On 12/2/2013 12:59 PM, Timo wrote:
> On Sunday, December 1, 2013 8:17:52 PM UTC+10, dsi1 wrote:
>> On 11/30/2013 3:38 PM, tert in seattle wrote:
>>
>>> anyone have some amazing tofu recipes? I enjoyed it too (had only one
>>> bite and was really hungry)
>>>
>>> I'm clueless when buying tofu - what should I be looking for?
>
> Fresh. Cheap.
>
>> I like the soft tofu which has a smooth custard-like appearance and
>> texture. A dish of soft tofu, cut into cubes with shoyu and shaved
>> bonito flakes is a truly sublime dish - to me at least.
>
> Simple and classic, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiyayakko . Is good.
>
> There are simple Chinese and Korean tofu dishes where the soft tofu is cut up, and a hot dressing poured over it.
>
> E.g.,http://www.fifteenspatulas.com/chill...and-soy-sauce/
> or one where the tofu is steamed: http://www.abc.net.au/tv/cookandchef/txt/s2613715.htm
>
>> My favorite tofu dish would be mapo tofu. If you ever get a chance to
>> order it, please try it. You could also make it at home. This recipe is
>> pretty simple except do not use firm tofu to make it. That part is dead
>> wrong and indeed, that tofu in the photograph is the soft stuff.
>>
>> http://www.recipebridge.com/recipe/4...2455/mapo-tofu
>
> A true classic. It's a good dish to judge the quality of Chinese restaurants by. I don't like the linked recipe; mapo tofu without Sichuan pepper and broad bean chilli paste just isn't mapo tofu. No shortage of recipes missing one or both ingredients, and I'm sure those recipes would taste OK. But not as good as The One True Mapo Tofu should taste.
>
> http://www.notquitenigella.com/2011/...hef-mapo-tofu/
> http://chinesefood.about.com/od/tof1/r/mapotofu.htm
>
> Here's a simple variant (which I wouldn't call mapo tofu):
> http://www.workman.com/ecookbook-clu...u-from-yunnan/

I agree with what you're saying. I think a Chinese Mapo tofu is tasty
stuff, but I'd rather give recipes that don't have hard to get ingredients.

>
> Other fun tofu stuff:
>
> Soft tofu works well in lots of soups.
>
> Hard tofu: slice or dice, and deep-fry until puffy, and then it's a porous sponge for flavour. I mainly do this for stirfries, but sometimes in soup.
>
> Tofu is basically curdled soymilk. Strain and drain, and the hardness depends on how much water is pressed out of it. You can get it undrained, and it can make nice soup like that. Super-soft tofu!
>