Paradox Blog

Tofu is gaining popularity among health conscious people. Varieties of tofu can now be found on big chain supermarket shelves. Cookbooks not dedicated to Chinese food list tofu recipes. On a public TV cooking show, the hostess substituted silken textured tofu for mayonnaise to make salad dressing and touted its non-fatness and high protein content. Most proponents of healthier diet recommend tofu as a good source of protein. Resistance to tofu remain, however, among those that find it bland, probably one of the main reasons why it hasn't gain wider popularity. But tofu dishes are hardly bland. One popular Sichuan dish, Ma-po Tofu (Grandma Pockmark's Tofu) can make you sweat and numb your tongue with the fiery sauce made from chili and pepper. In most dishes, such as Ma-po Tofu, tofu provides texture and absorbs the flavor of other ingredients. In other dishes, tofu provides contrast of color as well as texture. Marbled Duck Egg and Tofu Mix is such a dish. The dark green preserved duck egg and white tofu mashed together, served cold, soothes away summer heat.

Tofu dishes are easy to make. Pick a flavorful vegetable such as leek and sauté it with tofu. Add a little oyster sauce or just some soy sauce for strictly vegan diet. Tofu absorbing the flavorful leek and the sauce is as tasteful as your favorite cheese. Tofu goes well with snow pea too. Lightly sauté them together and the contrast of crunchy snow pea and soft tofu delights the taste bud that likes it light. Tofu in miso soup is a must. The muddy miso paste coating the soft textured tofu in every spoonful of the soup is a treat for Japanese food lover. Tofu is the feature ingredient in a clay pot stew, a winter time favorite, for tofu absorbs the juice of other ingredients and becomes the most flavorful. Have I tempted you to make a Tofu dish tonight? Here is how:

Ma-po Tofu (Grandma Pockmark's Tofu)

One package of tofu (silken or firm) cut into bite-sized cubes, about 1 1/2 cups
1/4 lb. ground pork or ground turkey
2 cloves of garlic, minced
minced scallion, about 1 table spoon
2 teaspoons of ground pepper
1 table spoon of red hot chili pepper sauce
1 table spoon of cooking oil
1 table spoon of soy sauce
1 table spoon of corn starch
1/2 cup of water

Heat a large flat pan or a wok, add oil, swoosh the hot oil to coat the pan. Brown garlic in oil, add pork, stir till pork is done. Add ground pepper, soy sauce and chili sauce, mix well. Add tofu, stir gingerly not to break tofu too much. Add water, cover pan and reduce heat, let it simmer for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, dissolve corn starch with about 1/4 cup of water. Uncover pan, resume high heat, add corn starch water and scallion, give it a quick stir or two. Turn off heat and serve hot over rice. Makes about 4 1/2 cup servings.

Marbled Duck Egg and Tofu Mix

One package of silken tofu
4 preserved duck eggs, egg shells removed
pinch of salt
minced scallion, about 1 table spoon

In a mixing bowl, mix duck eggs, tofu and sesame oil till well blended. Sprinkle with scallion and chill until ready to serve. Makes about 4 1/2 cup servings.

Sautéed Tofu and Greens

One package of firm tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes
leek or snow pea, trim into bite size, 1 cup
Sliced mushroom, 1/2 cup (optional)
1 table spoon of oyster sauce
2 tea spoons of soy sauce
1 table spoon of cooking oil

Heat oil in pan, add greens and mushrooms, stir until both are well coated with heat and oil. Add tofu, soy sauce and oyster sauce, stir lightly to mix all ingredients. Cover and heat for about 3 minutes to let steam work through tofu. Turn off heat and serve hot. Makes about 4 1/2 cup servings.

Miso Soup

One package of silken tofu, cut into bite-sized cubes
3 cups of water
3 table spoons of miso paste
minced scallions, about 1 table spoon
Dried bonito flakes, about 1 table spoon (optional)
Dried seaweed shreds, about 1/2 table spoon (optional)

Heat water, while heating, dissolve miso into water by stirring constantly. Add tofu and seaweed, bring soup to boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add dried bonito flakes and scallion, turn off heat and serve hot. Makes about 4 cups of soup.

Tofu Clay Pot Stew

Freeze one package of firm tofu overnight, defrost and cut into bite-sized cubes
2 Chinese or Japanese eggplant, 1/2 large daikon stick peeled, and 2 large stick of carrots peeled, cute into cubes
2 gloves of garlic, pressed and peeled
1 table spoon of cooking oil
pinch of salt

Heat oil, brown garlic cloves. Add vegetables and salt and stir to coat with oil. Transport content to a clay pot or a casserole pan. Add broth, heat covered clay pot or casserole pan with medium heat until broth starts to boil. Transport pot into 320 F degree oven and bake for about 20 minutes. Makes about 4 1 cup servings.