TLDR: I am looking for more diverse non-meat options than your average restaurant or supermarket provides. Because they don’t quite work for me as well as I’d like.
I am not a picky eater, I enjoy vegan food and non-vegan food alike. I’ve noticed most “vegan” advertised products are just meat imitations that taste like seasoned cardboard.
Too darn often do I see cooks and stores trying to replace the visuals of meat, rather than finding something that tastes satisfying in it’s own way. I’d be eating more vegan food if the options available had a similar convenience and filled me up properly.
Which may sound stupid, but I’ve tried going vegan and I did not feel great. I guess beans and tofu are not for me. Now I realise I may sound like an uninformed dingus who doesn’t know how to find decent ingredients and recipes… That’s because I am.
But I would really like to find some options that work for me. And I’m fine with trying 20 things over the course of a month and deciding only a few work for me.
Does anyone here have any advice?
I get your vibe and i would have said the same before visiting large parts of asia. There is lots of shitty tofu around in western supermarkets that taste like sour carton and it is borderline impossible to get it prepared in a way that is enjoyable. Don’t give up on tofu yet tho, there are so many different style of tofus, ways to prepare it and brands that saying “i don’t like the taste of tofu” now sounds as radical to me like someone saying “i don’t like the taste of meat”, you might not have found a good tofu, the right tofu for your meal, the right seasoning or it wasn’t prepared in a way that you enjoyed.
Hmm, I did not know that. Any recommendations for a particular brand? I’ll also swing by a local specialty shop, sometime this month probably
I would look at textures first:
silken tofu has the consistency of flan and can be blended and added as a thickener to sauces or drained and sautéed to resemble scrambled eggs (kala namak or black salt will help with the egg taste)
Soft tofu is good as a base for puddings or for battering and deep frying, but it’s delicate and will spatter if you sauté it. Before frying, you should drain and pat the tofu dry.
All the firmer tofus should be drained and pressed first. I wrap mine in a clean dish towel or two, then put it between two cutting boards and push down gently, then flip it and do it on the other side. You’re supposed to put a weight on it and leave it for 30-180 minutes, but that’s too much planning for me, tbh. Instead, I’ll wrap it up in the towel again after cutting it (spaced out), and just pay all the surfaces dry.
If you have a freezer, letting the unopened block of tofu freeze solid and then thaw makes it much easier to get more water out.
Firm tofu works fried, sautéed, or baked.
Extra firm is good sautéed or baked.
Smoked tofu is the one I eat most often, because it’s even firmer than extra firm. Baking and sautéing are good for it, but I also slice it thin and put it uncooked in sandwiches.
Whoa, that actually sounds really interesting. I guess I ended up with soft tofu last time. I now want to try the firm and smoked options.
I’ve got quite a list of options now, but I’ll get to it eventually!
Couldn’t have said it better. To me the game-changer was frying a good firm tofu until crispy, adding minced garlic, ginger and chili, and just before it burns you have to drench some soy-sauce on it. It should almost instantly get absorbed by the tofu together with any excess oil. Your mission is to find a good tofu now, if you can share your location someone might provide you with suggestions.