tofu’s creation, it is still a fiery addition to your dining enjoyment.
An Easier Alternative 
If you decide the above suggestion is too troublesome for you, then get Lee Kum Kee - Mapo tofu Sauce. You would be able to whip up one Mapo tofu in no time.

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