New to Tofu

[VeganVicky]

I once got some tofu and I didn't eat it because of what it looked like etc. But I really want to try some now as it seems to be in all the vegan recipe books but i'm just worried it is going to taste awful

[Korn]

If you think it will taste awful, it probably will.

[VeganVicky]

If you think it will taste awful, it probably will.

helpful

[xrodolfox]

I would go and have tofu at a restaurant that makes it well first.

Going in to cook it without knowing how amazing it can be is to cook things blindly.

I suggest you go to a veg*n friendly chinese restaurant (most are around here), or to a thai restaurant, and ask the waitstaff for the best tofu dish they have. Then, when you get home, you'll know what to make your tofu taste like.

The first tofu I had was when I was 16yo, in a thai restaurant. From then on, (as a picky teenager) a year and a half before I went vegan, I loved tofu.

[emmapresley]

hello!
tofu is really nom if you prepare it right..it's pretty bland though and the texture can be weird i suppose if you're not used to it??

3 things i do with tofu that are ace:

1) marinade it! gt a block..pat/sqeeze it..slice it into rectangle type 'steaks'..pop it in a shallow dish..make a marinade..soya sauce..garlic..ginger..maple syrup..owt like that..put in whatever you fancy..leave i to soak it up for an hour or three..stir fry it up..with veg..noodles etc etc..do it in a seperate pan then it won;t get squished about. it goes all lovely and golden..it will be soft inside..if you freeze the tofu block before it kinda firms it up..make sure to squeeze al the water out.

2) get some of that mori-nu tofu..red pack..it's really squishy..bung it in your blender..melt some chocolate..agave/maple syrup..vanilla extract..whizz it all up..it makes chocolate mousse..put berries on top..nom.

3) SCRAMBLED TOFU. joyous foodiness. i swear. get hold of vegan with a vengeance. and some nutritional yeast..you live in leeds..yay..OOTW!
if you can't find the recipe for this i'll pm you it. it's ace. sunday morning..big pot of coffee, archers on..
toast, beans and scrambled tofu.

[harpy]

Hello. To me it doesn't taste of much on its own, it's one of these foods that picks up other flavours, so if it's flavoured with something nice it will be nice. You can get pre-flavoured versions, including one made by Taifun that some of us rate http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-...lice_200g.html - it's available in Waitrose and some larger health food shops as well as online.

Some people do have a problem with the slightly gelatinous texture but the Taifun one is quite firm, and other kinds will be as well if prepared in one of the ways suggested by Emma

I think Korn has a point, though - for a lot of people expecting not to like something can be a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. So perhaps you need to hypnotise yourself first or something

[RubyDuby]

I wasn't a huge fan at first, but now I adore tofu. I think you just have to get used to it, as you would any other food your taste buds have never tried.

I recommend rinsing well, drying well, then wrapping it in paper towel and setting a cookie sheet on top of it with some canned goods to press out as much of the liquid as possible (that liquid flavor is more likely to turn you off more so than the tofu itself) before even attempting to cook with it. Then if you choose to marinate it the marinade can soak in really well.

I like it broiled to a crisp, myself.

[VeganGran]

Scrambled tofu is my favourite vegan meal, I love it.

[VeganVicky]

hello!
tofu is really nom if you prepare it right..it's pretty bland though and the texture can be weird i suppose if you're not used to it??

3 things i do with tofu that are ace:

1) marinade it! gt a block..pat/sqeeze it..slice it into rectangle type 'steaks'..pop it in a shallow dish..make a marinade..soya sauce..garlic..ginger..maple syrup..owt like that..put in whatever you fancy..leave i to soak it up for an hour or three..stir fry it up..with veg..noodles etc etc..do it in a seperate pan then it won;t get squished about. it goes all lovely and golden..it will be soft inside..if you freeze the tofu block before it kinda firms it up..make sure to squeeze al the water out.

2) get some of that mori-nu tofu..red pack..it's really squishy..bung it in your blender..melt some chocolate..agave/maple syrup..vanilla extract..whizz it all up..it makes chocolate mousse..put berries on top..nom.

3) SCRAMBLED TOFU. joyous foodiness. i swear. get hold of vegan with a vengeance. and some nutritional yeast..you live in leeds..yay..OOTW!
if you can't find the recipe for this i'll pm you it. it's ace. sunday morning..big pot of coffee, archers on..
toast, beans and scrambled tofu.

Hey nice to see another Yorkshire Lass here.

BTW Emma I think you have read my mind, Guess what , I have just bought that book today from water-stones hehe, that's why I am wanting to try this tofu out.

[LaceytheCrazy]

Oh this makes it less scary!!! And you can probs trust me on account of I used to get really yuckied out by tofu in general.

Buy a little package of the "Westcoast Smoked Tofu" stuff if you can find it. It is SO good you can slice it and put it on crackers like cheese. I did it this morning, and my mom, who hates tofu, ate the entire pack on me. :P

[emmapresley]

Hey nice to see another Yorkshire Lass here.

BTW Emma I think you have read my mind, Guess what , I have just bought that book today from water-stones hehe, that's why I am wanting to try this tofu out.

excellent!!
it's shithot
there are some amazing recipes in there..everything i'vemade so far has turned out fabulous. even though it looks complicated on first glance, try making the coconut carrot macadamia ginger cake. if you're into cake..and if you're not you will be after making this..it's amazing.

back to the tofu..do you go in the oriental supermarket on vicar lane? they have loads of tofu stuf..they have this bagged up fresh deep fried tofu which is pretty good too..just stir fry it up with sesame oil and ginger/garlic/soy sauce (i just ate mine coldout the bag cos i'm a gannet)you'll find it's tons cheaper than the cauldron supermarket stuf..AND they've made that weird these days..like different packaging or something..i dunno..i used some the other day and when i tried to squeeze it it just half disintegrated..i weren't that impressed i'll tell you.

definately for first time goes, stick to the recipe..then after that you can start to bastardize it to your own tastes

btw there are a few ppl on here from around leeds and if you're on facebook there's a leeds veg/vegan group..chuck us a pm if you want info or owt

OMG..i forgot!!
if you get yourself to OOTW at any point there are some prepacked tofu numminesses..taifun?? i think that's the brand..i really like a paprikar-y one..rosso..something..(i put it in goulasch) there's hazelnut and um..some others? they're worth having a buy and experimenting with.

[sprollie]

excellent!!
it's shithot
there are some amazing recipes in there..everything i'vemade so far has turned out fabulous. even though it looks complicated on first glance, try making the coconut carrot macadamia ginger cake. if you're into cake..and if you're not you will be after making this..it's amazing.

back to the tofu..do you go in the oriental supermarket on vicar lane? they have loads of tofu stuf..they have this bagged up fresh deep fried tofu which is pretty good too..just stir fry it up with sesame oil and ginger/garlic/soy sauce (i just ate mine coldout the bag cos i'm a gannet)you'll find it's tons cheaper than the cauldron supermarket stuf..AND they've made that weird these days..like different packaging or something..i dunno..i used some the other day and when i tried to squeeze it it just half disintegrated..i weren't that impressed i'll tell you.

definately for first time goes, stick to the recipe..then after that you can start to bastardize it to your own tastes

btw there are a few ppl on here from around leeds and if you're on facebook there's a leeds veg/vegan group..chuck us a pm if you want info or owt

OMG..i forgot!!
if you get yourself to OOTW at any point there are some prepacked tofu numminesses..taifun?? i think that's the brand..i really like a paprikar-y one..rosso..something..(i put it in goulasch) there's hazelnut and um..some others? they're worth having a buy and experimenting with.

Thanks for the reply emma


I have been to OOTW , It's my favourite shop I haven't tired the TOFU yet from there but I will definitely have a go