| Moscow Food Co-op Recipes | |
Much Ado About Tofu:
Intimidated by Bean Curd
by Terri Schmidt, from the December 2006 newsletter
Hello everyone. I’m Terri, the new writer for this column. I hope to encourage those who have not tasted tofu to give it a try and to provide regular tofu users some new recipes to experience.
I came to Moscow to attend the University of Idaho and never left the Palouse - it’s a great place to live. I am married, have two children, and teach preschool. I’m enthusiastic about theater, art, and healthy eating.
I began shopping at the Co-op about 16 years ago when it was on West Third Street. I started out buying sesame tortilla chips, pasta out of bulk bins, and other reasonably familiar items. Our family loved the homemade bread from the Co-op and we watched with fascination as the clerks used the bread-slicing machine. (That was in the olden days before customers began using the machine themselves.)
Shopping at the Co-op was an interesting venture, but one thing I avoided was the tofu. It was funky looking – large lumpy white cube-shaped stuff floating in translucent water. Frankly, I was intimidated by it. However, I kept running into articles about the benefits of eating tofu, and one day a friend of mine presented me with a sweet potato tofu pie that proved to be quite good. I decided I would break down and try it.
When I got to the store, I was still apprehensive. I just didn’t know how to deal with the stuff. So I bravely told a clerk, “I’d like to try tofu, but I have no idea what to do with it after I get it home, and not only that, I don’t even know how to get it home.” The clerk was very understanding and showed me how to use the tongs to pick up a block of tofu and put it into a Chinese-take-out type box. She also told me an easy way to prepare it, by marinating the tofu and frying it.
I went home triumphant with my little box of tofu, whipped up a tasty meal with it that evening, and have been cooking with tofu ever since.
Our children both became vegetarians in their teenage years. As a result, I began eating more vegetarian meals myself. We often cooked with tofu, as it was a versatile way to add protein to a meat-free menu.
I try to follow Eleanor Roosevelt’s advice to “Do something every day that scares you.” Trying tofu was my scary thing for the day those many years ago at the Co-op. I’m glad I took that bold step. Tofu is a common addition to my meals and seems perfectly normal now. I encourage other readers who have not ventured into that scary place to give tofu a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Terri Schmidt enjoys the Christmas season when good will and cheer abound. She wishes you joy, peace, and a little extra chocolate this month.
RECIPES:
Marinated Tofu
This recipe, offered by that friendly Co-op staff member, is the first
tofu recipe I ever made.
¼ cup soy sauce (or Bragg Liquid Aminos)
¼ cup water
½ tsp. ground ginger (or ½ Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced)
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 block firm tofu
Combine first four ingredients and pour into a large self-sealing bag. Slice tofu in ¼” slices and add to marinade. Place bag in refrigerator overnight, turning occasionally.
Heat 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil in a frying pan. Remove tofu from marinade and fry on both sides until golden brown. Good eaten plain, in sandwiches, on salads, or in stir-fry.
Chocolate Christmas Pudding
The first time I ever tasted tofu was in sweet potato pie. Since that
recipe was featured in last month’s newsletter here’s another
sweet dessert made with tofu. It was fun adapting and tasting recipes until
I found a combination my family liked. This is a simple, but rich, Christmas
dessert.
1 (12.3 oz.) pkg. soft silken tofu (I used Mori-Nu)
1 can light coconut milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. cardamom pods
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 (4 oz.) bars bitter sweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
Whipped cream, sweetened (optional)
Crushed candy cane (optional)
Remove tofu from box and place between several layers of paper towels on a plate. Place something heavy on top to press out the excess moisture. Let sit for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, put the coconut milk, sugar, cardamom pods in a saucepan. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove cardamom pods. Add broken pieces of the chocolate bars and stir until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat.
Combine chocolate mixture, vanilla extract, and pressed tofu in a food processor. Process for a couple of minutes until well blended. Pour into custard cups or dessert dishes, add a dollop of whipping cream and a sprinkle of crushed candy cane. Can be served warm or chilled.Serves 4-6.
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