All About Tofu (except recipes)

[adam antichrist]

Does anyone know where I might find information on the glycemic index values for various tofu products?

[harpy]

I'm afraid I can't find a proper table including tofu but it is normally listed as having a low GI (e.g. here http://www.vinos.co.uk/food%20Guide.htm) unless it's been made into something like a sugary dessert.

Diabetic sites often have GI tables but the trouble is they don't tend to include "novel" foods like tofu Hope you find one that does.

[hello vegan]

Hey this is probably a dumb question but...

Is tofu and beancurd the same thing? And if they are, how do they get it nice and marinated and firm, or crispy and spongy etc. in restaurants? What about seitan?

Thanx

[ConsciousCuisine]

[QUOTE=hello vegan]Hey this is probably a dumb question but...

Is tofu and beancurd the same thing? And if they are, how do they get it nice and marinated and firm, or crispy and spongy etc. in restaurants? What about seitan?

Thanx[/QUOTE

Yes, they are the same.
Freezing tofu then squeezing between cheesecloth gives it a different, chewier texture.
Marinating it and then baking it gives it a very firm texture.
Frying it causes it to "puff up" a bit and become spongy.

Seitan is wheat gluten, which bears no relation to tofu (bean curd).]

[gertvegan]

Hello hello vegan, check out www.tofu.com . I've just had a lovely tofu, cheezly and mustard sandwich. Ok ok, I had two.

[slinkyvagabond]

I don't think flakiness is an issue in the pastry shells--usually they're just crunchy, not so much a pastry like the pie crust I used as an example, so I might be able to work around this, though vegan margarine wouldn't be so bad if it became necessary. When we prepared our own cannoli we bought premade shells from a family-owned bakery on The Hill (St Louis' version of Little Italy) but I do remember a semi-successful attempt at making our own.

And I'm definitely going to make a bash at the powdered sugar, because consistency is key here. I think I may have to prepare the whole shebang in a blender, however, because the few times I've worked with tofu, that was the only way to get it totally smooth (hand-mixers, etc just made it grainy--perhaps the temperature had to do with it?).

Thanks for your help! I will most definitely post a successful recipe. My mom has several family traditions and recipes that have been around since her grandparents arrived from Sicily early last century, and I don't see any reason I can't veganize these and still hang on to my culture

[uww27225]

Here's a couple recipes I found for making cannoli's with tofu (or just the filling). Maybe they can help as guides:
http://starchefs.com/chefs/DJacobi/html/recipe_03.shtml
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/getrecipe.zsp?id=64678

[Artichoke47]

I've never heard of cannoli. Is it known by any other name? Maybe I can find a vegan recipe.

[slinkyvagabond]

*gasp* You've never heard of cannoli? You poor thing! It's a traditional Italian dessert, sort of like a cream horn. They're crunchy tubular shells filled with thick, sweet, usually ricotta cheese-based cream with some mini chocolate chips mixed in, dried fruit or a cherry on one open end, and dusted with powdered sugar. Mmm. If we get a decent recipe on here, you must try them!

EDIT: The links provided by uww27225 sound very promising!

[Artichoke47]

I don't like ricotta, though, nor any vegan rendition.

[Inchoate]

Cannoli pastry is actually traditionally done with pasta dough. They're also supposed to be deep-fried. Deep-frying in itself isn't bad, as long as you do it properly. Besides, you shouldn't be making a meal of these - one or two does just fine. That way, any fat intake is minimal at best.

Theroetically, you could produce a substitute for the ricotta using vegan cream cheese that's been sweetened, but this might not work, unless you were to aerate (whip) the cheese itself in a stand mixer/Hobart to "fluff" it up.

[Artichoke47]

I have a recipe from the Artful Vegan that I just discovered was a recipe for Cannoli with peanut butter mousse filling. It's very involved, though. Do you want the recipe?

[slinkyvagabond]

Thank you for the offer, but no. Unless someone else is interested. I'm trying to keep it as traditional as possible, and I don't know how well I'd like p.b. cannoli.

[~*Blue*~]

I don't like ricotta, though, nor any vegan rendition.

i don't think the filling really tastes like ricotta though (so you might like the vegan version?).

[mysh]

One package (16 oz. / 450 g) extra-firm Tofu
1 red bell pepper - remove seeds and slice into 1-inch long strips
1 yellow bell pepper - remove seeds and slice into 1-inch long strips
1 jar of salsa (16+ fl. oz. / )

Fry up tofu with some chili powder, salt, and pepper. Throw in the peppers. Saute for 3 minnutes. Dump in salsa. Cook one more minute, stirring to mix evenly.
Serve over rice.

Makes 4 portions.

We used to make this with chicken, but tried it with tofu once, which wasn't bad. You might wanna marrinate the tofu first - if anyone has any suggestions on this, please add them. Or if anyone has any possible replacements for the tofu for those who aren't so fond of it.

[tails4wagging]

Anyone of any good recipes, I miss my chinese take aways!!!

[snaffler]

I will give you my recipe when I have time to type it up I am lucky to have a Chinese by me who sales 8 different veggie/vegan Tofu/Beancurd meals.

[veganblue]

Something I love to do with tofu that is as easy as it is yum is to cut it into small cubes and dry fry it in a teflon pan to warm it through then sprinkle it with salt and freshly cracked pepper.. At this point you can add a little corn or olive oil and throw it around till it is lightly brown then toss over whatever greens and vegies you have cooked up. It's delightful stuff and better than deep frying.
Not that I ever worry about getting too much oil - have been trying to gain weight for a decade, but a little oil is sensible

[ConsciousCuisine]

I know what you mean, Veganblue.

I actually don't prepare the above for my family exactly the way it is above..I do it all but not the heated oil part...I add oils *after* heating, once the food is on the plate.

I only put the recipe as it appears because it tastes more "Authentic" that way...

[tails4wagging]

I have found you can buy braised tofu in tins. Company making it is called Marigold. Very yummy but expensive.
Thanks for recipe, I will print off and try.

[foxytina_69]

mmm yummy! i find it hard to eat tofu raw as is tho :S

[Snowdrift]

. I normally prepare nut milks.

Mary's "chicken" strips.

I havn't got around to making any other milks yet....what do the nut milks taste like?, & I bet the pulps good in nut loaves

Mary's strips are on the menu tonight!!!

thanks Mz natural

Hi, what do you use as a coagulant?

I've just used Nigari ( seaweed stuff.....edit, its from salt water ) so far, but I am going to try apple juice concentrate too......I don't know of any others, which do you find best?



Cheers
Andy




BTW....in the UK Cauldron foods make Patè, some are vegan, and the ingredients are:

Soya Bean fibre: 49%
Water
Vegetable Oil
Yeast 9%
Potato Starch
Yeast extract
Salt
Hydrolysed Vegatable Protein
Dried basil
Leek Powder

Now.....how do i cook & mix!!!

[Gorilla]

The Argus, 1st December 2004.

The veggie food that can mend your bones

by Jessica Mangold

It has been favoured as a meat substitute by vegetarians for decades, but tofu has now emerged as the latest alternative for mending broken bones and damaged tissue.

Researchers from the University of Brighton uncovered the hidden properties of soya bean curd after reheating slices of the food and discovering its use in dental and reconstructive surgery.
Senior lecturer Matteo Santin said: "We cut tofu into slices and warmed it up to eliminate all the water.

"We ended up with a type of plastic and found this material sucks in water and bodily fluids, like blood, and becomes very elastic. It acts as a physical support for new tissue to grow in the body but also stimulates cells inside the bone to grow relatively quickly."

Teams from the university's school of pharmacy and biomolecular sciences in Lewes Road, Brighton, have received £149,000 toward their research from the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Nesta).

The money will be used to carry out tests on the tofu-based biomaterial, with the help of specialist medical staff to develop its use for surgical procedures. Dr Santin's research into biomaterials first got underway in 1991, after increasing frustration at the obstacles presented by existing materials for regenerating tissue.

Most are derived from animals and carry high costs and the risk of transmitting disease.
But tofu remains a cheaper alternative and experts first stumbled upon it when they witnessed the low rates of osteoporosis among people who eat a lot of the product.

Dr Santin, 41, said: "This new material is a completely natural product, which degrades in the body without causing any adverse affects. It is less expensive than the products currently available on the market, which provide a physical support for damaged tissue in the body but do not stimulate growth in the bone. The cost of the products on the market limits the number of people who can have access to this type of surgery but we are hoping to have this new treatment widely available in the next three years."

Nesta director Mark White said: "Cheap and simple to manufacture, the tofu-based biomaterial is the first to integrate quickly with a patient's own tissues and encourage re-growth of the surrounding tissue. We are confident Matteo and his team will be able to progress the material to a real commercial opportunity."

[snaffler]

Fight/prevent many common cancers and , Tofu helps lower the amount of unhealthy LDL cholesterol in the blood, which lowers blood pressure and will protect you from a heart-induced seizure the next time someone pushes in front of you at the supermarket.

[snaffler]

For years I have been seaking this product and today they have finaly go it in my local wholefood shop I have got some now at last hooray...I have untill the 5th Jan to make something with.

I can not remember where what links contain what recipes in my internet faves so if any one has any good links, sweet or savoury food and perhaps a clue to making tofucream with it would be nice in a bit of cake, we all like a bit of cake luvs.

Cheers

Snaffler

[ohboysoy]

If you go to www.foodnetwork.com. There was an episode of Good Eats with Alton Brown on tofu. He had two recipes for silken tofu, one was a moo-less pie and the other was an awesome smoothie. You can search for the episode, it was called tofuworld.

[chakra]

I wouldn't advise simmering the smoked tofu for 15 minutes. It is already cooked and would dissolve, making for a murky looking stew.

I use beans for my stews. Smoked tofu is expensive and better for stir frys or sandwiches.

[Gorilla]

i guess it depends on the brand of tofu Chakra. i haven't tried this exact recipe, but i have made stews with smoked tofu before and cooked it for a similar length of time, and the tofu was still pretty firm and was hardly dissolved at all. i buy Cauldron smoked tofu, i don't know if it's available outside the UK and i don't know how pre-cooked it is. it's all trial and error i suppose

[chakra]

i guess it depends on the brand of tofu...

You are probably right since some smoked varieties are very firm, but unfortunately, many if not most, are not - these days anyway. I would still just add it at the end. It will become just as hot as the dish is in no time and it comes ready to eat.

I tend to minimize cooking times for vegetables too, particularly ones that are edible raw such as onions, carrots, celery, greens, etc. Beans and barley are good to thicken the broth.

[foxytina_69]

tigerlily, tofu raw is gross to me. i have a hard enough time eating tofu. smoked tofu however is delicious and awesome in stirfries. its so tasty. and tofu cooked is really nice. especially if frozen first to give it a meaty texture.

[Shannon]

Does anyone know of a gadget out there that squeezes the water from store bought packaged tofu? I am tired of using cans and paper towels.

[foxytina_69]

when i press tofu, i wrap it in a lint free towel, place it in a strainer (big enough for a block of tofu), place a plate on the tofu, and then a weight of sum sort, and leave it for a while. it works really well, and you dont waste papertowel.

[MzNatural]

Does anyone know of a gadget out there that squeezes the water from store bought packaged tofu? I am tired of using cans and paper towels.

I have used a manual potato masher to gently squeeze out the water. It does the trick.

[assilembob]

one of the best ways i have found is to put it between two plates, rubber band it together and place in the dish drain. i like it, however sometimes I get it a wee bit too flat

~Mel

[eve]

Does anyone know where I might find information on the glycemic index values for various tofu products?

Hi adam antichrist, there are no glycaemic index values for tofu (nor for meat), if you check out the following website, you'll see the types of foods that have a glycaemic index value:
http://www.healthyeatingclub.com/inf...emic-table.htm

[wannadisco]

i know this may seem a little strange but can you eat too much tofu? and how often should you eat it? i didnt used to be very fond of it but recently ive become addicted and eat it nearly everyday...is this ok?

[eve]

Up to you wannadisco, but most things are best eaten in moderation; every day sounds a bit much to me. Once or twice a week is fine, especially as we also tend to drink soymilk, which is another soy product like tofu.

[wannadisco]

well i don't drink soya milk as i dont like the flavour so i drink rice milk instead - guess i'm getting the same amount of soya as people who eat tofu and drink soya milk.
thanks

[feline01]

I was thinking about getting those tofu pressy things but don't want to spend the money if I'm not really going to use them. Let me know how they are to use, please. I like extra-extra firm tofu in entrees and you're right, the stores just aren't firm enough.

[Rabbit]

Someone posted a weblink containing some SouthWestern recipes.

I made something called "tofu ranchero" this weekend and it was the BEST! So quick and easy too!

I heated a pan and added one teaspoon of regular vegetable oil. In it I fried up half a block of tofu, 8 oz., until slightly brown. I then added half an 8 oz. can of Herdez "Casarea" or Homestyle sauce.

I pushed around a bit until all the liquid was absored and the tofu took on a tasty look.

I served this with home made refried beans.

This was the best breakfast ever and I'll be sure to make this again!

[feline01]

I have been in such a mood for vegan huevos rancheros for ages now. I used to always order them at Veg City Diner, a great veggy diner in NYC that closed last year. Thanks for the recipe, I'm hoping the hispanic supermarket next door sells Herdez products. I never heard of it.

[Tofu Monster]

hmm, my ears always prick up at any mention of tofu recipes, but i have no idea what Herdez "Casarea" or Homestyle sauce is.

[feline01]

hmm, my ears always prick up at any mention of tofu recipes, but i have no idea what Herdez "Casarea" or Homestyle sauce is.

I just picked up 2 cans of Herdez Salsa Casera which means House Sauce in English. Ingredients are: tomatoes, onions, serrano peppers, salt and cilantro so you can look for something similar, just buy another type of salsa or make your own. According to the tin, on the spicy meter, this one is hot-hot-hot . If you want, I can send you some cans of it-that way you can have some tofu ranchero in about...5 months .

[Gorilla]

check out this website for loads of great recipes

http://www.cauldronfoods.co.uk/index.php

you can request a free recipe booklet (probably only in the UK) if you click on the recipes tab at the top and go to Overview.

[Cal]

Thanks Gorilla.

[feline01]

I made tofu ranchero this morning. It was fantastic. I added some shredded vegan gourmet mozarella cheese to it and served it on sprouted grain tortillas w/ homemade refried beans and home fries. Fantastic. The salsa casera was a little spicy but not spicy enough, I'm going to add some chopped jalapeno next time or some hot sauce (which I had added to the refried beans).

[cedarblue]

would a ready-jar of spicy pasta sauce do

[Rabbit]

would a ready-jar of spicy pasta sauce do

Sure you could...just keep the amount of sauce to approximately 8 oz. give or take a few ounces.

You don't want your tofu swimming in sauce...and you could probably drain some of it off if all of the liquid didn't cook away.

[JunkmanSP]

I am working on a recipe for fried tofu that I call "Junk Cubes" I can't make the batter stick to the tofu, any tips?

[tails4wagging]

Thanks for the link, Snaff,. I like tofu but need more inspiration about it, hope this link will help.