The Foolproof Way To Cook Tofu That Doesn’t Taste Like Cardboard (In Only Ten Minutes)
You’re a healthy eater.
You can cook a mean stir-fry.
You’ve mastered home-made hummus. And you even cook the beans from scratch.
But there’s this embarrassing little glitch in your healthy eating repertoire.
You can’t cook edible tofu.
You used to think tofu was only for hippies. But now it’s all over the place in restaurants.
And you love it. That is, when you haven’t cooked it.
You know there’s a secret, but you haven’t found it.
Why can’t you cook tofu that doesn’t make you gag?
It’s Easier Than You Think
The truth is, it’s easy. Tofu’s like a chameleon — taking on whatever flavors you surround it with.
But it’s delicate process.
Many people make a few huge mistakes that make the tofu taste like crap. Then they’re scarred for life.
But not you, you’re going to learn to master the fine art of tofu cooking.
And the best part? It takes less than fifteen minutes.
Let’s get started.
4 Tips For Cooking Delicious Tofu Every Time
You’ll see here the tools of the trade are as important as the cooking process. Invest in these tools and tweak your method and you’ll have great-tasting tofu every time.
1) Cook in cast iron
No, they’re not just for frying animals. A cast iron skillet is an essential inexpensive investment if you want to cook delicious tofu. Cast iron is one of the oldest cooking vessels. It’s been around for more than 2000 years.
Because the cast iron heats quickly and evenly, the tofu doesn’t stick. And even with minimal oil, the tofu forms a delicious crust.
Cast-iron needs to be seasoned, meaning coated with oil then heated, so that it forms a natural non-stick surface. (Detailed instructions here)
Food cooked in cast iron just tastes better and the cast iron increases the iron content of food.
I have multiple sizes, but prefer my large 16-inch skillet (link to amazon store). I can cook a whole package of tofu with a few vegetables on top.
2) Flip with a thin metal spatula
A thin metal spatula is essential for flipping the tofu without losing the best part— the crust that develops on the edges.
Plastic spatulas are too big and flimsy.
And wooden spatulas are great for sauces and soups, but not for flipping tofu.
The metal of the spatula must slide between the tofu and the pan, also you can dislodge the crust.
Thin spatulas shouldn’t cost more than $10 (link to spatulas). It’s worth your investment.
3) Dry it out
The drier you get the tofu, the easier it is to cook and the less mushy the result. And the more of the seasoning that will be absorbed.
First drain the water from the tofu package.
Remove the slab of tofu, wrap in a clean dish towel. Place to tofu on a flat surface. Press with your hands to remove excess water. Change the towel if soaked. Then place a heavy object on top of the tofu — cutting board, a couple heavy books, a tea kettle filled with water.
Let the tofu press while you prep the other ingredients.
To out a bit more moisture — sprinkle with salt when you first put it in the pan.
If you forget or don’t have time, don’t worry, just drain the cooking water and dry it with a paper towel or dish towel.
4) Turn up the heat
Most people make the mistake of cooking tofu on low or medium heat, resulting in mushy mashed mess. Heat is the most important aspect of cooking.
Preheat the pan before you add the tofu. Adding tofu to a lukewarm pan results in soggy limp tofu. Add a bit of oil to the pan before you add the tofu. Around one tablespoon of oil or a spray of cooking spray is plenty.
If the tofu doesn’t sizzle when it hits the pan, turn up the heat.
High heat also will generate that lovely crust over the tofu.
Say goodbye to soggy soy
You can stop avoiding this versatile food that’s the mainstay of many vegetarian diets.
Instead of breaking out in a cold sweat when someone mentions tofu, you’ll smile with confidence and invite them over for a mouthwatering meal without spending much money. Even good-quality organic tofu costs around $.80 per 4oz serving.
All because you simply used the four simple hacks to learn to cook incredible tofu.
Now you’ve got what you need, the next step is yours.
And to get you on your way, here’s my favorite foolproof tofu recipe.
Download the recipe.
Now go on, get started.
