Confused about Tofu!

[syzygy314]

Okay, when using tofu in ground meat to substitute (say in spaghetti meat sauce), do you want firm, silken, soft? Does it matter? Can't seem to sort out all the info.

The firm one says it's good in stir fry, salads and soup.
The silken and soft both say good for soups, smoothies and dips.

????

Sorry, so many food questions today!

 

[Melclear]

If you want to crumble it into your sauce, like a sub for ground meat, then you want firm tofu. You can either just crumble it right in, or freeze it first (already crumbled -- this helps it keep its shape better). The soft and silken are good as thickeners in soups and sauces -- you can put them in a blender to make creamy salad dressings, mix them with chocolate for a yummy dessert mousse, etc. The soft and silken have the texture of ricotta cheese, so think of them like a soft cheese or cream sub. The firm (or extra-firm) will hold its shape better, so it makes a better meat sub.

 

[morningstar]

Okay, when using tofu in ground meat to substitute (say in spaghetti meat sauce), do you want firm, silken, soft? Does it matter? Can't seem to sort out all the info.

The firm one says it's good in stir fry, salads and soup.
The silken and soft both say good for soups, smoothies and dips.

????

Sorry, so many food questions today!

Extra firm would be even better. Silken tofu has the texture of yogurt. But I would recommend getting some TVP or TSP instead (textured soy protein or textured vegetable protein). It is dry, and you just add water to reconstitute it.

 

[syzygy314]

Thanks! You guys are great! I appreciate all the support and helpful information you provide to us newbies!

Stay strong and heathly!

Tricia

 

[GMonkey]

You can use the silken tofu in marinara to make a "mock" vodka sauce--yum!

 

[syzygy314]

You can use the silken tofu in marinara to make a "mock" vodka sauce--yum!

Ooooh, that sounds terrific!

 

[kathryn]

To crumble tofu, you don't want the tofu that's in asceptic packaging, but the kind that comes in a container with water (be sure to rinse daily). The stuff in the asceptic packages (like Mori-Nu) is good for blending to make puddings and dips and things like that. It does not have the right consistency for a 'meaty' texture or for making scrambles, etc.

Another thing you can try is freezing the tofu. Use the water-packed tofu as above, drain the water, and freeze. It will turn a bit yellowish, but is alright. When you want to use, thaw, then ring out. The texture is a bit spongy, and it will soak up the flavor of whatever sauces you put it with. It also holds its texture a bit better than unfrozen tofu when crumbling. It is good this way as a sub for hamburger in chilis and spaghetti sauces, etc.

 

[syzygy314]

To crumble tofu, you don't want the tofu that's in asceptic packaging, but the kind that comes in a container with water (be sure to rinse daily). The stuff in the asceptic packages (like Mori-Nu) is good for blending to make puddings and dips and things like that. It does not have the right consistency for a 'meaty' texture or for making scrambles, etc.

Another thing you can try is freezing the tofu. Use the water-packed tofu as above, drain the water, and freeze. It will turn a bit yellowish, but is alright. When you want to use, thaw, then ring out. The texture is a bit spongy, and it will soak up the flavor of whatever sauces you put it with. It also holds its texture a bit better than unfrozen tofu when crumbling. It is good this way as a sub for hamburger in chilis and spaghetti sauces, etc.

Really? Tofu is spongy? This is going to be interesting! I put mine in the freezer because I knew I wasn't going to use it immediately. We'll see how it goes!

Thanks!

 

[kathryn]

Really? Tofu is spongy?

No....frozen and thawed tofu is spongy. Unfrozen tofu isn't.