Terrific Tofu by Wendy Esko

Tofu, or fermented soybean curd, is a wonderful high-protein, zero-cholesterol food. According to legend, it was invented in China over two-thousand years ago and introduced to Japan about a thousand years later. It is gaining in popularity in the United States as a healthful substitute for cheese, eggs, and other animal foods.

There are thousands of dishes that can be made from tofu. It can be steamed, boiled, pan-fried, broiled, deep-fried, grilled, and pickled or fermented like cheese. It can be used in stir-fries, soups, stews, vegetable dishes, grain and sea vegetables dishes or in combination with bean dishes. It can be used to make great-tasting salad dressings and dips. It is also a popular substitute for cheese in lasagna, spaghetti, and pizza dishes. Tofu is a great substitute for eggs in dishes such as scrambled tofu and tofu French toast.

Kids love tofu, especially when cut into slices and quickly fried with a little sesame oil and shoyu. Fried tofu makes a great filling for lunch-time sandwiches or anytime snacks. Tofu is quick and easy to prepare, making it a useful source of protein and calcium during those busy days when there isn't time to prepare dishes that take longer to cook.

I first tasted tofu in 1970 and immediately began using it. Tofu combines easily with a wide range of ingredients and is a light, easily digested protein source. Tofu is truly a versatile food. Below are some of the more interesting and unusual uses of tofu.

Scrambled Tofu

1 lb. firm style tofu, drained 1/2 cup onions, diced 1/2 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced 1/4 cup sweet red pepper, diced or thinly sliced (remove seeds) 1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced or thinly sliced (remove seeds) 1/4 cup carrots, sliced into thin match sticks 1/4 cup sweet corn, remove from cob 1-2 tsp. light or dark sesame oil organic shoyu (natural soy sauce)

Heat up oil in a skillet and had the onions. Saute' for 1-2 minutes. Next add the mush-rooms and saute' for 1-2 minutes. Add the peppers, carrots and sweet corn and saute' for 1-2 minutes. Using your hands, crumble the tofu over the vegetables. Do not stir. Cover and reduce the flame to medium-low. Simmer for several minutes until the vegetables are tender and the tofu becomes light and fluffy. Remove the cover and season lightly with several drops of organic shoyu for a slight salty flavor. Cover and cook another 3-5 minutes. Remove the cover and mix the ingredients together and place in a serving bowl.

This dish can be eaten as is at breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's also a great snack with whole grain toast.

Feel free to spice the dish up a little with a little garlic or sometimes turmeric for a slightly different flavor and color.

Tofu French Toast

l lb. firm style tofu, drained 1/2 cup water l tsp. organic shoyu (natural soy sauce) 8 slices whole grain bread corn oil organic maple syrup or your favorite sweet topping

Place the tofu, water and soy sauce in a blender. Puree' until smooth and creamy. Place in a mixing bowl.

Heat up a small amount of corn oil on a griddle or skillet. Dip the bread, one slice at a time, in the tofu cream, coating each side with tofu. Place on the hot griddle or in the hot skillet. Fry until golden brown. Flip the bread over and fry the other side until golden brown. Make sure that the tofu is golden brown before flipping over or the tofu will not stick to the bread. Remove and place on a serving platter. Repeat with the other slices until all ingredients have been used up. Serve with organic maple syrup, warm rice syrup or barley malt, stewed fruit or your favorite sugar-free jam or jelly.

Tofu Cheese

This tofu dish is a great substitute for cheese in salads, dressings, dips or snacks on crackers. The type of miso you use will change the flavor of the tofu cheese. Mellow brands of miso such as mellow barley or brown rice will give the most cheese flavor. Darker brands with give a darker color and a slightly saltier flavor or stronger tofu cheese.

1 lb. firm style tofu, drained 1-1 1/2 cups organic miso sterile cotton cheesecloth

Slice to tofu into 4 equal size pieces. Wrap each piece of tofu in 1 layer of cheese-cloth. Coat all sides, top and bottom of each tofu chunk with a 1/2 inch thick layer of miso. Place the miso-coated tofu chunks in a ceramic bowl. Cover the bowl with one layer of cheese-cloth to keep dust out. Set the bowl on a counter and allow to ferment, without refrigeration, for anywhere from 1-3 days. If your kitchen is warm or you live in a warm climate it will only take 1 day. If the kitchen or climate is colder it may take up to 3 days for the tofu to ferment.

When finished, remove the miso-coated cheesecloth from the tofu cake. Rinse the tofu under cold water. Slice into cubes and use as a garnish. The miso can be removed from the cheesecloth and saved to be used again, or to season soups, although it will have a milder flavor, as the tofu absorbs much of the salt it contains.

Kitsune Udon

In Japan there is a charming story about the mythical fox and its tremendous liking for deep-fried tofu. The following dish is named kitsune, or "fox" udon, in honor of the fox. Although variations of this dish can be found from city to city throughout Japan, they all have one thing in common--deep fried tofu, the favorite of the fox.

2 packages udon (16 oz), any type 4-5 cups water 1 strip kombu, 2-3 inches long light or dark sesame oil, for deep frying 8-10 slices firm-style tofu, 2 inches wide by 3 inches long by 1/4 inch thick 1-1 1/2 Tbsp mirin 2-3 Tbsp tamari soy sauce 1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced for garnish

Cook, rinse, and drain the noodles. Place the water and kombu in a pot. Take a clean, damp sponge or cloth and gently wipe both sides of the kombu to remove light dust. Place the water in a pot and add the kombu. Cover the pot and place on a high flame. Bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and simmer the kombu for about 4-5 minutes. Remove the cover and take out the kombu. Set it aside for future use.

Place 2-3 inches of sesame oil in a deep-frying pot. Heat the oil. When hot, place the sliced tofu in the oil and deep-fry until golden brown on all sides. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. Pat the slices with paper towels to remove excess oil. Leave the pieces whole or slice in half on an angle. Place the sliced tofu in the hot stock and simmer 2-3 minutes.

When the stock is done, add the mirin and tamari soy sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Reduce the flame to low.

Place the noodles in the hot broth and heat, without boiling, for 2-3 minutes. Place the noodles in serving bowls and ladle hot broth over them. Place 2 slices of fried tofu on top. Garnish each bowl with 2-3 tablespoonfuls of sliced scallion. Serve hot.