Served throughout China Mapo tofu is a staple. American Chinese restaurants make plenty of the peppery dishes as well. Though Western counterparts find the spicy chili pepper too extreme Mapo tofu is often watered down to cool the heat.

In your own concoctions, you can choose the heat index to suit your palate. However, I would caution trying it before heaping on the heavy-duty chili paste. There are many varied Mapo tofu recipes as you could imagine.

The first choice for you to decide is do you want it with meat or without and if meat is the choice then what type. The original Mapo tofu recipe of course used pork as the meat. You in your creation can use beef, chicken or just increase the tofu.

The Traditional Stew
Ingredients needed:

• Szechwan chili peppe
• Pork
• Sesame Oil
• Black Bean Paste
• Chilli Paste

First, you want to brown the meat, which is pork. You can use sesame oil to lightly brown the meat adding some seasonings if you wish. Next, add other vegetables to brown followed by the black bean paste and the chili paste.Most cooks will add some type of broth such as chicken stock. After this, simmers add the chopped and drained tofu, which is the firm type. Check the heat level of the pepper sauce to see if you want to add more. In Szechuan cooking the Mapo tofu recipes are very hot. This wonderful dish served alone or over rice will be sure to please your palate with its simplicity and delightful flavor.

The Vegetarian Version
If you would like to consider a vegetarian Mapo tofu recipe then try this one out.

It involves cutting up eggplant in small pieces and browning it in either olive oil or sesame oil. Set it aside. Now brown some green onions, mushrooms, carrots, garlic and a mixture of fresh herbs in the pain. Blend in some hot chili paste and vegetable broth to the combination. Let it simmer and then add the cooked eggplant. While turning this mixture boil some tofu noodles until they are ready. Drain the noodles and add the cooked vegetable mix over it. Add additional chili sauce and soy sauce to taste. T

he vegetarian Mapo tofu recipe can be thinned down further to make it more soup like for the noodles or even rice.

It is, however, an excellent source of protein, calcium, vitamin B complex, vitamin E and phytoestrogens, all proven to go hand in hand with a number of health benefits, making it an ideal food for vegans and vegetarians which nutrients many miss out on.

However, one advantage of tofu is its ability to absorb the taste of other foods very easily; opening doors to a number of options of recipes and dishes based using marinated tofu that anyone will enjoy. And for the health conscience, marinated tofu is low in fat and still maintains all the health benefits that tofu promises.

tofu Marinades in Minutes
There are an extensive range of marinades on the market ready to heat and eat. No mess, no worries. However, if you’re running short of time, have a browse through your pantry to see what you can whip together. The rule with tofu marinades is that they don’t have to be complex to be tasty.

Try mixing 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 cloves garlic (crushed) with 1 tsp sugar to make a subtle, light marinade that children and adults alike would love. Or for something different try mixing 3 tbsp lemon juice with 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp shoyu, ½ tsp chopped rosemary with oil and a little pepper. Then you have the choice of grilling, stir-frying or baking the marinated tofu and serving with vegetables or salad for a light and tasty meal. Noodles or rice are also a great accompaniment, which can also be skipped for those wanting to keep an eye on their carbohydrate intake.

Keep Well Prepared
Try to keep a number of bottled marinades in your cupboard to make a healthy, fast last minute-meal. Remember that jars can last months and even years before going out of date so it pays to keep them on hand. Other ingredients that you can keep handy could include: soy sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, hoisen sauce, coconut cream, garlic, herbs and spice and sweet chili sauce. tofu is a healthy meat alternative that with a little inspiration and initiative can be used to make a very memorable dish. Remember that if you can, try to let your tofu marinade soak in overnight, but if you’re rushing, 20 minutes will be fine.

However, there is a vegetarian alternative that is becoming more and more acceptable to use on all kinds of different occasions: tofu. Many people are even beginning to use tofu to prepare their Thanksgiving dinner. If you are a vegetarian or a vegan, give the following thanksgiving tofu recipe a try so that you can enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner along with everyone else!

tofu Turkey
For: 10 servings

Ingredients needed:

• 5 (16 ounce) packages extra firm tofu,
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil,
• 1 red onion, finely diced,
• 1 1/3 cups diced celery,
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms,
• 2 cloves garlic, minced,
• 1/8 cup dried sage,
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme,
• salt and pepper to taste,
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary,
• 1/4 cup tamari,
• 3 cups prepared herb stuffing,
• 1/2 cup sesame oil,
• 1/4 cup tamari,
• 2 tablespoons miso paste,
• 5 tablespoons orange juice,
• 1 teaspoon honey mustard,
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, and
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary.

The first thing you will need to do when preparing to cook your thanksgiving tofu turkey is to line a medium sized, round colander with a cheese cloth or a clean dish towel. Next, place the crumbled tofu in the colander and cover the tofu with another cheese cloth.

Place the colander over the top of a bowl to catch the liquid and set a heavy weight on top of tofu. Refrigerate the colander, tofu and weight for 2 to 3 hours. To make the stuffing, sauté onion, celery and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil in a large frying pan until tender. Add the garlic, sage, thyme, salt and pepper, rosemary and 1/4 cup of the tamari, cooking these ingredients for five minutes and stirring well. Add prepared herb stuffing, mix well, and remove from heat.

Now, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix 1/2 cup sesame oil, 1/4 cup tamari, miso, orange juice, mustard and orange zest in a small bowl and blend well. Remove the weight from the tofu and hollow it out so that there is one inch of tofu still lining the colander, placing the scooped out tofu in a separate bowl.

Using a small amount of miso seasoning, brush the tofu lining. Spoon the stuffing into the tofu shell, and set the remaining tofu firmly on top of the stuffing. Place the stuffed tofu onto the prepared cookie sheet, putting the leftover tofu side (the flat side) down. To form a more oval shape, lightly press on the sides of the turkey. Brush the tofu turkey with 1/2 of the oil-tamari, and place the sprigs of rosemary on top of the tofu.

Use foil to cover the thanksgiving tofu turkey. After one hour, remove “turkey” from the oven, remove the foil, and baste the thanksgiving tofu turkey with the remaining tamari-oil sauce (reserving 4 tablespoons of sauce). Put the turkey back in the oven and bake until the tofu turkey is golden brown (about another hour). Serve the thanksgiving tofu turkey hot a serving platter. Bon appétit!

As a healthy alternative, tofu is becoming one of the most popular ingredients, and it is used in so many different recipes, including many delicious dessert selections. tofu can be used to make a variety of yummy treats, such as cheesecake, chocolate mousse, pie, milkshakes, smoothies—even cake! There are even advantages to choosing a tofu dessert over the everyday treats. You can’t go wrong with a tofu dessert!

Why tofu Dessert?
There are many advantages to choosing a tofu dessert over a typical treat. Many of these benefits are health related.

1. tofu is a fairly low-calorie food that is high in protein.
2. Also, tofu dessert is often intended for vegetarians or vegans to eat, in which case the recipes will not contain any animal products. These products include milk and eggs, so tofu dessert is ideal for someone who is allergic to one of these items, both of which are commonly found in most baked goods.
3. tofu dessert is also advantageous because tofu is such a versatile food. The texture of tofu can be changed to fit your baking needs. tofu can be whipped for a mousse or cheesecake, but it can also be baked with other ingredients to make a scrumptious cake. tofu dessert is not only healthy, but it is convenient as well!

tofu Chocolate Cake Recipe
A very popular tofu dessert is tofu Chocolate Cake.

For: 12 servings

Time: An hour and a half

Needed ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour,
• 1 1/4 cups ground almonds,
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar,
• 1/2 cup butter,
• 1 1/2 pounds tofu,
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil,
• 1/2 cup orange juice,
• 1/2 cup chocolate liqueur,
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, and
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Dave’s Gourmet Insanity Sauce Cheese Straws

First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a nine inch springform pan. Mix together the flour, ground almonds and 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar in a medium bowl and knead in the butter. A dough will form, which should then be firmly pressed into the bottom of the pan. Use a blender to combine the tofu, oil, remaining sugar, chocolate liqueur, orange juice, cocoa, and almond extract, blending until creamy and smooth.

Evenly spread the batter over the crust and bake for one hour and fifteen minutes. Let the cake cool at room temperature, and then refrigerate overnight. In order to set correctly, this cake must be thoroughly cold. Serve this healthy, tasty treat the following day—your family and friends will be sure to enjoy it!

tofu Cheesecake Recipe
Needed ingredients:

• 1 pre-baked graham cracker crust,
• 2 cups of divided sugar,
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla,
• 2 pounds of tofu,
• 1-ounce squares of semi-sweet chocolate (6 of them),
• pinch of salt,
• half-cup of sugar, and
• 1 teaspoon of almond extract.

Once the ingredients for this tofu cheesecake recipe have been assembled, be sure that you also have the graham cracker crust ready. For about 20 minutes, drain the 2 pounds of tofu between 2 towels, with a breadboard acting as a weight on top. After that, blend ½ pound of the drained tofu at a time until it is creamy and smooth. Once that has been done, place the tofu into the blender and blend ½ cup of sugar into the tofu. When that has been completed, take the mixture out of the blender.

With the mixture now in a bowl, preheat the oven to 350 Degrees. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and then add it to the mixture of tofu. Mix the remaining ingredients into the mixture, and be sure it is all well-mixed together. When this is done, pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust, and then place it in the oven for 40 minutes. Once the dessert is finished, add some extra flavor to it by adding a favorite fruit, such as strawberries.

Another tofu cheesecake recipe involves (for the base) using 1 cup of almond meal, 4 tablespoons of tamini, 1 cup of ground walnuts, 1 cup of oat flakes, 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, and 3 tablespoons of salt. For the tofu mixture you will need 1 ½ cup of maple syrup, 2 pounds of firm tofu, 1 cup of corn oil, ½ cup of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of vanilla, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 tablespoons of arrow root.

Blend the filling, and, into a springform pan that is oiled, press the base (which should have been well-mixed). The tofu mixture should then be poured in. After baking at 375 Degrees for 1 ½ hours, let it cool overnight. After that, top it with whatever fruit you want.

If you enjoyed baking, this is a recipe you will enjoy!

Benefits of tofu
tofu also known as Soya bean curd is a main substitute for meat because it is high in protein and that is what our body gets from meat products. tofu is also rich in vitamins E, B as well as calcium and iron due to which it is one of the recommended ingredients for a successful diet if you are planning to loose weight in a healthy fashion.

tofu Dishes for Dieting
Many successful diets, which include tasty food include tofu dishes made in many different ways to keep you healthy while losing weight at the same time.

The tofu dishes recommended for dieting purposes usually contain little or no oil in order to cut on calories. tofu can be used in salads, soups and well as cooked food instead of meat or steamed with vegetables. The reason why a tofu dish is highly recommended is to ensure you have all your vitamins and minerals while you are trying to lose weight in order to maintain you body’s health at the same time.Other Types of tofu Dishes
tofu can make a dish in itself by adding a few spices of choice such as salt and curry powder to give it a bit of a kick or some sesame seeds for completing a balanced diet. tofu is used in all major kitchens, as there are vegetarians around the world who have discovered the benefits of tofu as well as the texture and taste, which are very close to meat when in a cooked dish.

tofu dishes made with oriental flavors is almost always fried unless it is in a soup and therefore they contain more calories but usually the spicy condiments used in oriental dishes will speed up your metabolism and work those calories with ease.

Try a tofu Dish Today
You can cook any tofu dish at home while following easy, step by step recipes found online or in cookbooks. Try adding tofu to your diet today and help your body receive its vitamins naturally and in a delicious way

tofu noodles are made from ground and compressed tofu and are packed with protein and nutrients. These noodles can be found in the refrigerated or frozen foods section of many stores but dried tofu noodles are also available but need to be soaked in water mixed with baking soda until they soften, then rinsed before use. tofu noodles are usually served in salads, soups, or stir-fries.