Conference turris::cooks

    I really like sweet and sour tofu.  Just take your favorite sweet
    and sour recipe and substitute tofu for the meat.  The tofu must
    be the firm kind and very well drained before you cut it up in
    squares or it will fall apart when you saute it. 
    
    Iv'e also tried several desert recipes - like imitation cheese cake
    using tofu - but never found one I liked.
    
    Tofu spagetti sauce is nice.  You use crumbled tofu instead of
    hamberger.  The only problem is that the tofu doesn't take on much
    of the red color and my husband can see it.  (Sometimes it's best
    not to tell him what's in his food.)
    
    SE
    

Tofu is great stuff, alright. I don't have any particular tofu recipes (aside 
from Chinese/Japanese cookbooks), but like it with assorted vegetables, and as 
NOTEd before, put it in spaghetti sauce.

The tofu that comes from most supermarkets is really the pitz. It will 
reinforce everything you've ever heard about tofu being bland and tasteless! 
The solution is to find a place that makes there own, or at least gets it 
fresh. Fresh tofu has a subtle, "clean" taste.

One such place is Ichiban, on Rt 9 in Framingham, MA. Try this:

		"O-tofu wo futatsu kudasai" (two tofu, please!)
		"Hontouni yoi desu-ne!" (it's great, isn't it?)

I'm sure those closer to Boston can find fresh tofu in Chinatown, too. I don't 
know how to ask for tofu (dofu) in Cantonese, sorry. Ichiban also charges 
roughly half (40� per cake) of the supermarket price.

-Scott

    re .1:
    
    I have to second not always giving the details of one's culinary
    exploits. The light of my life didn't know that his mooshi pork
    was in truth mooshi tofu with HOT bean sauce for the first two years
    of our marriage.
    
    He took it well when I had to confess.
    
    A favorite with us is stir-fried veggies with julienned tofu [not
    tons of it].  The most frequent combination lately has been zucchini
    [just when you thought it was SAFE to go into the garden again],
    *coarsely* chopped white onion, broccoli, and strips of carrot in
    RJ's secret sauce [it tastes almost like teriyaki to me, but not
    quite as sweet]. If sprouts look good that day, sprouts in at the
    last minute.  Also red pepper flakes. [can you tell that we don't
    get things in writing?]
    
    AnnieJ

    re .3
    
    You can obtain Tofu at the Oriental Market in Ayer.  It is just
    west of the center of town.  It is a little hole in the wall store
    next to the carwash, but they have a great selection of supplies.
    The Tofu is in the back of the store in a 5 or 10 gallon pail.
    Help yourself!
    						Chris

Glad we've piqued your curiousity... and appetite.

Tofu is a curd made from soybeans:

"Bean curd is an important ingredient of food in China. It is very nutritious 
and low in price. It is also a very importnat ingredient in vegetarian dishes. 
Buddhists require a strict vegetable diet; bean curd gives them the necessary 
protein. Bean curd looks like cheese cake and is white in color. It is made by 
grinding softened soy beans with lots of water into a kind of soy bean milk 
which is actually served as milk in China. Then the milk is coagulated intoa 
soft cake. Because the grinding and setting require plenty of time and 
experience, bean curd is never made at home, but only in special stores both in 
China and the United States. Bean curd may also be served uncooked with soy 
sauce and sesame oil as a side dish."

-Joyce Chen Cookbook.

Hundreds of Millions of Chinese can't be wrong...

When I was in Southern Oregon visiting my mother a few years ago, I found a
wonderful book of tofu recipes called TOFU COOKERY, by Louise Hagler. The only
complaints I have about it are that she uses too much oil and salt, but I have
reduced the amount of both with great success. 
    My favorite recipes are made with frozen tofu. To freeze tofu, start with
firm tofu, squeeze as much water out as possible (i usually slice it and let
it sit under some heavy books overnight, but my mother says she just wraps it
and puts it in the freezer). To thaw frozen tofu, pour boiling water over it
and squeeze it dry. Frozen tofu has a chewy texture, quite unlike the smooth
texture of plain tofu, and absorbs sauces and marinades quite well. It can be
used in place of ground beef in many recipes. My favorite recipes for chili
and enchiladas follow as well as spaghetti primavera with tofu, tofu loaf, and
chinese sweet and sour balls, all adapted from the above book. The may sound
strange, but they are delicious! 
    At the end are 2 recipes from different sources, one from a free recipe
card from the health food store and the other from another tofu cookbook, _The
Tofu Cookbook_, by Cathy Bauer and Juel Anderson. This cookbook is for people
who eat meat and dairy products, and wish to introduce small amounts of tofu
into their diet. I have not used it in years but I remembered that the Tofu
Noodles Romanov was very good.

CHILI CON TOFU WITH BEANS (serves 2-4)

Have ready
	
	2 1/2 C cooked pinto beans (reserve cooking water or canning liquid)

Freeze, thaw, and tear into bite-size pieces 

	1 lb. tofu

Whip together in a mixing bowl

	1/4 C soy sauce
	1 1/2 T tomato paste
	2 T peanut butter
	1/2 T onion powder
	1/4 t garlic powder

Add frozen tofu to this mixture and mix well.

In a large pan (I usually use my dutch oven) saute in the oil until the tofu 
is browned and the onions and peppers are cooked: (or you can brown the tofu
separately and cook the vegetables until the onions are clear).

	2 T oil 
	1 green pepper
	1 large onion
	1-3 cloves garlic
	the tofu mixture

Add the beans and water or cooking liquid (to cover, or until it is the 
consistency that you like). Then add

	2-3 T chili powder (or to taste; it depends on the spiciness of the
		          chili powder)
	1 1/2 T Cumin
	salt, to taste

bring to a simmer and serve hot. I like it with cornbread (recipe available on
request) and a fresh green salad.

TOFU ENCHILADAS: (serves 3-4)

(This recipe is prepared in a similar manner to the above.)

Have ready 

	8-10 Corn Tortillas

Freeze, thaw, and tear into bite-size pieces

	1 1/2 lb. Tofu

Whip together

	1/4 C soy sauce
	2 T tomato paste
	2 T peanut butter
	2 t onion powder
	2 t cumin

Mix this with the tofu and brown in 1-2 T oil.
I usually cheat and use store bought enchilada sauce, but I did actually make
the enchilada sauce recipe she gives, and its not bad. (This is halved from
the original).

Fry until soft

	3 T oil
	1 medium onion

Mix together in a separate bowl:

	3 T chili powder
	3 T white flour
	1-3 t Cumin
	1 t garlic powder

Add this to the soft onions, then whip in slowly without making lumps:

	3 cups water

Bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes.

To construct enchiladas, dip each tortilla in the sauce, put some of the tofu
mixture in the middle, roll it up, and place it in a rectangular pan. Then
pour the rest of the sauce over all the enchiladas, and bake for 10-20 minutes
or until bubbly at 350 degrees. Serve topped with onions, green chilies, or 
olives (or any combination thereof). I often put some chopped green chilies 
into each enchilada, or some chopped onion.

SPAGHETTI PRIMAVERA:

All the quantities of veggies in this recipe can be varied. I usually make 1/2
of this so I am not sure what quantities of what veggies I use! The original
recipe (below) is very good but serves at least 6.

Cut into 2 in. by 1/2 in. by 1/8 in. strips (or 1 in. by 1/8 in. squares)

	1 Lb thawed or very firm tofu (I always use frozen but the original
			               calls for firm)
Marinate the pieces for 2 hrs (firm, unfrozen tofu) or a few minutes (thawed,
frozen tofu) in

	1/4 C Soy sauce
	2 T wine vinegar

Brown the marinated tofu in 
	
	2 T oil
	the leftover marinade.

Steam until almost tender

	4 C broccoli flowerettes
	1 1/2 C peas

Saute together

	1 T oil
	1 C sliced fresh mushrooms
	
Sauce: Let bubble together over low heat for 3 minutes

	1/3 C oil
	1/3 C unbleached white flour

Whisk in without making lumps:

	3 C veg. stock, broccoli cooking water, soy milk, or milk. (i usually 
			use vegetable stock or water from veggies)
Add:

	1/2 C fresh parsley
	1/2 t garlic powder
	1 - 1 1/2 t salt
	1/8 t cayenne

Continue cooking over low heat and stirring until thickened and smooth. Add
tofu, veggies, and mushrooms to the sauce and serve hot over spaghetti noodles.

A few favorite unfrozen tofu recipes:

TOFU LOAF- this is great hot and as a sandwich spread. Makes one loaf pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

	1 1/2 Lbs tofu, mashed
	1/3 C ketchup
	1/3 C soy sauce
	2 T dijon mustard
	1/2 C parsley, chopped
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	1 medium onion, chopped fine
	1/4 t garlic powder
	1 C whole grain bread crumbs, rolled oats, or crushed corn flakes

Mix all ingredients together. Grease a loaf pan well, press tofu mixture into
it. Bake 1 hour. Let cool 10-15 minutes before trying to remove from pan.
Garnish with ketchup and parsley, serve with ketchup.

CHINESE SWEET AND SOUR BALLS: (serves 6)

Mash in a bowl:
	
	1 1/2 lb. Tofu
	
Mix in:

	1 1/2 T peanut butter
	3 T soy sauce
	1/4 C parsley
	8 green onions, cut in 1/4 in. pieces
	1 8-oz can water chestnuts, chopped
	1/2 C sliced fresh mushrooms (1/4 C canned)
	1 C green peppers, cut in 1/4 in. pieces

form 2 inch balls and fry in 1/2 in. oil, browning on all sides. Do not let
the oil smoke. Drain well. Serve hot on rice with Sweet and Sour Sauce, below.

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

Combine in a saucepan over medium heat

	1 1/2 C unsweetened pineapple juice
	1/4 C brown sugar
	1/2 C cider vinegar
	1/4 t garlic powder
	2 T cornstarch
	1/4 C soy sauce

Whisk out all lumps and heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.

The same cookbook has recipes for sauces, dips, soups, cookies, bread, cake,
tofu ice cream, and desserts. 

Other suggestions: add tofu (plain or frozen, marinated) to stir-fry, or use it
instead of meat in spring rolls ("egg rolls"). I also make a sandwich spread 
with tofu, green onions, mayonaise, dijon mustard, and various herbs.
My husband likes a sandwich spread of tofu, swiss cheese, mayonaise, and dijon
mustard.

MUSHROOM-SMOTHERED SAVORY FRIED TOFU 
	(this is from a free recipe card I found at the health food store)

Cut into pieces about 1/2 in. X 1/2 in. X 1 1/2 in.:

	1 lb firm or frozen,thawed tofu (I have always used frozen, but you
				     could try it with just plain firm tofu)
Heat in a good-sized frying pan on medium-high heat:

	3 to 4 T safflower oil (i usually only use 1 T)

Add tofu and saute for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly. Reduce heat, add:

	1/4 t garlic powder
	1/2 t paprika
	2 T soy sauce

and stir a minute or 2 more (some of the say sauce may burn, unavoidably).
Remove tofu to serving dish and plce in a low oven to keep warm.
To cook the vegetables: clean the frying pan, place on medium-hig heat and add:

	3 to 4 T butter or marg.

When the butter is melted, add

	6 medium onions, sliced

and stir for 5 minutes or until they start to become clear. Add

	12 oz. mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)
	1/4 t each thyme and sage
	1/2 t salt (optional)
	1/2 t paprika

Cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes or so. Add

	3 to 4 T nutritional yeast (not optional!)

and stir until mixed in, then mix in

	1 1/2 c minced leaf parsley
	1 T soy sauce

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for another 5-10 minutes or until veggies are
tender... stirring a few times and adding water if needed to keep from burning.
When veggies are tender, place on top of fried tofu ad serve. Makes 4 - 6
servings. To save time, you can prepare the tofu and veggies simultaneously in
2 pans. Start the veggies first  in that case.

TOFU NOODLES ROMANOV

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook in boiling water until tender, then drain

	1 lb. whole wheat noodles (macaroni works well)

Blanch, by dropping in boiling water for 2 minutes

	1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, whole or sliced

Combine

	1 C Tofu, mashed (1/2 lb)
	1 C sour cream
	1/2 C regular or tofu mayonnaise
	1 C cheese, Swiss or cheddar, grated
	3 T grated onion
	1/4 t garlic powder
	1-2 t soy sauce
	salt - optional

Oil a casserole or baking dish and sprinkle with 

	1/4 C wheat germ

place noodles in the dish, arrange mushrooms and

	6-8 artichoke hearts (optional; it may be good but I never used them)

on top. Cover with the tofu mixture, sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake for
about 40 minutes. When I made this, I would use macaroni (ww or a combination
or ww, semolina, and vegetable) and just mix the noodles, mushrooms, and tofu
mixture together and bake.

    I typed these in once, and the network died off and lost them....
    
    Szechuan Bean Curd
    
    4 T oil
    1 small slice ginger, chopepd fine
    1/2 scallion, chopped fine
    4 oz pork, minced
    2 T dark soy sauce
    1 T sherry
    4 pieces fresh bean curd
    1/2 c chicken stock
    1 t chili paste with garlic
    1/8 t sugar
    1 1/2 t cornstarch dissolved in 1 T water
    1 clove garlic, chopped very fine
    
    Heat 2 T oil in wok.  Stir-fry ginger and scallion 30 seconds. 
    Add pork.  Stir-fry one minute.  Add 1 T soy sauce and sherry. 
    Cook one minute.  Remove to plate.
    Heat 2 T oil in wok.  Pour in bean curd.  Add 1 T soy sauce, stock,
    chili paste with garlic, and sugar.
    Put prok mixture on top of bean curd.  Cook over high heat 2 minutes.
    Add dissolved cornstarch to thicken.  Add garlic.  Stir gently into
    sauce.

    Ma-Po Tofu
    
    3-4 c cubed bean curd
    1/3 - 1/2 lb fatty prok, chopped up
    3-5 T finely chopped fresh ginger
    1/4 c chopped green onion
    1-2 T hot bean sauce
    1 c pork or chicken stock
    seasonings, mix in a cup:
    	2-3 T cornstarch with 4-6 T water
    	(salt)
    	1 T rice wine or dry sherry
    	1 T soy sauce
    1/2 t ground Szechuan pepper
    4-5 T cooking oil
    optional ingredients you can add with the bean sauce:
    	2 T finely chopped garlic
    	1 t fermented black beans
    	2-3 dried or fresh mushrooms, sliced or chopped
    	6-8 pieces of wood ear, soaked and sliced
    	1 T sesame oil
    
    You can boil the bean curd first until it floats, if you want, to
    make it firmer, especially if it is the Japanese kind.
    Heat 4-5 T oil in wok and cook pork.  Add hot bean sauce, stir,
    and add ginger.  Cook until the pork takes on the red color of the
    bean sauce.  Add stock or water.  Add bean curd (carefully) and
    stir.  Cook down liquid a little.  Then add seasonings and green
    onion.  Sprinkle with Szechuan pepper when serving.

    Home-Style Bean Curd
    
    3-4 c cubed bean curd
    1/4 - 1/2 lb pork, cut into bite-size pieces, rolled in
    1 t (dry) cornstarch
    1-2 T hot bean sauce
    1-2 green onions, cut into 1 inch lengths or chopped
    1 t finely chopped ginger
    1 T coarsely chopped garlic
    1 t fermented black beans
    seasonings, mixed in a cup:
    	1 T rice wine or dry sherry
    	2 T soy sauce
    	(salt)
    	1/2 t sugar
    	1 c pork or chicken stock (or water)
    1 T cornstarch mixed with 2 T water
    about 1 1/4 c oil
    
    Heat 1 c oil in wok and slowly deep-fry bean curd pieces until golden
    brown.  Remove and drain, and clean wok.  Heat 6 T oil in wok and
    cook pork until white.  Add ginger, garlic, and hot bean sauce,
    and cook a few seconds.  Then add the seasonings and stir.  Then
    carefully add the tofu, the scallions, and the fermented black beans.
    Reduce heat to low and simmer until the liquid has cooked down a
    little.  Then add the cornstarch and water mixture.

    I like just throwing in cubes of smoked tofu (mmmm...) with
    chinese-style veggies I've stir-fried in oil with grated ginger...
    
    anyone else tried smoked tofu? It's fairly widely-available in health
    food shops here in the UK.
    
    John.
     








                                    
    

< Note 322.19 by IOSG::DAVEY >
>                           -< smoked tofu, anyone? >-
>    anyone else tried smoked tofu? It's fairly widely-available in health
>    food shops here in the UK.

I think Erewhon (a "health" food supplier with a few stores in New England and 
distribution elsewhere) sells it, I think, in their stores. Otherwise, a 
chinese grocery.

I've never had it... have to check this out!

Your's in bean curd,

-Scott

       Here's the world's easiest tofu recipe for those who actually
    like the taste of the tofu itself...
    
       Cut the tofu into mouth-sized pieces and heat it up.
    
       Mix mayonnaise and shoyu (soy sauce) to make a light tan sauce.
    Keep tasting as you add the shoyu, don't make it too strong!!
    
       Eat the tofu with a dab of sauce!!  Simple, and it makes a great
    side dish.  Everyone I've served it to thought it was a weird idea,
    but they all liked it in the end.
    
       An aside, ROKA's in Boston (near the AUDITORIUM T-stop) sells
    all kinds of Japanese food.  I'm sure they have good tofu.
    
    Cherry 

******************************  Tofu-Lentil Pie ******************************

Line (1) large quiche dish, large pie plate, or 2 smaller ones, with pastry
crust.
Trim crust 1/2 " beyond edge; flute edge high.  Bake in a 450 degree
oven for 10 minutes; set aside.

2 c. cooked lentils
1/3 c. chopped green pepper
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 pound tofu, drained and cut in chunks
2 eggs ( or equivalent amount of Egg Replacer)
1/2 c. lowfat (1%) cottage cheese
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 T. parsley flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

Season cooked lentils with the salt.  Add the green
pepper and tomato paste.  Spoon this mixture into the baked
pastry shell.

In blender, place tofu chunks, eggs, cottage cheese, onion,
parsley flakes, and minced garlic.  Cover and blend until smooth.  
Pour mixture over lentil layer in pastry shell.

Bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  Garnish with additional green peppers
if desired. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Servings: 8

                 How to cook Lentils

Boiling Method:
---------------

Bring 6 c. of water to a boil.  Add 2 c. sorted and washed dry
lentils.  Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 1 hour or until soft,
stirring 3 or 4 times during cooking.  When done, remove from
heat and let it cool and thicken. 


Pressure Cooker Method:
-----------------------

Place 6 c. of water in pressure cooker (do not use tray in cooker).
Add 2 c. sorted and washed dry lentils.  When cooker is up to
pressure, time for 20 minutes, then turn off the burner and let
cooker pressure come down before opening.  After opening, let it
cool and thicken.


If necessary, grapenuts can be added to thicken the lentils to
desired consistency.

Finished product should be about the consistency of cooked oatmeal.

Yields: 6 cups of cooked lentils, ready to use in other recipes.

			Oil Crust

1 1/2 cups white flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil
7 1/2 T. water

Sift together  flour  and  salt.  Pour  vegetable  oil  and  cold water into
measuring  cup  and  add all at once to the flour mixture. Stir lightly with
fork.  

Roll dough  between  two  sheets  of  waxed  paper.  (First dampen the table
slightly  so  paper  won't  slip.) Peel off top sheet of waxed paper and fit
dough,  paper  side  up, into pie plate. If using two pie plates, divide the
dough before rolling.

Yield: 1 large, or two 9-inch pie shells.

    Here's a recipe I tried the other night, I never thought I'd like 
    tofu, but this is really good!
    
    Any more tofu recipes out there?
    
      Conni
    
    
    
		    SWEET AND SOUR VEGGIES WITH TOFU


	1 pound tofu cakes, pressed

     Sauce:

	6 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
	1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar or honey
	1/4 cup tomato paste or catsup
	3 Tbsp tamari sauce
	1 1/2 tsp grated fresh gingerroot
	
     Veggies:

	3 Tbsp vegetable oil
	3 cups thinly sliced onions
	2 medium carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced 1/4 inch thick
	1 Tbsp grated fresh gingerroot
	1/2 pound green beans, trimmed (whole if small or cut into
		3 inch pieces)
	1 large sweet red or green pepper, cored, seeded, sliced lengthwise
	4 cups (1 pound) sliced mushrooms
	4 cups (1 1/2 pounds) thinly sliced zucchini rounds
	3/4 cup fresh or drained canned pineapple chunks (optional)
	1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup pineapple juice, vegetable
		stock or water
	Hot chili oil (optional)
	2 green onions, thinly sliced

	1.  Prepare tofu.  To press tofu, place cakes between 2 flat plates
		or baking sheets.  Weight top with bowl of water, stack of
		plates or heavy can.  The sides of the tofu should bulge a
		little, but not split.  Let stand for at least 30 minutes.
		Remove tofu and discard water.
	2.  Prepare sauce:  stir together vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste,
		tamari and gingerroot.  Prepare all vegetables before you
		begin to stir fry.
	3.  Heat oil in wok, large dutch oven or large skillet.  Add onion
		and and stir fry over medium high heat until translucent.
	4.  Add carrots and gingerroot and continue cooking for 3-4 min.
	5.  Add beans and cook 2 more minutes.
	6.  Add pepper and cook 2 more minutes.
	7.  Stir in mushrooms and zucchini.
	8.  Reduce heat and cover wok and cook, stirring once or twice,
		until veggies are tender but still crips, about 7 minutes.
	9.  Stir in pineapple chunks, if you wish, and tofu, sauce and
		dissolved cornstarch.
	10. Bring to boiling, lower heat and simmer, stirring gently, for
		3-4 minutes or until thickened slightly.  If a hot and spicy
		dish is desired, add a few dashes chili oil.  
	11. Serve at once over cooked rice or noodles.  Top with sliced
		green onion.

	Makes 6 servings.

Quickie:

Freeze tofu cakes at least overnight.  Defrost and then break into chunks
(it will look a little like white hamburger chunks).  Create your favorite
chile, adding 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and ELIMINATING ALL MEAT....
Use the tofu instead.  VOILLA!  Chile for cholesterol watchers.  Try it
and see - it tastes delicious and is a nice break from fish, chicken, and
more fish.

Freezing and then defrosting the tofu changes the texture and makes it
really "chewable".

				D

    My girlfriend just gave me a recipe for Tofu ice cream.  I have
    yet to try it, but she loves it.  Here it is:
    
    1 Container of Firm Tofu
    2 - 3 Cups Pineapple juice (to taste)
    Small can of Crushed Pineapple
    1 - 2 Envelopes of Sweetner
    Tsp. or Tbsp. of Vanilla Extract (Again to taste)
    Dash of Almond Extract
    Sprinkle of Cinnamon
    Dash of Nutmeg
    
    Mix all together and freeze.
    
   
    

    	Of all the foods I eat, the hardest one to explain to my friends
    is tofu.  "You mean you eat that slimy, bland mass of curdled soybean
    milk?  How do you milk a soybean, anyway?" they ask me (with their
    eyes).
    
    	The presidential election didn't help matters much either, what with
    Bush calling Dukakis a tofu-eater and all.  Even when Dukakis finally
    came out and said that he was proud to be a tofu-eater, the message
    had already come across to the American public.  To eat tofu is
    to live in shame.
              
    
    HOW TO MAKE A BLAND, SLIMY MASS OF CURDLED SOYMILK INTO FOOD
    			(and good food at that)
    
    	Take yer basic EXTRA-FIRM hunk 'o tofu.  I use Nasoya (New England
    brand), but only because I can't get Cathay anymore.  If anyone
    knows where to get Cathay brand tofu, post it here.  Whatever tofu
    you use, make sure that it is EXTRA-FIRM and top-quality.  It makes
    a big difference.
    
    	Put the tofu in your freezer.  I don't even open the package it
    comes in first.  Let it freeze completely.  What this does is to create
    needle-like ice crystals all through the tofu, which gives it either a
    chewy, appetizing, food-like texture, or turns it into a crumbling
    block of curdled soymilk (this happens only if you bought wimpy tofu.
    Start again.)
    
    	Next, defrost the tofu.  It's simplest and best just to leave it out
    overnight, but if you can't plan ahead that far you can just dump the
    frozen tofu into a pot of simmmering water.  You might want to dissolve
    the ice on the outside of the tofu by running hot tapwater over it.

    	The next step is to try and squeeze as much water out of the
    tofu as humanly possible without breaking the tofu.  Incidentally,
    the tofu should be much more spongy and cohesive than it was before
    freezing.  Now, chop the tofu up into whatever size pieces you feel like.
    Try squeezing more water out of the pieces.
    
    	Although the tofu has texture, we are still missing that critical
    element that graces so many highly acclaimed dishes:  taste.  To
    add some taste to your tofu, you can make a marinade.  Here's what
    I use:
    
    	Cumin
    	Soy Sauce
    	Mustard Powder
    	Honey
    	Garlic
    	Oregano
    	Red Pepper
    	Cumin
    	dash of vinegar
    	celery salt
    	a packet of onion broth
    	thyme
    	PAPRIKA!!! (tons and tons...try sweet Hungarian paprika
    		if you can find it)
    	whatever else I can get my hands on.
    
    	Yes, but there's a method to my madness.  Anyway, you might
    want to cook the conncoction to let the spices flow.  Brew it STRONG,
    as it should be enough to flavor all your tofu.  It should have
    little liquid volume, though.
    
    	Put half of your tofu into a bowl.  Drizzle half the liquid
    over the tofu.  Repeat.  Press down on the tofu with your fists,
    so the marinade gets expelled, mixed around, and sucked up again.
    Keep doing that until your tofu is evenly flavored.
    
    	The best next thing (as opposed to the next best thing) to do
    with your tofu is to deep fry it in HOT oil.  Fry it until it begs for
    mercy, but before it gets really crunchy.  Even if it gets crunchy, it
    may possibly be rescued, as long it it doesn't get burnt.  You have
    to develop a feel for these things.  Oh, you're striving for CHEWY
    here.
    
    	When you decide it's done, or your family starts wailing from
    hunger, fish the tofu out of the oil and put it between several
    layers of paper towels.  Squeeze as much oil as you can out of the
    tofu.  You may want to use another set of fresh paper towels.  Spongy
    tofu can hold a lot of oil, but at least it isn't particularly attached
    to it.  Sorry about the rain forests, guys (really!)
    
    	Now you can use it in things like:
    
    Tofu, broccoli and ginger sauce over rice.  Fresh ginger and lots
    of it is an important point.  Also, lots of sherry.  Use soy sauce
    and garlic (I don't have to say fresh here, do I?) to taste, thickening
    the sauce with corn starch.  Start with the liquid ingredients first,
    then add the already cooked broccoli, and add the tofu just before
    serving, unless it's really crunchy.  If the tofu's really crunchy, let
    it sit until it turns chewy.
    
    Tofu, mushrooms, onions in a tomato-based sauce with CINAMMON (yes,
    cinnammmon) over rice or noodles.  MMMMMMM.  Fry up the onions, then
    the mushrooms, add tomato (no spaghetti sauce here, folks), some
    garlic, whatever, CINNNNAMMMMMMON (mmmmmmm), then add the tofu, wait scant
    seconds and serve.
    
    Tofu chile.  For those macho customers who like their bean curd.
    Throw in traditional chile ingredients (plus some cocoa powder -
    yeah, it sounds like topping off a chile with ice cream, but it
    really works).  Include fresh garlic, fresh jalepen~os, fresh beans
    (don't even think of using dried or canned beans!  Heh, heh.  Just
    kidding.)  Immediately before serving, add the tofu, and dig in,
    pard'ner.  Don't be suprised if you here angels singing.

        
    	Basically, you can use this specially treated tofu in place
    of meat anywhere.  I've feed it to dedicated carnivores who thought
    they preferred syrup of Ipecap to tofu, and they loved it (the tofu).
    The important thing to remember is not to add the tofu until the
    very end.  Otherwise, it loses that wonderful chewiness.  Sigh.

    
        
    Haven't eaten meat in over seven years, and going strong!
    
    P.S.  I'm leaving for good (or worse) a week from now, so reply
    	  with that it mind.
    
    P.P.S.  Did I win the Dave Barry write-a-like contest?  Huh?
    
    P.P.P.S.  As far as I know, soybeans reproduce asexually.
    

    Taken from House Beautiful, 1/89     
    
    Crust:
    11 whole graham crackers             1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
     2 tablespoons unsalted butter       1 egg white
     1 tablespoon brown sugar or
        mild honey
    
    Filling:
     12 ounces very fresh, soft tofu   1/4 teaspoon finely ground sea
    1/4 cups mile honey                     salt or kosher salt
      2 large eggs                       8 ounces semisweet chocolate,
      1 teaspoon vanilla                    melted
    1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
    
    MAKE CRUST: in a food processor blend all ingredients until crumbly.
    Lightly oil a 9-inch pie plate; press mixture evenly into pie plate.
    Set aside.
    
    MAKE FILLING; in a food processor blend all ingredients except
    chocolate until smooth.  Genly pour mixture into crust.
    
    Gently pour chocolate in concentric circles on top of cake.  Draw
    the tip of a knife through the circles, from outher edge to center.
    Bake in a preheated 325 oven, 25 to 30 minutes or until firm and
    set in the center.
    
    Serves 12, 175 calories per slice.

    This might have come from Bon Appetit, but I'm not sure.  Can be
    made ahead and is for the microwave.  Makes 8 servings.
    
    Tofu and Spinach Stuffed Shells with Tomato Sauce
    
    3 cups tomato sauce
    4 garlic cloves, minced
    1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled
    1 and 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
    1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
    Salt and pepper
    
    1 pound tofu, drained and mashed
    1 pound mozzarella cheese, grated
    1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
    1 egg, beaten to blend
    2 teaspoons dried basil
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    1 16 ounce box large pasta shells, freshly cooked
    Grated Parmesan
    
    Combine first 5 ingredients, season with salt and pepper, set aside.
    
    Combine tofu, mozzarella, spinach, egg, basil and oregano.  Place
    approximately 2 tablespoons filling in each shell.  Transfer to
    non-metal baking dish.  Pour sauce over.  Sprinkle with Parmesan.
    Microwave on high 2 to 4 minutes or until heated through.
    
    Terry
    

    This recipe is from "The Classic Chinese Cookbook" by Mai Leung.
    I make this all the time (without the 'shrooms) and I love it! 
    It's also a good way to introduce people to tofu; use part of a
    block for the soup and the rest with sweet and sour veggies w/tofu
    (recipe courtesy of this file!), and I use one chicken breast, then
    the rest for some type of spicy chicken dish.  Also, I only use
    5 tiger lily buds and remove them before serving the soup.
    
    
    Hot and Sour Soup
    
    10 dried tiger lily buds, soak in hot water for 15 minutes
    2 tablespoons cloud ears, soak in plenty of hot water for 15 minutes
    4 cups chicken broth
    6 ounces lean pork or chicken breast cut into matchstick strips
    1/2 cup tofu cut into thin strips
    1/4 cup bamboo shoots cut into matchstick strips
    6 Chinese dried mushrooms, soak in hot water until spongy, discard
    stems, cut caps into thin strips.
    
    Sauce Mixture (mix in bowl ahead of time)
    
       1 tablespoon thin soy sauce
       1/4 tsp MSG (optional)
       1/4 teaspoon sugar
       3/4 teaspoon salt
    
    
    2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
    1 egg, beat until slightly foamy
    
    Vinegar and pepper mixture (put in a big serving bowl ahead of time)
    
    3 tablespoons Chinese red vinegar
    1/2 teaspoon gound white pepper
    2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
    
    2 scallions, cut into pea-sized pieces
    
    
    1.  Pinch off tough parts of soaked tiger lily buds and cloud ears.
     Tear into halves lengthwise, set aside.
    
    2.  Bring broth to a boil, add pork or chicken, tofu, bamboo shoots,
    lily buds, cloud ears and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes.
    
    3.  Stir in sauce mixture and cornstarch water.  Stir and cook until
    soup boils gently.
    
    4.  Slowly swirl in the beaten egg, turn off heat immediately and
    *do not stir*.  After egg sets slightly, stir to mix.
    
    5.  Put into serving bowl containing vinegar, pepper and oil.  Add
    scallions. 
    

    These recipes were on the inside of a package of Azumaya brand tofu.
    It also said for more recipes to send a self addressed envelope to:
    
    Consumer Services
    Azumaya, Inc.
    1575 Burke Ave.
    San Francisco, CA 94124
    
    It didn't say "stamped" self-addressed envelope, but I haven't gotten
    mine, yet!
    
    
    Tofu Onion Dip
    
    1 pound soft (Kinugoshi) tofu
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1/4 cup sour cream or mayonnaise
    1 package dry onion soup mix
    
    In blender, combine tofu, juice, sour cream.  Blend until smooth.
    Stir in onion soup mix.  Refrigerate 2 hours to bland flavors. 
    Makes 2 cups.
    
    
    Tofu Verde Sauce
    
    1 pound soft (Kinugoshi) tofu
    1/4 cup salad oil
    2 tablespoons wine vinegar
    1 bunch spinach, cooked and drained
    1/4 cup parsley
    3 green onions with tops
    1/2 teaspoon tarragon
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    
    In blender combine tofu, oil and vinegar, blend until smooth.
    Finely chop spinach, onion and parsley; add to tofu with salt and
    tarragon.  Blend until a bright green color.  Refrigerate. 
    Use to dress salads or as a sauce for fish.  Makes 3 &1/2 cups.
    
    
    Chocolate Pudding or Mousse
    
    1 pound soft tofu
    1/4 cup salad oil
    3/4 cup granulated sugar
    1/4 cup cocoa
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    
    Blend all ingredients intil smooth and creamy.  Pour into individual
    serving dishes and chill until firm.  Yield 2 cups.
    
    Terry
    

    I had a tofu salade at a chinese restaurant in Hudson Nh. It was
    excellant. They grated dried tofu with carrots and cucumbers Ithink and
    added a spicy sause.
    
    The texture of the dried tofu was kind of like 'toast'. It wasn't chewy
    or anything like that. But in that texture, there were a lot of recipes
    I could think of to put the tofu in. So does anyone know either where
    to buy dried tofu or how to dry it yourself?
         
    Thanks,
    
    Hannah

    Was it dried or baked.  Tufu in a 350 oven for 20-25 minutes will
    come out brown and dryer.  I suspect that 30-40 minutes would make it
    pretty crusty.
    
    kevin
    

    So, why is tofu good for you?  If you're not a vegetarian, that is, and
    already have access to sources of complete protein.  Is it supposed to
    have some special healthful properties?  
    
    -ellie

    It is a cholesterol-free protein source.
    It is a low/no fat protein source depending on how you prepare it.
    
    If fats concern you, you might consider it.  If you don't care about
    your fat consumption, <next note>.
    
    ed
    

    I am concerned about fat.  That's why I ask.  In my book on fat
    content, 1/2 cup of tofu contains 12 grams of fat.  That's about the
    same amount as 1/2 cup of "real" ice cream.  This is not surprising,
    since soy beans are one of the few vegetables that contain substantial
    amounts of fat - 1/2 cup of raw soy beans contains 7+ grams of fat, as
    compared to all other beans, for which the fat content of 1/2 cup is
    0.4 grams.  So this is not low fat, by any means.  Low cholesterol,
    yes, but even at that, the latest wisdom from the nutrition police is
    that fat is fat, and cutting cholesterol does not do a lot of good in
    itself unless total fat intake is reduced.  
    
    So, why is it particularly good for you?  
    
    -ellie

    is the fat saturated or unsaturated?
    
    ed

    It is unsaturated.  As I said, this stuff is low in cholesterol, but it
    is not low in fat.  I have to admit, I was disappointed to find this. 
    I had always thought that tofu was low fat....  8^(
    
    -ellie

    You compared the fat in tofu with that in ice cream. Is this tofu ice
    cream or tofu in general. Just wondering...
    
    	Marty Sasaki

    re .38
    
    Tofu in general.  This info is from a chart of fat contents of various
    foods.  The fat content I listed was for plain, unfried tofu.  Fried
    was *much* higher, but I can't remember the exact amount.  I don't
    know the statistics for tofu ice cream.
    
    Given this info, I have to think that tofu got the reputation of being
    good for you because it is a source of protein for vegetarians.  But I
    can't see where it's any better for you than any other non-junk food.
    
    -ellie

    Some info from The Book of Tofu by Shurtleff and Aoyagi:
    
            Protein Quantity
    
                            Percent Protein
          Food                by Weight
    Cheeses			30
    Fish			22
    Chicken			21
    Beef (steak)		20
    Cottage cheese		20
    Whole-wheat flour		13
    Hamburger			13
    Eggs			13
    Tofu			8-11
    Brown rice (uncooked)	6
    Milk (whole)		3
    	
           Protein Quality
       (Net Protein Utilization)
    
     Food                      NPU
    Eggs			94
    Fish			80
    Cottage cheese		75
    Brown rice			70
    Cheeses			70
    Wheat germ			67
    Beef and hamburger		67
    Oatmeal			66
    Tofu			65
    Chicken			65
    Peanuts			43
    Lentils			30
    
                 Composition of Nutrients in 100 grams of Tofu
    
    			    Chinese-style Kinogushi Deep
    			Tofu	Tofu	  (silken)  Fried Grilled
    Calories		72      87         53	     105    82
    Moisture percent    84.9	79.3	   88.4       79    83
    Protein percent	 7.8	10.6	    5.5       10.1  8.8
    Fat percent		 4.3	 5.3	    3.2        7    5.1
    Sugars percent	 2.3	 2.9	    1.7        2.8  2.1
    Fiber percent	  0       0          0          0    0
    
    "Tofu is an excellent food to use in combining proteins since it
    contains an abundance of lysine, an essential amino acid that is
    decicient in many grain products. . .Thus soy and grain proteins,
    having exactly the opposite strengths and weaknesses, complement each
    other.  By serving foods such as tofu and whole-grain bread or rice at
    the same meal and combining them in the correct ratios [about 1 to 4],
    we are able, in effect, to "create" new protein at no extra cost.'
    
    "Tofu is unique among high protein foods in being low in calories and
    saturated fats and entirely free of cholesterol.'
    
    "Tofu is an excellent source of calcium. . .[it] is also a food source
    of other minerals, such as iron, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium, of
    essential B vitamins, and of choline and fat-soluble vitamin E. [Note: 
    if you replace dairy milk with soy milk for children, add extra calcium
    by mixing the soy milk with sesame butter.]
    
    Laura

    Well, *I'm* dissappointed! I didn't know that tofu had any fat in it.
    I was using it as a replacement for meat in my  lunches and to help in
    the quest to lose some weight. Now I will have to find something else.
    
    Hannah

RE: .41

For weight reduction purposes, the most important factor is the number of
calories.  The percentage from fat or carbohydrate or protein doesn't really
matter.

--PSW

>For weight reduction purposes, the most important factor is the number of
>calories.  The percentage from fat or carbohydrate or protein doesn't really
>matter.

according to recent studies, this is not entirely true.  Apparently, the
body will "gain" or "hold" weight more redily if the diet is high-fat,
even though the calorie burn is adequate.  In short, the wisest diet is
still the complex-carb rich, low-fat menu with a reasonable calorie limit.

RE: .43

Tofu is still likely to be better than meat for a weight reduction diet.
After all, one must get one's protein from somewhere.

--PSW

>>Tofu is still likely to be better than meat for a weight reduction diet.
>>After all, one must get one's protein from somewhere.

	One can get one's protein from many sources other than tofu,
	many of which contain less fat.  I believe that's the point.

	Di

    I recently attended a seminar given by a dietician associated with a
    medical clinic where he stated 3,000 calories of vegetables 
    will promote weight loss, and 3,000 calories of high-fat food will 
    promote weight gain.  It wasn't the calorie count so much as the fat 
    percentage of calories.  He also stated that "no fat" diets are 
    extremely dangerous. 
    FWIW

unless a diet is purely vegan, and only a narrow range of vegetables and
fruits, at that, it is virtually impossible to get a true no-fat diet.
Grains like wheat and oats, vegetables and many fruits contain fats...a
well-balanced diet with no ADDED fat will roll out to between 15% and 20%
fat...a good balance for health.  Even if you do not eat flesh of any kind.
If you add even a small amount of animal/fish flesh to the diet, the fat
percentages can go as high as 30% fat....depending on your choices of
flesh and grains.

Therefore, a true no-fat diet is unhealthy...it is also a very unbalanced
way of eating that would cost the body in many ways.  A no-fat-added,
well-balanced diet with no or very little flesh-sourced protein is a very
healthy way to live.  The New Pritikin Diet (paperback) is a good place
to learn about a healthy diet.

re .-1:

Right.  You need fat to absorb certain important vitamins.  Plus, recent studies
indicate that ingesting fat helps to supress the "hungry feeling".

re .-2

Right.  Notice however that they said "promote weight gain/loss" and not "you
will lose/gain".  The bottom line is calories, as PSW said.  If a body needs
1000 calories a day to maintain, and you give it 3000 a day, it will have an
extra 2000 to deal with.  In the absence of exercise, this will turn into about
4 pouns of fat per week.  That is the truth, no matter what the 3000 calories
per day is made of.   However, with exercise, a healthy diet is always better
for losing weight.

    
    on the Weight Watchers diet plan, one portion of protein
    is equivalent to 1oz lean meat (red meat, chicken, fish etc) or
    3oz Tofu.
    
    Monica
    

    The simple formula that says 3500 calories of intake = 1 pound of
    weight has been shown to be too simple by *many* researchers over the
    past 10 to 12 years.  You may choose to still believe it if you want,
    but you are doing yourself a disservice if you are trying to lose
    weight.  One of the most important facts discovered is that your body
    uses differing amounts of energy in digesting different foods.  Complex
    carbohydrates are digested at about 60% efficiency, i.e. for every 100
    calories ingested, 40 calories are used in digesting the food.  For
    fats, the efficiency is 98% -- for every 100 calories eaten, 2 are used
    in digestion.  
    
    This info is from a NY Times nutrition article published last year. 
    The article went on to say that fat is almost immediately deposited in
    fat cells, and is not used for energy directly.  
    
    We should probably take this discussion to ASICS::WEIGHT_CONTROL...
                                                                    

Yes, weight loss is infinitely more complicated than a simple caloric equation.
For example, if caloric intake goes down, there's a tendency for the body to
slow down its metabolism and burn less calories to compensate.  The best
weight reduction plans are those that reduce the number of available calories
while at the same time "tricking" the body into keeping the caloric burn rate
high.

That being said, fretting over the exact percentage of fat in tofu usually is
less productive than an overall reduction in caloric intake or increase in
exercise.  That's why I referred to it as a micro-optimization in an earlier
reply.  Walk an extra mile a day and you won't have to worry about the tofu.

--PSW

    re .-1
    
    Yes, I agree.  What I take issue with is the title of this note -- Tofu
    good for you.  Foods are "good" for differing reasons, and we can use
    different foods in our diets for different purposes.  One might be a 
    good source of protein, another a good source of calcium, and another a 
    good source of iron.  Blindly saying "mumble" is good for you is sloppy
    thinking.
    
    -ellie

That's really true. I was going to joke that "a balanced diet is good
for you" is always true, but even that's relative, depending on your
body's specific requirements. What may be balanced for a 2-year-old
would have too much fat for a 35-year-old. Still, *balance* is the best
rule of thumb when deciding what to eat.

    going further down the rat hole (forgive me moderator):
    
    There's fat and there's fat, as you well know.
    
    As in unsaturated (eg safflower), monosaturated (eg olive), and
    saturated (eg meat, coconut, and palm).  Since soy oil  is unsaturated
    (I assume), the fat in tofu is probably unsaturated  as well.  
    
    Weight loss issues aside, current dietary recommendations stress a diet
    with proportionaly little saturated fat and high ratios of unsaturated
    and monos, to meet the total fat quotient in the diet.  Thus, even if
    tofu is has more fat per gram than, say, some kinds of beef, the fat it
    contains is considered healthier for the most part.  These
    recommendations have to do with prevention of heart disease and cancer.
    
    My personal belief is that radical weight loss diets are ineffectual
    and harmful in the long term, because they promote seesawing.  Just
    look at Oprah Winfrey.  A moderate diet and adequate exercise are the
    keys to both weight loss and overall health.  Eating a moderate diet is
    also conducive to mental serenity and self-esteem, the biggest factors
    in health and appearance.
    
    Tofu is quite delicious when thoughtfully prepared.  It is an esteemed
    and traditional food in China and Japan.  Mainland Chinese on
    traditional diets have been proven to be much healthier than Americans,
    including those of Chinese ancestry.  
    
    Laura

Flame on.

>    My personal belief is that radical weight loss diets are ineffectual
>    and harmful in the long term, because they promote seesawing.  Just
>    look at Oprah Winfrey. 

My personal belief is that people who use Oprah Winfrey's problem as proof 
positive that radical weight loss diets are ineffectual or promote specific
behavior are dreadfully lacking in common sense.

Flame off.

    Yup, musn't generalize from a specific case...
    
    ed

    
    Is this the WEIGHTLOSS conference ?  Seriously however, the body stores
    fat as fat.  If you want to achieve/maintain a lower weight, it's
    really a matter of changing your lifestyle.  Try to eliminate high 
    saturated fatty foods from your diet, and _exercise_.  If you want to 
    know what % of calories for a given food item come from fat, the 
    following formula is helpful.  Since 1 gram of fat = 9 calories, you
    multiply the total grams fat x 9, divide by total calories, and
    multiply times 100 to get the total percentage of calories from fat.
    
    grams_fat x 9/total_calories = % of calories_from_fat
    
    For example, a cereal box says 6g fat, and 130 calories per serving.
    
    6 x 9 = 54
    
    54/130 = .415 x 100 = 41.5 % of the calories come from fat.
    
    I try to stick with foods that have a low percentage of calories from
    fat.  Diets also reduce your metabolism to account for reduced caloric
    intake, when you start to eat again as you did before dieting, the body's
    reduced metabolism causes you to gain weight even faster than before.
    Only exercise and proper diet will allow you to lose weight and keep it
    off.
    
    On an aside, hot chilis can increase your metabolism by as much as 25%,
    and help your body burn off excess calories faster.  
    
    Of course, these are merely my opinions on the matter, I certainly make
    no claim to being an expert in such things. 
    
    Let's see, we were talking about Tofu weren't we ?
    
    Larry
    
    

    Yes, we should probably take this to weight_control.  8^)  
    
    But, Larry, the point you made about hot chili peppers is fascinating. 
    Care to elaborate?
    
    -ellie

    
    Ellie,
    
     I have the documentation about the chili peppers at home, and I will
    enter it for you, rather than guess at the content.  I love 'em
    regardless ... they also help to clear your sinuses with a naturally
    occuring decongestant (capsicum).
    
    Larry

    
    I placed my reply about chili peppers in topic 12 (12.1).  It seems 
    to be a more appropriate place. Sorry I got a bit carried away, but
    I decided to include some of the other benefits of chilis as well.
    
    Larry