Published in The Post-Star (D1)
4/19/06
First, let's clear up a few misunderstandings.
Tofu is not a slimy, tasteless substance invented to torture dieters.
It's not the gunk that gets stuck between your toes in fuzzy socks (my father's favorite joke).
And it's hardly a passing fad. Chinese farmers came up with the concept of "bean curd" at least 2,000 years ago. Think of it as cheese made from soy milk.
"Try it," urged Phillip Barbieri, the cook behind the daily vegetarian buffet at Four Seasons Natural Foods in Saratoga Springs. "If you like it, good. If you don't, fine. Try something else."
Barbieri prepares a variety of soy-based dishes for the buffet, and many of them involve tofu in place of meat or dairy. He said the trick to cooking with tofu is getting the texture right.
"I use the extra-firm variety, because it won't turn to mush when you cook with it," he said.
Dehydrating the tofu -- by pressing out excess water and/or baking it -- gives it an even firmer, chicken-like texture.
"If that chewy, rubbery texture is what people miss about eating meat, deep-frying can also help," he suggested.
Of course, deep-fried tofu nuggets are probably not what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had in mind when it recommended eating 25 grams of soy protein a day.
According to the FDA, soy can lower levels of "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins), reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is also the only "complete protein" found in plants, meaning it has all the amino acids that a human body needs.
Adding a little tofu to your diet doesn't have to mean growing dreadlocks or burning your leather jacket.
Even Barbieri, who has been a vegan chef for almost a decade, isn't what he calls "evangelical" about the stuff. Growing up in an Italian family gave him a love for all types of food.
"I do eat animals sometimes," he said with a shrug. "To me, tofu is just another kind of food. And it's actually good for you."
RECIPES
Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry
2 tablespoons sesame oil*
1/8 cup Tamari or soy sauce*
1/8 cup mirin (sweet rice wine) or dry sherry*
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
Broccoli, chopped
Red or yellow pepper, chopped
Oyster mushrooms
(*amounts approximate; flavor to taste)
Slice tofu in half to reduce thickness. Mix sesame oil, tamari and mirin, and coat the tofu with about half this marinade. Bake on a sheet for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Chop tofu into bite-size chunks, mix with remaining ingredients. Stir-fry for about five minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve warm.
Tofu Tomato Salad
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil*
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar*
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, roughly cut or flattened*
1 package extra-firm raw tofu, drained
Fresh basil, chopped
2 fresh tomatoes, cut in large chunks
(*amounts approximate; flavor to taste)
Slice tofu in half to reduce thickness. Bake on a sheet for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool, cut into chunks. Mix with remaining ingredients and serve cold on a lettuce leaf.
Baked Sesame Tofu
2 tablespoons apple juice*
2 tablespoons tamari*
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced*
2 cloves fresh garlic, roughly cut or flattened*
1 package extra-firm raw tofu, drained
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
(*amounts approximate; flavor to taste)
Cut tofu into 2-inch squares (about 1/2-inch thick). Marinate in juice, tamari, ginger and garlic for at least an hour. Place squares on baking sheet and press sesame seeds on top. Bake about 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until marinade has evaporated. Serve warm or cold.
Deviled Tofu Salad
1 package extra-firm raw tofu, drained and diced
1/3 cup mayonnaise or Nasoya (vegan mayo)
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1/2 small red onion or two scallions, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and serve cold on a lettuce leaf or in a sandwich.
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