Tofu is a staple ingredient in Thai, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. There are different versions available like the firm, extra firm and silken to name a few and I’ll discuss about them later. There are different ways to change tofu’s texture from smooth and soft to crispy and crunchy while cooking depending on the method you use to cook it.
Tofu has gained popularity among the vegetarian and vegan communities and is a good source of protein. People often wonder why tofu is often called bean curd the reason is that it is made by curdling the soybean milk. Tofu’s nutrition is impressive and that’s why many people assume it is such a great health food. Per serving, it’s low in fat and calories yet high in protein, amino acids, iron and calcium.
There are many different types of tofu, including fresh tofu, soft, silken tofu, firm, extra firm, dried tofu, fermented tofu, fried tofu and frozen tofu. There is a pickled tofu as well, known as preserved tofu, which is dried tofu cubes that have been allowed to fully air dry under hay and slowly ferment from aerial bacteria. There is a stinky tofu which is soft tofu fermented in a vegetable and fish brine. most of the tofu eaten in the United States is the unfermented kind. Silken tofu is the most widely consumed tofu, it is neither drained nor pressed after curdling and thus has a custard-like texture. Studies, however, have shown that the fermented kind is preferable to eat. Soy foods typically contain wide variety of well-studied phytonutrients. In the case of fermented soy products like tofu, these photo nutrients become more bioavailable. Therefore, choose carefully while shopping for tofu and always choose fermented tofu over the regular unfermented one.
Talking about the origin of tofu, it was first prepared and recorded about 2000 years ago in China. Like with many great and popular dishes, tofu was accidentally made by a Chinese cook who curdled soy milk when he added nigiri seaweed to it. Later on, the Japanese got into tofu production and started making mass scale of bean curd and called it “tofu” as we know it today. Tofu’s creation and popularity continued to expand throughout Asia and is one of the common source of protein in the vegetarian diet of East Asian Buddhism.
The soybean became a commercial crop in United States in the 1920s but was initially not used for eating. It was primarily used as a hay and green manure. Consumption of soy beans began in the World War II. This was when the soybean crop replaced imported fats and oils that were being blocked by disrupted trade routes during the war. By 1965, US was producing 75 percent of the total soybean in the world and is till date the largest producer.
As it is the case with any popular food, some studies present the downside of over consumption of tofu and some talk about the health and nutritional benefits associated with it. One should limit the intake to few times a week to strike a balance. One interesting fact about this healthy food is that tofu contains iso flavones, which reduce the risk of cancer. Tofu is widely consumed almost every day in Japan – a country where the risk of breast cancer is lowest in the world.
Tofu can be easily manufactured is a small facility. One of my friends started his own tofu plant in Delhi, India. Due to producing it locally, he delivered high quality tofu at competitive prices and ended up coming the preferred supplier to many local hotels and restaurants.
Today’s recipe is gourmet food, which involves few ingredients and is a treat to eyes and tastes great. Tikka is a chunk of food cooked in the clay oven called tandoor. Today I’ll write on how to use tofu and some other vegetables to marinate them and skewer then in oven.
Tofu Tikka
Ingredients
Tofu 500 gm
Brocolli 100 gm
Button mushrooms 100 gm
Bell pepper 1 no
Red onion 1 no
Hung yoghurt 4 tbsp
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Coriander powder 1 tbsp
Yellow chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp
Red chilli flakes 1/2 tsp (optional)
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Black pepper crushed to taste
Butter, melted 2 tbsp
Method
Hang the yogurt in a strainer or cheese cloth to strain out the water and get thick yoghurt.
Wash and cut all the vegetables and tofu into cubes and keep them aside.
Place the hung yoghurt in a bowl and add the remaining spices to it and mix well to make a smooth paste.
Skewer the marinated tofu and vegetables on wooden skewer and roast them in a pre-heated oven at 350 degree Fahrenheit.
Cook till the vegetables turn light brown, remove from oven and drizzle with melted butter.
Serve hot with salad and mint sauce on the side.
*Chef Tarun Kapoor,
Culinary Mastermind, USA. He may be contacted at [email protected]
