Tofu - vegetarian cheese Bashny.Net

Due to certain reasons I became a vegetarian, and I opened a world of food that I had just encountered. One of them is tofu.

Tofu is the so– called soy cheese (or soybean curd). Actually the taste is not similar to one or the other. Just the process of manufacturing tofu is reminiscent of how milk is made of cheese.

Six years ago I knew nothing about tofu. Occasionally seen the word in books by contemporary Japanese authors, but since these books were not about cooking, then they explain what the product is. But I'm not eager to learn.





When I tried tofu for the first time, frankly, was disappointed. I had no idea how to cook it and decided to eat raw. Almost tasteless, odorless – for what it so love Japanese and Chinese – this for me was a mystery.

The fact is that by itself, tofu has a neutral taste. And the fact that I initially seemed a disadvantage, in the end turned out to be a huge advantage because of its neutrality allows endlessly experimenting in cooking different dishes. Tofu absorbs the flavor and taste of spices, sauces and marinades.

This tofu is not the end. First, it is a source of protein, which is especially important for people adhering to a vegetarian diet or fasting. Secondly, it is a diet product, which is important for people controlling their weight and leading a healthy lifestyle. Third, tofu is really easy to prepare and can serve as a basis for all meals, starting with basic and ending with desserts.

Tofu is hard and soft. Personally, I prefer solid. Probably the most easiest way to prepare firm tofu – cut it into cubes and fry until Golden brown. Ideally, the pre-hold the tofu in the marinade, for example, in teriyaki sauce.

Soft tofu is more commonly used in the preparation of desserts and sauces. He is very gentle in consistency and resembles egg whites.

All those who have never tried this product, I would advise to start with tofu in a cafe or restaurant. This will allow you to experience the culinary potential of "soy cheese" and will be a stimulus for your own experiments. After all, besides frying, tofu can be boiled, simmer, bake. Besides, there are many types of tofu with spices. There is also a smoked tofu.





Personally I'm a fan of tofu and can't imagine your diet without it. Besides, he so loved me, that I get pleasure from it even in raw form, which is the preferred way to use tofu, because it retains all its beneficial properties.

Unfortunately, in Russia tofu is not very common and hardly anybody knows about it. In addition, there are some biases to the soy products that it is in vain.

"I got a bottle of "old crow", poured in a big glass of whiskey, threw ice. Then fried slices of tofu on high heat, put on a plate, I added grated ginger and started on the whiskey, eating ginger tofu. My guest, not saying a word, worked the jaws. I offered her whiskey, but she refused.
— Better give tofu a try, — she said. I put in her plate the rest of the slices and continue drinking without snacks".
Haruki Murakami, the Country of miracles without brakes





Catherine Magranova:
"I'm 27 years old, 4 years of which I am a vegetarian and 2 years vegan. Consequently, it affects my kitchen, on food choices and recipes. For me is very important, as the taste of the dish, and the time of its preparation. Even if the recipe is awesome, but for cooking it is necessary to spend 1.5 hours is not my recipe. One of my desires is to find a thick book of recipes called "3000 vegan dishes that can be prepared in 15 minutes". Unfortunately, this is not yet found. Maybe retirement will do so when we have sufficient culinary experience, but at the moment there is no time."

Source: www.gastronom.ru