You'll find a few different densities of tofu in stores, and they're all a bit different. Soft or silken tofu is custardy and therefore works well in soups, according to Susan Westmoreland, culinary director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "Both medium and firm work well stir-fried, battered and crisped, baked and glazed," she says. "Firm does all of that plus grilling."
In order to turn this white brick of pure potential into dinner, it helps to know a few tricks and tips. Here are some basics to get you started, and some awesome recipes with tofu to try out.
Tofu is packed in water, and it's a lot like a sponge — if you don't press out the old water you can't work in any new flavors. This is really easy; it just takes some advanced planning.
- Open a package of extra-firm, water-packed tofu (not the silken kind) and drain.
- Cut the tofu width-wise into slices — four or six should do it.
- Lay paper towels on a sheet pan and spread tofu slices in a single layer on top.
- Put more paper towels over the tofu, then another sheet pan over them.
- Place heavy objects on the sheet pan (try cookbooks or cans of tomatoes).
- Leave it alone for at least 30 minutes, but preferably a couple hours. You can leave it like this all day or night if you put it in the fridge. If you're in a hurry, apply some manual pressure to cut the time to 15 min., but it won't be quite as awesome.
- Uncover; leave as "tofu steaks" or cut into cubes, marinate, and cook accordingly.