Tofu is one mysterious meal that new vegans bump into and end up wondering just what it is. This is why we start off by defining it.
What is Tofu?
A very rich source of protein, tofu is made by curdling soy milk and compressing them into blocks just the way cheese is made from dairy milk. It is usually white in color and is also commonly known as bean curd. This is how tofu is made:
Quite honestly, I find that although Indian vegan eat-outs are there, you should be ready to pay an arm and a leg just for a ghee-free meal that you can easily fix from the comfort of your kitchen.
Tofu is a uniquely versatile food which rather than having a flavor of its own, sucks up the flavors of the ingredients of the recipe you will be using at the time. If you have never tried it in stir fries, sauces, or sandwich or burger fillings, you are missing out a great deal.
Tofu originated from China 2000 years back and was introduced to other countries like Korea, Japan and to other parts of the world. Quite interestingly, it was discovered by happenstance when a Chinese cook added nigari seaweed to soy milk and watched it glop up.
There are many different types of tofu. However, the most common ones include:
- Silken tofu – can be soft, firm, or extra firm
- Regular tofu
- Dry tofu
- Processed tofu
- Fermented tofu include stinky and pickled tofu
- Fried tofu
- Frozen tofu
There is just too many of them, more than what we have mentioned here.
Looking at its nutritional value, tofu is amazingly low in calories and fats and packs proteins, iron, amino acids and calcium no wonder its popularity has succeeded in going beyond vegan and vegetarian.
Here is a simple Bulgogi Style Tofu recipe you should try.
How do you like your tofu?
