Tofu is a bean curd made by coagulating soy milk. That's it. No mysterious ingredients there, basically thickened soy milk.
It is high in protein and low in calories. It has a very subtle flavour and can take on the flavours of the ingredients you combine it with. Marinating tofu before cooking it is a great flavour enhancing technique.
Tofu is used in both savoury and sweet dishes. For example: Miso soup, tofu stir fry, tofu burgers, fried tofu, fresh tofu with marinade, and tofu rice pudding.
There are many tofu products and varieties. Each one can add a different element or texture to your dish. There are essentially three basic types found internationally: Silken (soft) Tofu, Frim Tofu and Dried Tofu.
Silken Tofu
It’s called kinu goshi tofu in Japanese. This soft, undrained tofu has the consistency of pudding or custard. It is great to add to miso soup or eating fresh with soy sauce and sesame oil marinade.
Firm Tofu
Known as, momen dofu in Japanese, it has the firmness of raw meat. This type of tofu is great for marinating, fried tofu recipes and tofu fried rice. You can batter and cook them like chicken nuggets so your kids think they’re eating chicken!
Dried Tofu
This is known as koya dofu in Japanese. You can buy them in packs. They are hard blocks or cubes. They must be soaked in water before eating. They are usually cooked in broth and have a spongy texture and mild flavour.