What versions of tofu have you tried? The normal soft white stuff you get can be rather tasteless.
But the super-soft has a nice texture and flavoring can be added.
Tofu-kan is braised or otherwise cooked in a spiced liquid and then pressed to take out the water and give it a firmer texture. For me, it tastes pretty good all by itself, even before you add other ingredients or seasoning.
Asian stores will also sell you a deep-fried version, which has a different texture, and can be used in soups. There are more holes, so it will hold the soup and thus be tastier.
You can also buy extra firm tofu, freeze it, and then use that in soups. Freezing creates ice crystals, that in a soup mean lots of holes and again, more surface-area that holds onto yumminess. Some people don't like the resulting texture, but I quite like it.
Asian stores will also sell you tofu in a dried skin form rolled up into sticks. You need to soak this before cooking in soup, but it is nice and chewy when cooked, and again, the fact that it is sort of liked thin pasta all crumpled up into sticks means that there is lots of surface area that will hold onto soup to add flavor.
As I recall, I've tried tempe and didn't like it, which is surprising since I generally like soy products.
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Date: 2008-03-28 10:19 pm (UTC)But the super-soft has a nice texture and flavoring can be added.
Tofu-kan is braised or otherwise cooked in a spiced liquid and then pressed to take out the water and give it a firmer texture. For me, it tastes pretty good all by itself, even before you add other ingredients or seasoning.
Asian stores will also sell you a deep-fried version, which has a different texture, and can be used in soups. There are more holes, so it will hold the soup and thus be tastier.
You can also buy extra firm tofu, freeze it, and then use that in soups. Freezing creates ice crystals, that in a soup mean lots of holes and again, more surface-area that holds onto yumminess. Some people don't like the resulting texture, but I quite like it.
Asian stores will also sell you tofu in a dried skin form rolled up into sticks. You need to soak this before cooking in soup, but it is nice and chewy when cooked, and again, the fact that it is sort of liked thin pasta all crumpled up into sticks means that there is lots of surface area that will hold onto soup to add flavor.
As I recall, I've tried tempe and didn't like it, which is surprising since I generally like soy products.