China is hosting the Olympics this month. I enjoy watching people participating in live sports, but I have never been one to sit and watch sports on TV. That is, until the Olympics are broadcast. Then I can sit for hours watching the talented men and women in this worldwide competition and hearing the personal stories that are aired along with the performances. It is inspiring to see the sacrifices and determination of those participating.

The amazing athletes from around the world gathering in China will likely be sampling the local cuisine. One of the most popular local food items they will encounter is tofu, pronounced "dofu" in China. Tofu is not associated with being vegetarian in China; many of their tofu dishes include meat products such as fish sauce, oyster sauce, shrimp, pork, chicken, and beef. To assist Olympic tourists, recent modifications to the English translations of menu items have been made. Among the changes are: "Bean curd made by a pock-marked woman,” a spicy Sichuanese dish, which is now "Mapo tofu." And "chicken without sexual life," now renamed "steamed pullet."

Tofu is a staple in China and they have many more variations of tofu than we do in the west. Tofu is processed in a manner similar to the way we process milk into cheese. Milk products are a big part of western cooking, and the same is true of tofu in China. Olivia Wu said, “In a very fundamental way, tofu has anchored nutrition and cuisine in the East, just as dairy milk has in the West. Some 19th century Western observers in China even gave soy the moniker of "the cow of China."

In the United States we tend prefer firm tofu and may use it as a meat substitute. In China they have a huge variety of tofu and use it more as we do cheese. William Shurtleff said, “I was blown away by what I found in China. I saw types of tofu I had never seen before, more than anywhere else in the world. The inventiveness and entrepreneurial sense of the Chinese, as well as the large geographic spread of the country, gave rise to a wide spectrum of tofu types and the cuisine."

In China, young tofu products are similar to bland cottage cheese or fresh ricotta. Older, fermented tofu has many variations and intense flavor—similar to an aged blue cheese. There is silken tofu, tofu custard, springy noodle-shaped tofu products and dried sheets of tofu that are used like phyllo dough. “Tofu is stir-fried, deep-fried, braised, poached, and cooked in soups with as many ingredients and flavors as there exist in the Chinese culinary constellation.” One of the most interesting tofu products in China is stinky tofu. I will be devoting a full article to that unusual product next month.

The tofu recipes this month are influenced by Chinese cooking. The lettuce tacos only require ten minutes of stovetop cooking so they are a good recipe for hot summer days. The lettuce leaves are a cool and refreshing alternative to typical taco shells. The bean sauce also has a short cooking time and is flavorful way to perk up fresh or leftover cooked rice.

References/quotes sources: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25246774 and The Book of Tofu by William Shurtleff

Terri Schmidt has never been to China but she hopes to learn more about the Chinese people and their culture this month when she is watching the Olympics.

Chinatown Lettuce Tacos with Plum Sauce

“Art of Tofu” by permission Mori-Nu

1 package Mori-Nu tofu (extra firm), cut into 1 inch cubes (freeze and thaw first)

½ cup minced yellow onion

1 teaspoon peanut or canola oil

¼ teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, pressed

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

½ cup minced water chestnuts

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes, if desired

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh Thai chili, if desired

1 head iceberg lettuce

1 head radicchio

Plum Sauce (see separate recipe)

hot Chinese mustard, if desired

Pat tofu dry and mince into small pieces. Reserve. Sauté onion, peanut oil, salt and garlic over medium heat for five minutes. Add tofu and soy sauce and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add water chestnuts, pine nuts black pepper, red chili flakes and Thai peppers if desired. Cook 1 minute more.

Cut out core from lettuce and radicchio and break off the leaves forming “taco shells” for the filing. If you have leftover lettuce, save it for a salad or shred it to cover the serving platter for the tacos. You can use all iceberg, but the red radicchio makes a nice presentation.

Plum Sauce

1 cup plum jam (should be smooth)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon fresh ginger juice (grate peeled fresh ginger and squeeze out juice to make 1 tablespoon)

Mix all ingredients well and serve with tacos.

Chinese Style Bean Sauce with Tofu (www.freecookingrecipes.net)

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 small minced red peppers

5 mushrooms, thinly sliced

3 green onions, sliced

16 ounces tofu, cubed

2 tablespoon red miso, mixed with 1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon tahini

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water