I like to make baked tofu and then use it in stir fry. I have that at least once a week. Actually I can buy baked seasoned tofu so this is my "go to" convenience meal. To make baked tofu, take italian or some other kind of oil-based dressing or marinade, cover the tofu with it and bake it in the oven at 375 for about 45 min or more--until it is dried out and well coated with the marinade. Turn halfway and perhaps add more marinade, as it can dry out and burn, especially if the marinade has sugar. I use either italian dressing or barbecue sauce when I do this.

The other way I like it is added to roasted veggies. Also added to pasta dishes--the baked italian tofu. I add it to my baked ziti especially. Also use it in baked stuffed peppers.

I also sub lowfat firm tofu for half the mayo and sour cream in spinach dip.
Here are two other dips/spreads I developed.

Tofu Spread - 2 Versions > This is an excellent substitute for butter and cheese dip. It is great spread on toast, crackers, pita or bagel chips. It is OK as a pasta sauce, with some added olive oil and parmesean or feta cheese. I'll bet you could even use it as a filling for little savory tarts. It doesn't keep a long time, best to use it up in a few days. > Serves 6-8, depending on what else you are having

> Brown Version >
Ingredients:
1-3 cloves garlic, depending on taste and social convenience
One 12 ounce package of low fat firm tofu
1/3 cup sliced black olives, (kalamata are the best, but you can use the plain old generic olives that come in little cans)
1/4 cup walnuts or toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup fresh purple basil, or regular basil, or 2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper or (optional) lemon pepper
1/4 cup rehydrated dried tomatoes, (optional)
1/4 cup coarsely grated parmesean or romano cheese, (optional)

> Green Version >
Ingredients:
1-3 cloves garlic, depending on taste and social convenience
One 12 ounce package of low fat firm tofu
1/3 cup sliced green olives
1/4 cup lightly toasted pumpkin seeds, (can use pine nuts or walnuts)
1/3 cup fresh parsley or cilantro
1 tsp dried rosemary or basil or 1 TBLSP fresh herbs
2 TBLSP capers
1/2 tsp pepper or (optional) lemon pepper
1/4 cup coarsely grated parmesean or romano cheese, (optional)

> > Combine all the ingredients for either the brown or green version in a food processor or blender. Puree until creamy. Season to taste. Feel free to interchange ingredients between the two versions. If you want something a little runnier, you can add 1-3 TBLSP olive oil. If you don't have a blender or food processor, you can finely mince and grate everything up and mash it together, but it will end up looking more like chopped liver than a creamy spread.

I'm not very familiar with cooking tofu, but it's great in fried rice. I use an Ellie Krieger recipe that I found on the internet and doctor it up with extra eggs and some sesame oil to make it much tastier (somewhat less healthy too).

I love tofu and prepare it in so many ways I don't know where to start.

One way is to slice it in inch thick slices and wrap it in a dish cloth before placing it on a flat surface with a weighted cutting board or plate on top. Leave it for one or several hours, depending on how dense a texture you want your tofu to have (the weight squeezes the water out, leaving you with a firmer tofu).

Then heat half veg oil and half Japanese or Chinese sesame oil until quite hot but not yet smoking. Fry the tofu squares until golden on both sides, remove from pan and drain.

This can be served with a wide variety of dipping sauces as an appetizer or one of several dishes served "family style". I like to sprinkle the squares with toasted black sesame seeds and serve with a dipping sauce made with soy sauce, garlic-chili sauce, sugar, minced green onions, and grated ginger.

Another favorite is Hiyya Yakko, Japanese style chilled tofu. It is a simple dish, just chilled tofu cut into cubes, sprinkled with sesame seeds, minced green onions, grated ginger and katsuo-boshi which is fine shavings from a block of dried tuna. Drizzled with soy sauce, sweetened soy sauce or soy sauce and lemon juice it is particularly good in the summer, when it's too hot to even think of cooking.

Tofu is great grilled, Dengaku style as well, grilled with a sweet miso paste coating. I don't use a recipe when I make it, but found one at Whole Foods that sounds about right. If you use the recipe, you don't have to follow the link to "niban dashi" and start boiling bonito flakes and kelp. You can buy instant "dashi no moto" at any store where you can buy Japanese products (you'll need the miso anyway). It is the light fish stock that also forms the base for miso soup (which I can give you a recipe for if you like it).

Here is a link that might be useful: Miso Dengaku recipe

Wonderful ideas, all! Cutting and pasting...

Rachel, you're not far from me, where do you shop for Asian food items? I go to the market on Carver at Roseburg.

I also like tofu, although I don't use it a lot. Amanda loves it in hot and sour soup, I just toss it into stir fries or use it to thicken up smoothies.

I did have some that was marinated in some type of herb mixture and fried, but I didn't care for the marinade, it was too strong. I like to make a "scramble" sometimes, just some fresh spinach and tomatoes sauteed in a bit of olive oil, crumble in some tofu and have breakfast.

I also made a tofu chocolate mousse with some soft tofu, half a cup of cocoa, sugar to taste and enough soy milk to make it like "pudding". Refrigerate until well chilled, it was pretty darned good...

Annie

I made this recipe last week and it was pretty good. I cut the tofu in long sticks, like fish sticks. It browned really quickly however. I didn't use the coconut oil though.

Whole Foods Market
Recipe:
Coconut Tofu with Spicy Pineapple Dipping Sauce

Serves 2 to 4

In this recipe, firm tofu is marinated in pineapple juice and tamari, coated in coconut and quickly browned in fragrant coconut oil. The chile-spiked pineapple sauce makes this a fun dish to enjoy with friends.
Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained well, juice and pineapple reserved separately
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon tamari, divided
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chile paste (optional)
Method

Arrange tofu slices on a double layer of paper towels on a large plate. Top with another layer of paper towels and set aside to let drain for 5 minutes; discard paper towels.

Put 3/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice and 1/4 cup of the tamari into a wide, shallow dish. Arrange tofu in dish in a single layer and set aside to let marinate, flipping slices once, for 20 minutes; drain well.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, arrange coconut on a large plate and coat half of the tofu slices all over with it, gently patting the coconut to ensure it sticks.

Arrange tofu in skillet and cook, flipping once, until golden brown all over, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer tofu to a paper towel-lined plate and wipe out skillet. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil in skillet and repeat process with remaining coconut and tofu.

Meanwhile, mix 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice (save any remaining for another use), remaining 1 tablespoon tamari, 3 tablespoons of the crushed pineapple (save remaining for another use), apricot preserves, rice vinegar and chile paste in a bowl to make the dipping sauce.

Serve warm coconut tofu on a platter, with the dipping sauce in a bowl on the side.
Nutrition

Serves 2 as an entrée:Per serving (396g-wt.): 500 calories (270 from fat), 30g total fat, 20g saturated fat, 23g protein, 42g total carbohydrate (5g dietary fiber, 16g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 810mg sodium Serves 4 as a side dish:Per serving (198g-wt.): 250 calories (140 from fat), 15g total fat, 10g saturated fat, 12g protein, 21g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 8g sugar), 0mg cholesterol, 410mg sodium

Tags:Wheat Free, Vegetarian, Vegan, High Fiber, Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Too bad you never made it to the L.A. Tofu Festival, as it is no longer being held. I will say, however, that it is very difficult to eat more than two or three tofu dishes at one festival. One of my favorites was tofu cheesecake, and there is also tofu ice cream. You can often substitute tofu for ricotta in Italian recipes, if you need ideas.

I sauté thick slices of tofu and then use it in soft tacos, enchiladas, or sandwiches. The first tofu sandwich I had was in Santa Cruz, and it was made with sautéed tofu slices on whole wheat bread with avocado slices, Jack cheese, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, and mayo. It makes a really good sandwich. If you want to sub it for ricotta, you don't sauté it, but if you want to sub it for meat (as I do in enchiladas), it is better to sauté the slices first.

Have you tried using Dofu? It keeps longer than tofu.

Lars

These are all good ideas. I don't use tofu much even though I probably should. I do like it, but I tend to waste it too much. It comes in bigger amounts than we usually eat at one time, then it sits in the fridge until I throw it away. Not good. We have done grilled tofu with a marinade that DH made, and it was quite good. Unfortunately, he didn't save the recipe, so I don't know what he did. I know it had balsamic vinegar, and some sesame oil, and some various herbs, but I don't know all the details of amounts. Anyway, that's something to play around with.

Sally

Here's a great tofu chili...went my daughter thought she wanted to be a vegetarian I would make this for her all the time.

Vegetarian Chili with Tofu

3 Tbsp canola oil
1 med onion diced
1/2 cup diced green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1/2 cup whole kernel corn
2 1/2 cups canned kidney beans or pinto beans, drained reserve 1 cup
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup of bean both
Heat oil in heavy sauce pan (3 qt) on med heat. When the oil starts to shimmer add onion, garlic and green peppers. Saute' until browned. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 mins. If chili is to thick add more bean liquid or water to desired consistency.

Scrambled Tofu

2 servings Great with salsa
8 oz. med-firm tofu or soft or firm silken tofu
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (at health food store)
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp light miso
1/4 tsp salt or 1 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp onion powder
Pinch garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Crumble tofu and mix with the yeast. Wish together all remaining ingredients. Heat a lightly greased or non stick skillet over high heat. Pour in tofu add miso mixture, stir and turn until mixture has turned a nice shade of yellow. May add saute' veggies.

I make the chili to this day for a change...

Enjoy,

Linda

barnmom, is that the little Chinese store in the rather disreputable looking strip mall, across from the Vietnamese Noodle restaurant? If so, that's the one...I never can remember street names. The Vietnamese place is good, by the way, but only takes cash.

I also go to Oto's in Sacramento when I need specific Japanese items that the Chinese store doesn't carry, but only if I've got a reason to go to Sacramento anyway. Then I buy a lot of whatever it is, to last me.

Rachelellen,

Yes, that's probably the one. It's in a mostly Asian strip mall with an acupuncturist, etc. I don't know about a noodle place, I've never noticed. But I wasn't looking for one! Is it any good?

Eileen, I don't cook much with Tofu, but I actually like it. We had a neighbour in Toronto whose daughter had married a man from Japan. She was home for a few months and cooked a few traditional Japanese meals. One of the things that she did with tofu that I really liked was to drizzle Tamari or regular soy sauce over a good quality tofu, drizzle with a little sesame oil and chopped green onions. Served cold or room temperature. This is a very simple dish but really tasty.

Ann

Ann, how is it heated? Baked, zapped, sauteed? And presentation? Cubes?

Eileen it isn't cooked. It is sliced or cubed and served cold or at room temperature.

Matthew actually liked this same dish, dipped in cornstarch and fried and then drizzled with the Tamari, sesame oil and the green onions.

Yes, it's quite good. The service isn't exactly professional, and you're better off going up to the counter when you're ready to pay rather than waiting for the server to figure out that you're done, but it's pretty cheap the food is tasty and the servers are nice.

If you're facing the little market, turn around and you will see the noodle place. I think it's called Pho 7.