Soft Tofu

About

Tofu, also Tōfu (the Japanese Romaji spelling), doufu (the Chinese Pinyin spelling often used in Chinese recipes) or bean curd (the literal translation), is a food of Chinese origin, made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu that has been processed in some way. Tofu has very little flavor or smell on its own, so it can be used either in savory or sweet dishes, and is often seasoned or marinated to suit the dish. Soft tofu has a silky texture.

Information

Other names: Smooth Tofu, Doufu, Silken Tofu, Tofu, Bean Curd, Cotton Tofu

Translations: Μαλακό Tofu, Minkšti Tofu, لينة التوفو, М'який тофу, Софт тофу, Tofu moale, 부드러운 두부, Đậu phụ mềm, טופו רך, Pehmeä Tofu, 絹ごし豆腐, Myk Tofu, शीतल Tofu, El tofu suave, Tofu Soft, 软豆腐, Мягкий тофу, Soft Tahu, El tofu suau, Софт тофу

Physical Description

Soft tofu has soft consistency, much softer than regular tofu and will fall apart if not handled carefully.

Colors: white

Tasting Notes

Flavors: sweet. bland

Mouthfeel: Smooth, Grainy, Soft, Can be chewy

Food complements: Katsuoboshi, Green onion, Soy sauce, Chili sauce

Wine complements: Gewürztraminer

Beverage complements: Sake, Plum wine, Tea

Substitutes: Silken tofu, Sour cream, Mayonnaise or yogurt

Selecting and Buying

Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december

Choosing: Avoid slimy texture and tofu with slightly yellow or brown coloured edges. Also avoid those with beany "off" smell, this means the tofu's already gone bad and is old.

Buying: Soft tofu is sold under the guise of "soft silke", "silken" or "smooth tofu."

Look for plastic tubs with cakes of tofu in the refrigerated sections of supermarkets and health food stoes.

Procuring: Made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks.

Preparation and Use

Soft varieties are good substitutes for cream cheese in any recipe.

Conserving and Storing

Tofu will go bad fairly quickly if not stored properly. Keep it in the fridge whether opened or not. For tofu that comes in water, store in airtight container with a bit of fresh water, changed daily.

Tofu is bad when it develops a beany "off" smell. The edges may start to yellow or brown.

Don't freeze soft tofu.

Social/Political

History: Soft tofu is of Chinese origin, and part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese and others.

Tofu originated in Han Dynasty in ancient China.