If you’re a complete newbie to tofu, you might run at the sight of the white, squishy block. What is it and how, you might wonder, does one cook with this?
Tofu, also known as bean curd, is made from soybeans. Tofu blocks come in varying softness: silken, soft, firm, or extra firm. Tofu blocks may look unassuming, but you can do a lot with them. You can create numerous dishes with tofu if you know how to cook it.
Here are five easy tofu recipes you can start with.
Tofu Scramble
Tofu scramble is the vegan alternative to scrambled eggs. It looks and tastes like eggs, and the texture can fool almost anyone.
To cook tofu scramble, crumble the tofu into bite-sized pieces. Add oil to a pan and once heated, add the crumbled tofu and sprinkle in turmeric powder, salt, and ground black pepper.
Stir for 5-10 minutes until cooked.
Tofu Chili
If you love chili con carne but want a vegetarian spin to it, tofu chili is the answer.
Start by sauteing the tofu in a large pot with a bit of vegetable oil. After two minutes, add onion, green pepper, garlic, and spices.
Once the vegetables are tender, add in the tomato sauce and the kidney beans. Simmer for at least 45 minutes.
Marinated Tofu
Tofu on its own can be bland but sauce and spices can do wonders to it. You can use different marinades for it—soy garlic, sweet and sour, and honey sriracha are some marinades you can try.
To make marinated tofu, create the marinade of your choice and then combine it with the tofu cubes. Let it sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more.
When you’re ready to cook, heat the oil in a pan and sauté the tofu until golden brown.
Tofu Fried Rice
If you have leftover rice, you can make fried rice with it. Tofu will add much-needed protein to the high-carb food.
To make tofu fried rice, cook tofu in oil until it’s lightly browned. Remove from the pan and then cook your favorite chopped vegetables.
When the vegetables are close to being cooked, add soy sauce and sesame oil for flavor. Add in the rice and tofu and then cook for another two minutes.
Tofu Tacos
Since tofu is a great meat substitute, you can easily use this ingredient as the filling for tacos.
To create tofu tacos, pat dry the tofu and crumble it until it looks like ground meat. Stir soy sauce into the crumbled tofu for a bit of flavor, and add spices like garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika to make the tofu taste like ground beef.
Cook the tofu in an oiled pan until the edges turn golden. Place the crumbled tofu in a tortilla and they’re good to eat.
Summary
Overall, tofu is a versatile and nutritious ingredient that can be used in a variety of recipes to add protein and flavor to meals. Whether you are looking to add more plant-based protein to your diet or simply want to try something new, tofu is definitely worth a try.
The five recipes above will let you experiment with tofu. They’re easily customizable depending on your tastes so enjoy and cook away!
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