Tofu

Also known asBean Curd · Doufu · Tahu · 豆腐

Name: Tofu, also called bean curd — a soft to firm food made by curdling soy milk with a coagulant, and pressing the curds into blocks. It comes in many textures, from silken to extra-firm, which have their own pages.

Description

Tofu is made by curdling soy milk with a coagulant and pressing the curds into blocks, much like making cheese. It originated in China, and tradition credits the Han dynasty prince Liu An over 2,000 years ago, though this is unproven. It spread with Buddhism to Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, and is now eaten worldwide.

The coagulant used affects the result: calcium sulphate (gypsum) gives a mild, soft tofu rich in calcium, and nigari (magnesium chloride from seawater) gives a slightly sweeter, firmer one. Tofu is a staple protein in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Southeast Asian cooking, in dishes such as mapo tofu, miso soup and sundubu jjigae, and a mainstay of vegetarian cooking worldwide.

Plain tofu has a very mild flavour, and so absorbs the flavours of the sauces and seasonings it is cooked with. Fresh tofu is sold in tubs of water, or in vacuum packs, and is also processed into fried tofu, dried tofu and fermented tofu.

Main nutrition value

Tofu is a good source of plant protein, with all the essential amino acids, and provides iron, calcium (especially if set with calcium sulphate), magnesium and manganese, with isoflavones, and is low in saturated fat.

How best to be consumed

Tofu is versatile, and takes on the flavour of what it is cooked with.

1. Drain and press firm tofu before frying, to get a crisp, golden outside.
2. Add soft and silken tofu to soups, or blend into smoothies, sauces and desserts.
3. Marinate in soy sauce, garlic, ginger and chilli, or coat in cornflour before frying.
4. Crumble into scrambles, fillings and dumplings.
5. Keep in the fridge in fresh water, changing it daily, once opened, and use within a few days.

Overconsumption could cause…

Tofu is healthy in food amounts.

1. Soy allergy, which can be serious in some people, particularly children, so anyone allergic must avoid soy and check labels.
2. Possible effects on thyroid medicine absorption, so people taking levothyroxine should leave several hours between it and soy foods, and soy can matter for people with low iodine intake or an underactive thyroid.
3. Isoflavones, plant compounds in soy that weakly mimic oestrogen, which research suggests are safe in food amounts for most people, including those with a history of breast cancer, although very high supplement doses are not advised.
4. Added salt, sugar and oil in fried and heavily marinated preparations.
5. Food spoilage if kept too long after opening.

GroupsSoy FoodsLegume familyHigh proteinLow sodiumRich in calciumRich in selenium

Made fromSoybeans

Made intoExtra-Firm TofuFermented TofuFirm TofuFried Tofu SnacksSilken TofuSmoked Tofu

Related foodsEdamameTempehMisoNattoTamariSoy Sauce

Wikipedia — Tofu, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofu