Tofu is an ingredient which is made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. It is used in various East and Southeast Asian cuisines. Tofu can be fresh or processed, and its subtle flavor suits a variety of savory and sweet recipes. It is often marinated or seasoned before use. If you’re wondering what is tofu exactly, you might also be interested in its history.
Tofu dates back nearly 2000 years to ancient China and during the Nara period its production technique was introduced into Korea and Japan. Tofu is low in calories, featuring a lot of protein but not much fat. It is also high in iron and depending on how it is made, it can also be rich in magnesium and calcium, making it a great health food.
Fresh tofu is usually sold immersed in water to keep it moist. You can get silken tofu which is very soft, firm and extra-firm tofu which can be cooked without falling apart, dried, processed, and pickled tofu. There are also various sweet varieties. Silken tofu can be used to make desserts, smoothies, and delicate foods.
It is often added to Chinese soup recipes in tiny cubes and eaten with a spoon since the very soft kind is nearly impossible to pick up with chopsticks, unlike firm and extra-firm tofu. Learning more about what is tofu exactly means you will need to know about the different varieties and which to choose for which dish.
What is Tofu Exactly: Add Meatiness with Tofu
If you want to add a meaty texture to your wonton recipes without using meat, then tofu is a good standby instead since you can marinate it or add other seasonings to give it a meaty likeness.
Try this tofu wontons recipe. Or mapo tofu, or tofu pho for something different! Knowing what is tofu exactly, you can rustle up all kinds of wonderful tofu based dishes.
Another way to get meatiness without using meat is to use mushrooms. These have a rich, earthy flavor and texture which makes up for the wontons not containing any meat. Wonton recipes do not have to be meaty, of course, but if you do want to replace the meat with something, then either tofu or mushrooms should do the trick.