What do you eat tofu with and where can you add it?

Adding tofu to your food will make it more nutritious and healthy. The product is made from soybeans. Tofu is valued for its high protein content, which is why vegetarians include it in their menu. Cheese is made from soy milk with the addition of coagulants (thickeners). Previously, tofu was made directly from beans; today it is made from a semi-finished product in powder form. Cheese made from soybeans is also called bean curd.

What dishes are tofu added to?

The use of tofu in cooking depends on its variety. Hard cheese is fried and added to meat dishes. The soft product is used in various desserts - for example, puddings, casseroles. It is also added to fruit smoothies.

Tofu can also be combined with a lot of vegetables, seafood, mushrooms, eggs, and rice. Cheese is used in salads and during the preparation of hot dishes. Since this is a lean product, it is suitable for those who are fasting, dieting, or following vegan nutrition principles.

Taste and aroma of soy cheese, which spices are best combined with

Tofu itself has a neutral taste and aroma. During cooking, this product is saturated with the taste and smell of other ingredients. Thanks to this property of soy cheese, it can be combined with absolutely any spices. In this case, there will be no taste conflict. Tofu is considered not the main, but an auxiliary ingredient of a dish, making the food more healthy. On sale you can find tofu with additives in the form of herbs, nuts and hot spices.

Composition of the product

Cheese made from soybeans contains a lot of vegetable protein, amino acids, vitamins and microelements. Tofu does not contain harmful cholesterol. Its calorie content is 75 kcal per 100g. The product will saturate the body with potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc and other minerals.

The proteins contained in soy curd are absorbed by the body by 90%. According to research by doctors, soy cheese has a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system and helps restore hormonal levels in women. It is better for men to consume tofu in limited quantities, as the product contains phytoestrogen, which reduces testosterone production.

How to choose quality cheese and where to store it

When buying tofu cheese, you should choose a fresh product with a margin of expiration date. It is also necessary to pay attention to the composition.

Main ingredients:

• water;
• soya beans;
• coagulant (potassium chloride or sulfate).

It is better to buy tofu without additives, because all additional ingredients can be added during the cooking process.

Store the opened package of cheese in the refrigerator. The unused product is placed in a container and filled with water, the liquid is changed daily. When stored this way, the cheese will remain fresh for a week.Tofu can be frozen, in which case it will be stored for 1 to 5 months. It is worth considering that the consistency and taste of soy cheese will change slightly - it will become more elastic and acquire a slight caramel flavor.

TOP 5 popular recipes with tofu cheese

Tofu cheese is popular not only in Asian cuisine. Russian housewives also

They enjoy preparing various dishes from it.

Fried tofu with vegetables

An arbitrary set of vegetables and spices is suitable for this dish. Everyone can choose products to their taste and cut them in any way, resulting in a hearty and tasty lean stew.

List of ingredients:

• tofu – 200 g;
• zucchini – 1 pc.;
• tomato – 1 pc.;
• carrots – 1/2 pcs.;
• bell pepper – 1 piece;
• corn - 2 tbsp. l;
• vegetable oil – 1.5 tbsp. l;
• salt and pepper - to taste.

Cooking process:

1. Cut firm tofu into slices.
2. Chop the vegetables to form medium-sized slices.
3. Fry carrots, peppers, tomatoes and zucchini in oil until color changes. Roasting is carried out over high heat.
4. Then add corn, salt and pepper, stir. After 1-2 minutes, transfer the vegetables to a serving plate.
5. In the same pan, fry the tofu slices for 1 minute on each side, season with salt and pepper, then place them on top of the vegetable stew.

Instead of salting the cheese slices, you can dip them in soy sauce before frying. The tofu will be more piquant and tasty.

Soy cheese pate with mushrooms and herbs

The pate with soy cheese is juicy, light and tasty. The appetizer is prepared very quickly and has a creamy texture.

List of ingredients:

• tofu – 250 g;
• champignons – 450 g;
• onion – 1 head;
• garlic – 3 cloves;
• vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. l.;
• soy sauce – 1 tbsp. l.;
• salt, black pepper, dried parsley, dried oregano - to taste;
• fresh parsley - 1/2 bunch.

Cooking steps:

1. Fry finely chopped onion until translucent.
2. Then add the garlic cloves to the pan and fry for another 2 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms and cook until soft.
4. Add chopped tofu, soy sauce, spices and herbs to the pan.
5. Keep the mixture on low heat under the lid for 10-15 minutes (until the liquid has completely evaporated).
6. Transfer the contents of the frying pan into a deep container, add fresh parsley, and beat with an immersion blender until smooth.

You can optionally add lime or lemon juice to the finished pate. The shelf life of the snack in the refrigerator is 3-4 days.

Vegetarian hot sauce

Any cuisine becomes more diverse thanks to the use of sauces. Soft tofu is perfect for this recipe.

List of ingredients:

• silken tofu – 100 g;
• olive oil – 3 tbsp. l.;
• white wine vinegar – 2 tbsp. l.;
• soy sauce – 3 tbsp. l.;
• mustard – 25 g;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• sugar – 1 tsp;
• garlic – 1 clove.

How to cook:

1. Place all ingredients into blender bowl.
2. Beat the mixture at medium speed until smooth.
3. Taste the sauce and adjust it to the desired taste.
4. Transfer the mixture into a glass jar with a lid.

The sauce is stored in the refrigerator. It can be used as a salad dressing, spread on bread, and added to hot soups.

Chocolate mousse

Soft bean curd is ideal for desserts. Chocolate mousse with tofu is prepared quickly, simply and at the same time it turns out delicious.

List of ingredients:

• soft tofu – 300 g;
• brown sugar – 150 g;
• cocoa – 3 tbsp. l.;
• hot water - 1 tbsp. l.
• vanilla extract – 1 tsp;
• instant coffee – 1 tsp;
• cinnamon – 1/4 tsp.l.

Preparation step by step:

1. Mash the cheese with a fork, combine with sugar, stir.
2. Add vanilla extract, cocoa and cinnamon and mix again.
3. Dissolve coffee in hot water and add to other ingredients.
4. Beat the resulting mass using a mixer or blender.

Place the finished mousse in suitable containers and refrigerate for 30 minutes. The chilled dessert can be decorated with confectionery sprinkles or coconut flakes on top.

Lenten cutlets

Despite the absence of meat in the recipe, tofu cutlets are filling due to the large amount of protein included in their composition.

List of ingredients:

• tofu – 250 g;
• wheat flour – 2 tbsp. l.;
• corn flour - 2 tbsp. l.;
• chopped green onion – 2 tbsp. l.;
• breadcrumbs - 2 tbsp. l.;
• vegetable oil – 3 tbsp. l.;
• coriander, turmeric, salt - to taste.

Preparation procedure:

1. Crumble the tofu, add all the other ingredients and mix.
2. Place the resulting mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Form cutlets and roll them in breadcrumbs. If the bread crumbs do not stick, moisten the surface of the cutlets with water.
4. You need to cook on medium heat. The cutlets are fried on both sides until golden brown.

Before serving, place the cutlets on a paper towel to remove excess fat. Served with yoghurt sauce and vegetable salad.

Soy cheese has found use in many culinary recipes. It is eaten as an independent dish, seasoned with herbs, nuts and spices, and added to other foods. Tofu is available in hard and soft forms. Opened packaging can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Soybean cheese can be safely used in culinary experiments; this worthy product should not be ignored.