Cooking tofu perfectly requires some skill so if you have struggled these tips should help. Unlike most proteins, you cannot sprinkle salt and paper on tofu and expect it to taste amazing. Many of us have had a not-so-good experience when it comes to eating tofu for the first time.
Luckily, with the proper techniques, you can make tofu taste absolutely delicious and serve it as a main course meal. If you are a beginner at cooking and want to learn how to make tofu correctly, continue reading this article.
Today, let’s talk about some of the best tips for cooking tofu that will help you the next time you try to cook this unique ingredient at home!
Practical Tips for Cooking Tofu Perfectly
Choose the right kind of tofu
Siliken, firm, and extra-firm are a few of the many types of tofu available worldwide. Thus, cooking tofu demands that you pick the right kind for your recipe.
Generally, extra-firm tofu is recommended as it is easier to chop into blocks or slices. Soft tofu is used for scrambles, while Siliken tough is often used for creams or soups.
Carefully purchase the right tofu after deciding what you want to cook. That is important to ensure your dish is not ruined before making it.
Press the tofu
In most cases, tofu is packaged with water – You should do this to keep the product fresh. Before cooking tofu, you need to get rid of the extra moisture. Otherwise, it will make the dish soggy or ruin its flavour.
For starters, you can cover blocks of tofu with paper towels and press them with something heavy to squeeze the water out. You can also do this process manually, which is much more efficient.
Press it until you have removed as much moisture and water from the tofu as possible. Too wet tofu to start with will never turn into tofu cooked perfectly!
Get the seasoning right; It’s a MUST!
You cannot expect tofu to taste amazing with minimal seasoning or with only salt. It is a base ingredient, meaning you must add stuff to enhance the flavours.
Tofu has no distinct flavour, so getting the seasoning right while cooking is an absolute must. Marinating tofu cubes or slices is one of the best ways to enhance this ingredient and make it taste delicious.
If you follow a recipe, do not skip any recommended seasoning to nail the final dish!
Cornflour can be the real saviour.
Tofu is a bit tricky to make crispy – Cornflour can make it easier to make tofu crispy on the outside but still keep the inside soft. Cornflour is also readily available everywhere, so you don’t need to worry too much.
Cornflour can be a fantastic alternative to breading and is much easier to use when cooking tofu.
If you adore crispy foods, dipping tofu in cornflour and then frying it might be the key to getting yourself to love it. Try doing it the next time you are worried about what you can make with the tofu you bought at the supermarket.
No oil if you wish to marinate the tofu
If you choose the marinating option for your tofu, don’t even think about adding oil to the mixture. Even if you marinate, the tofu is bound to retain some water and moisture.
As water and oil are natural opposites, it will be impossible for the tofu to soak up the flavours. Vinegar or citrus-based might do the trick for you instead.
If there is one thing that you must remember when you wish to marinate tofu, it is to not mix any oil with it.
Ensure that you cook the tofu long enough
One common mistake beginner cooks make while preparing tofu is that they often undercook or overcook it. Though many prefer tofu without cooking or frying it, you don’t have to be the same way.
We suggest cooking it on each side for 5-7 minutes, but that time depends on the size of your tofu blocks. That is enough amount of time to ensure the tofu is cooked perfectly. You can even turn the heat up if you want your tofu to be extra crispy on the outside.
Tofu is best deep-fried when in doubt!
If you have had tofu in soups and salads and never liked it, it is time to return to the basics and try frying it. Many people adore fried tofu and say it is one of the only ways they love eating this unique ingredient.
You can use the air fryer if you have one at home to fry tofu, but it will be less crispy. Instead, we recommend frying it in vegetable or sunflower oil and patting away the excess oil afterwards.
If you have had issues with tofu in the kitchen before, it’s time to try deep-frying it and see if your opinion changes.
Conclusion
Tofu can taste delicious if you know how to use it properly – If you’ve had it before, you might have had the best first experience. That is because there are certain things to keep in mind when you want to make tofu.
This article discussed some of the most valuable tips for correctly cooking tofu. We hope you can confidently turn it into a showstopper dish the next time you purchase tofu!
