It’s Meatless Monday, folks! I’m here to help you figure out what to eat for lunch. Or dinner.
(Or both.)
When you don’t eat meat, you’re always on the lookout for new ways to incorporate a little extra protein into your diet. While I’m a big fan of beans, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, I’m also falling deeper and deeper in love with…tofu. (There’s a statement I never thought I’d say!) It’s cheap, versatile, and an excellent source of plant-based protein.
But I’ve learned something about this wonder product. Something major. Something that nobody told me when I decided to give up most animal products and dive into Veggie Land. I’m just going to say it: there’s an art to cooking tofu. My husband nails it, and I nail it…less. But that’s probably because I know he’s good at it, so I allow him to do it whenever we eat a tofu dish. I should really practice, but it probably makes him feel good to make me such amazing food.
I’m just being a good wife.
Aaaaanyway…the following are the 5 tried-and-true steps to preparing edible tofu. As I was typing this up, I noticed that they all start with the letter “S.” I love it. It reminds me of a good grade 6 lesson in alliteration. (That I nailed.) Here ya go:
- Slice. The thickness of your tofu makes a huge difference in how well it cooks. For regular stir-fries, take your block of tofu, and slice it into rectangles about quarter of an inch to half an inch thick.
- Soak. Once your block of tofu is sliced, you’ll want to place the pieces in a shallow dish in a single layer, and pour warm salt water over them until they’re immersed. Soak for about fifteen minutes.
- Squeeze. This step refers to squeezing all of the water out of the tofu. The easiest way to do this is to place your slices on top of a double layer of paper towel, then cover with another double layer. Gently press, until all of the water seems to be out. You might have to do it twice.
- Sauté. Get a stainless frying pan very hot. Place a little bit of coconut oil in the pan to grease it. Then place tofu in the pan in a single layer. Cook for about three to four minutes on each side, until both sides of the tofu rectangle are browned. Remove from heat and place on a plate, in a single layer.
- Season. I like to grind a bit of sea salt over top, but you can season however you want. Whatever floats your boat, amigo.
It’s also important that the firmness of the tofu you’re cooking with matches the type of dish you’re making. There is soft, medium, firm, and extra-firm tofu out there. Choose the texture based on the dish. For example, if you’re making a tofu scramble, you’ll want firm or extra-firm tofu. For most desserts, you use soft. You’ll get the hang of it. You know, just like my husband did.
(Go, Dave!)
The other thing about tofu (and any soy product for that matter), is that you need to source organic labels. 90% of North American tofu is genetically modified, so unless it’s organic, it’s been messed with.
So go get yourself some organic tofu, follow the 5 steps, and blow yourself away with your crazy ability to create perfect tofu. It’s totally something to brag about, and a skill you can list on your resume. (Or maybe not–your call.)
Here’s a link to Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce by Vega.
Happy Meatless Monday! xo
