By Enid Donaldson-Mignotte, Contributor
WHILE MEAT and dairy
products form the main
protein sources in Western diets, soybeans have for centuries served the function in the East.
Although each country has a
distinctive name for it -- dowfu in Cantonese, tubu in Korean etc., some English speakers call it bean curd or vegetable cheese. However, this is not entirely correct. Tofu is made from soybean curds which are pressed and drained to be made into Tofu which is also known as meat of the fields or meat without bone.
Tofu is mild, delicate, and almost tasteless. Tofu can be used in a wide variety of ways, enhancing dressings, sauces, salads, soups, egg dishes,
dairy substitutes casserole and
Oriental cuisine.
It can be parboiled, fried, pressed, squeezed, crumbled, drained or reshaped. It can be eaten raw or frozen, substituted for cottage cheese in some dishes and used as an ingredient in Oriental recipes calling for bean curd.
Its use is limited only by the imagination and inventiveness of the cook.
Here are some recipes you could try.
Sweet & Sour Tofu
2 lbs. Tofu cut into 1/2 inch slices
Make a marinade using
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tsps. honey
2 tbsps. fresh ginger root, minced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsps. vinegar or lemon juice
1 medium onion diced small
METHOD
Let tofu slices stand in marinade 2 hours. Drain and reserve marinade. Dip the tofu slices in a mixture of
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Brown the floured slices in 1/4 cup oil, adding more as necessary. Reduce heat, pour in reserved marinade and simmer 10 minutes.
Serves 6-8
Scrambled Tofu
2 sweet peppers
4 escallions
1 onion
1/2 oz. ginger
2 lbs. tofu
Black pepper, salt,
spice tomato ketchup to taste
METHOD
Chop and sauté vegetables, ginger in oil. Add crumbled tofu and seasonings to taste. Serve on sandwiches or mix in with rice.
