How to cook tofu at home? Recipes for tofu sauce, pie, fried tofu

In Asia, dishes with tofu are found everywhere - in expensive restaurants and ordinary cafes, in supermarkets and on the family dinner table. The popularity of bean cheese is high among consumers all over the world. But what to do if there is no necessary product on store shelves, and the desire to try the product is extremely high? What is cheese valued for and how to make tofu yourself? Let's find out!

The popularity of Asian cuisine prompted manufacturers to think about selling specific products, which led to the appearance of new dishes on the menu of European residents.

Tofu cheese is characterized by a high degree of absorption without stress on the gastrointestinal tract. Acts as an independent dish, imitation of animal products in the diet of vegetarians and as an additional ingredient in a dish.

In this article you will learn:

what is tofu and nutritional value of soy product;
step-by-step instructions on how to cook tofu at home with comments;
how to diversify the menu: recipes with tofu for first, second and dessert.

Types of tofu cheese

Depending on the cooking technology, there are three types of tofu:

Silk (soft). This type of tofu contains the most moisture. And in its consistency this product is more reminiscent of custard or pudding. In China, green onions, chili peppers and even shrimp are added to this soft cheese. The mixture obtained in this way is an excellent snack.

Linen (hard). This tofu has some of its moisture removed during the manufacturing process. But, unlike dry cheese, its consistency is much softer. The structure of firm tofu is similar to meat. And it is this type of soy cheese that is most often used in cooking.

Dry. When producing this type of tofu, moisture is removed from the product using pressure.
The structure of this product is similar to regular cheese. But, unlike it, it crumbles when cut.

Several options on how to cook Tofu

Culinary experts distinguish various options for preparing a popular product:

Soft or silk. The finished dish has maximum moisture. The consistency is similar to pudding or thick cream. The Chinese season it with spices, herbs and chopped seafood - it makes an excellent snack.
Solid or linen. Some of the liquid is squeezed out in linen bags until the consistency begins to resemble meat. Widely used in the preparation of various imitations.
Dry . The product is pressed until maximum liquid is removed. The structure is reminiscent of mid-ripe cheeses, but crumbles when cut.

In regions and countries where Tofu is popular, recipes vary. The ingredients and main stages of the process remain common.

How to make tofu cheese at home? Instructions

Soy cheese

Tofu cheese occupies a very high place in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cooking. Surprisingly, there is no consensus on the origin of this product. Today, tofu is prepared in the same way as it was many years ago. And you can do this even at home
Tofu is made from soybeans. They are boiled and pressed to extract milk. It is the soy milk obtained and purified from solid inclusions that is the main ingredient of tofu cheese. A special substance (coagulant) is added to milk. Under its action, flocculent parts are formed in soy milk. They are separated from the liquid and, depending on the type of tofu, pressed or simply laid out in molds
Making tofu at home is quite difficult for two reasons. First: soybeans are sold quite rarely in supermarkets. Second: technology requires careful adherence to all actions. Therefore, it is best to use ready-made tofu in your recipes. But, if you are interested in making this product yourself, you can try

Preparing soy milk

Soy milk
To do this, you need to pour soybeans (1 kg) with water and keep them in this form for 24 hours. In this case, the water needs to be changed 2-3 times. Soybeans have a plant-like flavor. To do this, to remove it, you need to add a couple of pinches of salt to the water in which they are soaked.

The swollen soybeans need to be washed and turned into minced meat using a meat grinder. Fill it with water (3 l) and let it brew for 4 hours. Once an hour, the soy mince diluted in water needs to be stirred.

Using a colander, separate the soy milk from the remaining beans. It can be used not only to make tofu, but also as a healthy ingredient in many drinks and cocktails. Soy milk can be consumed by people who have allergic reactions to cow's milk.

Soy Milk Tofu Recipe

To prepare tofu you need to take 1 liter of soy milk. Heat it to a boil, turn off the heat and leave on the stove for 5 minutes. Then squeeze lemon juice (1 piece) into the milk. Gradually stir the mass until it is completely curdled.

Strain the curdled milk and squeeze out excess moisture. If the goal is hard soy cheese, then after squeezing out the moisture, the resulting mass is placed under a press.

Soy Flour Tofu Recipe

Since soybeans are rarely sold, soy flour is increasingly being used to make homemade tofu. It (1 tbsp) is mixed with cold water (1 tbsp). Then pour boiling water (2 tbsp) and mix. The resulting mass should be cooked for 10-15 minutes. Then lemon juice is added to this “milk”. Next, everything needs to be done as indicated above.

Ingredients

For Tofu cheese, the recipes differ in details, but they are all similar in terms of ingredients. For self-production you will need the following products:

Soybeans – 300 kg.
Citric acid 1 teaspoon (can be replaced with the juice of one medium lemon).
Water 1.8 liters.

You will also need two saucepans with a capacity of at least 3 liters , a slotted spoon for stirring, measuring cups, a colander, gauze or flag cloth for straining. If you plan to make dry cheese, you will also need a press and two molds for it.

For many vegetarian and vegan recipes, tofu is a desirable ingredient because, being 100% plant-based , it can mimic various animal products.

Tofu dishes

Tofu Dishes
Tofu cheese is a unique and versatile product. It can be used as an ingredient in main dishes as well as sweet desserts. Tofu is used to make soups and casseroles, it is fried and even used for steaming dishes.

IMPORTANT: Tofu contains 10% protein, which includes all amino acids essential for humans. This is why it is so popular among vegetarians. This product is well absorbed by the stomach. It contains practically no fats and carbohydrates.

The benefits and harms of tofu

Residents of Japan and China consume plant-based cheese on a regular basis as one of their main sources of protein. Product advantages:

low calorie content;
lack of cholesterol, with systematic use it reduces the level of “bad” cholesterol;
suitable for athletes;
vegetable protein contains essential amino acids;
prevention of cancer, osteoporosis;
facilitates the processes of change during menopause;
normalizes hemoglobin synthesis;
Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

It is considered a harmless product. The recommended daily portion is up to 200 grams. Excessive consumption contributes to:

decreased sperm concentration;
in women – an excess of phytoestrogens;
exacerbation of chronic endocrine diseases;
phytic acid makes it difficult to absorb minerals.

Recipes for cooking with tofu

This curd cheese has a neutral taste. But, it has one wonderful feature. It absorbs the smell and taste of the products with which it “adjacents” in one dish. Since this curd cheese came to us from Asian countries, it is often supplemented with various spices and seasonings. This allows it to acquire amazing flavors.

Pineapple salad with tofu

Salad with tofu
Cut tofu (300 g) into small cubes. We put them in a salad bowl. Place pineapple (300 g) on top, cut into squares similar to cheese. You can use either fresh or canned pineapple in this salad. Shred cabbage (150 g). Add salt to it. Thanks to this, it will become soft and juicy. Grate carrots (100 g) on a fine grater and mix them with chopped peanuts (1/2 cup). Add these ingredients to the tofu and pineapple. Add sour cream and mix.

Thai tofu soup

Add cilantro (2 stalks), ginger (2 pieces), garlic (1 clove) and red capsicum (1 piece) to the vegetable broth. Bring the broth to a boil, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes.

Marinate tofu (100 g) in soy sauce (2 tablespoons) for 25 minutes. Cook the noodles (50 g) and place them on 4 plates. Strain the broth into a clean saucepan. Add carrots (2 pcs.), fresh champignons (100 g), tofu in soy sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Place tofu and vegetables in bowls with noodles. Pour lemon juice and decorate with herbs.

Buckwheat noodles with eggs and tofu cheese

Buckwheat noodles with tofu
Buckwheat soba noodles will give you a 100 point head start over regular wheat noodles. It contains less gluten and therefore is almost completely absorbed by the body.

Boil eggs (2 pcs.) hard-boiled. Cook buckwheat noodles (500 g) for a minute less than indicated on its packaging and rinse with cold water. Fry red onion (1 head) cut into half rings in a wok pan. For this purpose it is better to use sesame oil. Add rice vinegar (50 g), cane sugar (1 tbsp), soy sauce (2 tbsp) to the onion and simmer for a minute over low heat.

Chop the eggs as for Olivier salad. Transfer the noodles to the pan and mix with soy sauce. After this, add tofu (100 g), chili peppers cut into rings (1 pc.) and eggs. Mix everything again and serve.

Japanese buckwheat hit

Buckwheat noodles with mushrooms and tofu cheese are a very popular dish in Japan. Preparing it at home is not difficult. You don't have to take soba. Ramen, udon or funchoza are also suitable.

Ingredients:

buckwheat noodles – 250 g
tofu – 150 g
champignons – 200 g
onion - 1 head
green onions - 2-3 feathers
lettuce leaves - 3-4 pcs.
grated ginger root - 0.5 tsp.
garlic - 1-2 cloves
soy sauce - 2 tbsp. l.
fish sauce - 1 tbsp. l.
corn oil for frying
black pepper, chili powder - to taste

First, let's cook the noodles, then drain them in a colander. At the same time, fry the chopped garlic and ginger in corn oil for a minute. Then add the diced onion and sauté until transparent. Next, add the champignons cut into slices and fry until all the liquid has evaporated. Lastly, add the tofu into large cubes. Since soba cooks quickly, it is best to prepare all the ingredients in advance.

Place the noodles into the frying pan, season with soy and fish sauce and spices, mix everything well. Cook the dish for a couple of minutes, cover with a lid and let it brew a little longer. Don't forget to garnish each serving with a fresh salad.

How to make delicious fried tofu?

As you can see, tofu cheese can be used to prepare various dishes. Many people like this product fried. There are several ways to fry tofu. They will be listed below.

Tofu cheese fried in a frying pan with onions and garlic

Heat vegetable oil (1-2 tbsp) in a frying pan. Finely chop the onion (1 piece) and pass the garlic (1 clove) through a press. Fry these products in oil.

Place tofu (200 g - 300 g) cut into squares into a frying pan with onions and garlic. Fry and add spices and thyme. Mix. The readiness of the tofu is determined by the golden crust that covers the cheese on all sides.

How to fry breaded tofu

Breaded soy cheese
Prepare the sauce for the marinade. Pour soy sauce (50 ml) and freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 pc.) into a container. Add red (0.5 teaspoon) and black pepper (0.5 teaspoon), cilantro (2 branches), ground coriander (0.5 teaspoon), chopped garlic (2-3 cloves) and finely chopped cucumber (1 pc.). Mix the products and add tofu (500 g) to the marinade for 10 minutes.

Then cut the cheese into rectangular pieces. Salt and roll in flour. Fry in vegetable oil until golden brown on both sides.

Battered tofu recipe

Cut the curd cheese (400 g) into small slices. We dilute the flour with beer (0.25 cups), add butter (1 tablespoon) and vodka (1 tablespoon). Mix and add 2 beaten egg whites.

Dip tofu slices in batter and fry until golden brown.

Appetizer of tofu, chestnuts and vegetables

Salad with soy cheese
To prepare this original dish, you need to mix all the ingredients in a food processor. They should be served on lettuce leaves.

Ingredients:

Tofu cheese – 150 g
Chopped white cabbage – 0.5 cup
Carrots, grated – 0.5 cup
Canned culinary chestnuts (sliced) – 115 g
Green onion (finely chopped) - 1/8 cup
Fresh cilantro (chopped) - 1 tbsp. l.
Asian chili sauce - 1/5 cup
Fresh lime juice – 0.5 tbsp. l
Lettuce leaves - 4 pcs.

Use a paper towel to remove excess moisture from the tofu. Place cheese, cabbage, carrots, chestnuts, green onions and cilantro into the bowl of a food processor. Grind and mix the ingredients until smooth. Transfer them to a large frying pan.

Add chili sauce and lime juice to the chopped products. Place the pan on low heat and heat for 1-2 minutes. Mix and spread the mixture onto the lettuce leaves, wrap them in a roll and fasten them with wooden skewers. Serve to the table.

Tofu soy sauce recipe

Tofu is often used in cooking as a base for various sauces. Such sauces can be included in various dishes, enriching their taste. Mild soy cheese is suitable for making this sauce. This product can be used in its pure form (without additives) or with the addition of paprika.

Ingredients:

Tender tofu – 100 g
Olive oil EV - 3 tbsp.
White wine vinegar - 2 tbsp.
Sugar - 1 tsp.
Mustard – 25 g
Soy sauce - 3 tbsp.
Garlic cloves - 1 pc.
Ground black pepper - 0.5 tsp.

Place chopped garlic and mustard in a blender bowl. Add soy sauce and mix at low speed. Add sugar, black pepper, olive oil and tofu. Mix until smooth at medium speed. Taste the sauce. If necessary, you can add sugar or salt.

This tofu sauce can be combined with fresh vegetables and spread on bread. Store the sauce in a closed jar in the refrigerator.

How to make tofu from soy flour?

Another recipe for making delicious cheese if you don’t have milk nearby.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. soy flour;
1 tbsp. cold water;
2 tbsp. boiling water;
citric acid, as in the previous recipe.

Cooking method:

First, combine flour and cold water, mix well, then add boiling water and stir vigorously.
Place everything on low heat and cook for 15 minutes.
After this, remove the container from the heat and add acid.
Mix well until flakes form. All that remains is to strain and squeeze out the mass.

Smoothie with pomegranate juice and tofu

Making a smoothie with tofu
Healthy smoothies can be made not only from vegetables, fruits and oatmeal. You can make a delicious and healthy smoothie by mixing the following ingredients with tofu cheese in a blender bowl.

Products:

Tofu (shredded) - 1/3 cup
Any berries - 1 cup
Pomegranate juice - 1/2 cup
Honey - 1-2 tsp.
Ice cubes - 1/3 cup

With this drink you can not only saturate your body with useful substances, but also quench your thirst in the summer heat.

Tofu Pie Recipe

Open-faced tofu pie
In Asian cuisines, there are quite a few recipes for baking with soy cheese. But, this recipe is still closer to European, or more precisely Italian, cuisine. And most likely the original pie used Mozzarella. But why not make an open tofu pie like this?

Ingredients for the dough:

Flour - 250 g
Cream - 100 g
Butter - 70 g
Baking powder - 0.5 tsp.
a pinch of salt

For filling:

tofu – 150 g
cream - 150 g
eggs – 2 pcs.
hard cheese – 70 g
mushrooms to taste
seasoning (Italian herbs blend works best for this recipe)
fresh herbs
ground black pepper
salt
vegetable oil for frying

Preparing an open tofu pie:

Mix the dough. Sift the flour several times, saturating it with oxygen. Add baking powder, salt and vegetable oil. Grind the flour into crumbs. Add cream and knead the dough. Then put it in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

For the filling, cut the mushrooms into small pieces and fry them in vegetable oil. During frying, mushrooms need to be salted and peppered. Cut the tofu into cubes and chop the greens. Grate the cheese on a fine grater. Mix eggs, cream and grated cheese into a homogeneous mass. Grease the round mold with vegetable oil. Place the dough evenly in it. We make the sides. Place mushrooms and tofu on the dough. Sprinkle them with herbs and herbs. Pour in cream cheese sauce and bake in the oven.

Cheesecake with pumpkin and tofu

Pumpkin Cheesecake
To make this dessert you will need soy cheese, pumpkin and cookies. Since this recipe was found on a vegan forum, it can be used even by strict vegetarians. At the same time, the taste of this cheesecake was practically not affected by this “processing”.

Ingredients:

Cookie crumbs - 1 kg
Any vegetable oil suitable for sweet baking – 50 g
Water – 2-3 glasses

For the first layer of cream:

Tofu – 200 g
Sugar – ½ cup
Corn starch - 2-3 tbsp. spoons
Lemon juice - 1.5 tbsp. l.
Vanillin

For the second layer of cream:

Tofu -300 gr.
Pumpkin puree - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 3 tbsp. l.
Cinnamon - 1/2 tsp.
Ginger - 1/4 tsp.
fresh nutmeg, grated - 1/4 tsp.
nut or coffee liqueur 1 tbsp. l.

Making vegan cheesecake:

Mix the crushed cookies with butter. You can add a little water. You should get a dough-like mass. If you choose not very sweet cookies, you can add sugar to them. Place the prepared mixture on the bottom of the mold.
Preparing the cream for the first layer. Blend tofu, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice in a blender. Spread the mixture onto the cookie crust
Blend the ingredients for the pumpkin cream in a blender. Pour them over the first layer. It is important to take into account that when baking the cream will rise by several centimeters. Therefore, when pouring the cream into the mold, you need to leave at least 5 cm from the edge of the side
Bake this cheesecake in the oven at 190 degrees for 50-60 minutes. In order to be sure that it is ready, you need to check the degree of baking with a toothpick. If the cream does not stick to it, then the dessert can be removed from the oven.
This cheesecake recipe is quite versatile. Pumpkin puree can be replaced with apple, orange or pear. You can diversify the taste by adding nuts, raisins, chocolate or candied fruits to the cream

How and with what to eat tofu soy cheese: tips and reviews

Maria
tofu soy cheese My “signature” recipe is stuffed soy cheese cubes. I fry them and remove the centers. I fill it with minced pork or shrimp. For my vegetarian friends I use vegetables instead of meat.

Kate. Tofu is a very tasty product. But, this is if you know how to cook it correctly. Unfortunately, I didn’t succeed at first and I completely forgot about this cheese. But then gradually I began to include it in my menu again. At first I added it to salads. Then I started frying it with spices. I experimented with flavors. Now this product is fried in nori leaves with the addition of various seasonings. It turns out very tasty.

Firm but soft

Soy cheese can be hard or soft. The first one has a rather dense texture. To achieve the desired consistency, the curd mass is placed in a mold lined with cotton material. The excess liquid is drawn out and the tofu becomes firm. Hence the name - cotton cheese, or momen goshi. Soft tofu is made by curdling soybean paste in silk, giving it a soft, creamy texture. This cheese is called kinu-goshi, that is, silk cheese.

The main feature of tofu is that it easily takes on the taste of other ingredients. Therefore, you can make it spicy, salty, sour or bitter. Seasonings play an important role here. Firm tofu is added to salads, side dishes, meat and fish dishes, soups, and pasta. It can also be deep-fried.

Soft tofu is suitable for cream soups, sauces for hot dishes, and fruit desserts. It makes incredibly tasty puddings, cheesecakes, casseroles, thick cocktails and smoothies. Soft tofu is also good as an independent dessert. It is enough to complement it with chocolate topping, jam or maple syrup.