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Great Pretender: Tofu "Custard" Soup
by Jen Hirt, from the March 2003 newsletter
Here's a fancy soup for all you chefs who appreciate a flavorful vegan reinterpretation
that will impress your dinner partners.
Although I've never had it, I guess traditional custard soup is a delicacy in Japan. While custard is delicious and arguably irreplaceable, it is also brimming with cholesterol from the eggs, which means that many people cross it off their lists. So when I found this recipe in my Vegetarian Times book, I was intrigued by how tofu could simply step in and substitute for an egg-like custard. The result, I'm pleased to report, is grand.
This recipe requires a few special objects. You need either four glass ramekins or four heat-resistant ceramic mugs. You also need a stovetop pot with enough space for the ramekins (or mugs) to sit flat, side by side. In my case, I had to use two medium pots (two ramekins per pot), which worked fine. You also need a blender or food processor and some aluminum foil.
Tofu "Custard" Soup
Serves 2-4
12 oz. of soft silken tofu
1 cup vegetable stock (mushroom stock suggested)
2 tbsp. soy sauce
3 tbsp. sake, white wine, or dry sherry
4 medium mushrooms of your choice, sliced
4-8 asparagus spears or a smallish zucchini, sliced
2 scallions, sliced into short, thin strips
In the blender, mix the tofu and the liquid ingredients until smooth, then set it aside. I chose a simple, cheap vegetable bouillon, Tamari soy sauce, and Riesling wine from the Camas Winery - a combination I recommend.
Thinly slice the vegetables. I used zucchini and plain white button mushrooms, but as soon as asparagus is in season, I'll give it a try. (I know zucchini isn't in season, but asparagus is the one vegetable that really is so much better in the spring - good enough to wait for.) Shiitake mushrooms also come recommended for this soup.
Layer the vegetables across the bottoms of the four ramekins or mugs. Pour the tofu mix into the ramekins or mugs, until each is about 3/4 full. Tightly cover the containers with aluminum foil. Set them in the pot.
Fill the pot with enough water to reach halfway up the ramekins. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Check to make sure there is enough water, or, conversely, that water isn't boiling up into the ramekins. Adjust as needed.
Removing the containers is a challenge. I used two large wooden spoons. Make sure you have a good grip - the ramekins will be wet and none too cooperative. Set them on a serving plate. Remove the foil and top with sliced scallions. Serve immediately.
This soup has quite a presentation. The tofu "custard" rises a little bit and pulls away from the edges, becoming its own floating entity within a light brown broth. The tofu stays amazingly soft, almost as if about to melt, with a texture that looks like bread. It takes on the flavor of the vegetables and broth.
I served this soup with a plate of Ling Ling Spring Rolls (from the Co-op freezer section) and some sushi from the Co-op deli. It was extremely enjoyable, and in the end, not that difficult to prepare.
Jen Hirt is an MFA student in creative writing at the University of Idaho. She's working on a collection of essays about greenhouses.
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