How to press your own tofu

Many vegetarians rely on tofu for its high protein content and praise it for its versatility, pleasant consistent and mild creamy flavor. 

By itself, tofu has no taste. Usually it is used with vegetables or soups. It is also versatile enough to be used in salads, with eggs, in omelets, or as a stuffing for celery stalks, tomatoes or green peppers.

Tofu is not only a rich source of protein but provides vitamin E, calcium and phosphorous. It contains no saturated fat. 

Traditionally tofu can be prepared in three different ways – by blanching, stir-frying or deep-frying.

Blanching: This method improves the flavor and texture of tofu and the method is mostly used to prepare it for serving cold. The slices are placed in a large strainer and then lowered into boiling water for about thirty seconds. It is then drained and cooled. The slices can be added to a salad or a mixture consisting of soy sauce and safflower oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, can be poured over the slices and be enjoyed.

Stir-frying: Cut three blocks of tofu into cubes and stir-fry with spring onion pieces in a little bit of safflower oil. When the tofu is hot, season with soy sauce and serve immediately.

Deep-frying: Cut three blocks into cubes and deep-fry in hot safflower oil until it is puffy, crisp and golden.

Tofu, also sometimes called soy bean curd, is made by soaking minced soy beans and then pressing it to obtain a milky fluid. This milky fluid is then treated with a coagulant to form it into blocks. In this case the coagulant can be vinegar, or lemon juice or calcium chloride. It is then sold fresh.

Without adding any coagulant, the curd can also be allowed to ferment naturally in a warm place. The curd, or tofu, is hung in cheesecloth to dry. It is then washed in water to wash away the extra acid. After draining it can be packed tightly in a dampened mould. It should be firm enough to be cut into slices. 

Those who have trouble handling tofu due to its fragile texture, or those who want a less custardy, more chewable product might want to press the tofu before using it in any of the three preparation methods. Here is what to do:

1. Wrap each tofu block separately in cheesecloth.

2. Place the wrapped blocks next to one another between two boards – cutting boards will do the trick.

3. Put them on the drain portion of the kitchen counter and put some weight on the top board with something heavy.

4. Leave for six hours or until sufficient moisture has run out and the cakes feel firm when touched.

5. The tofu is now firmly pressed and can be cubed or sliced without falling apart.

Love,

Engela

Protein sources for vegetarians

Protein is an essential part of the dietary needs of humans. The reason is that it fulfils a variety of important functions in the body. It is necessary for growth, maintenance and repair of cells and for the production of enzymes and hormones.

Furthermore, proteins are the main components of muscle tissue and are vital to the internal organs, bones, skin and the transmission of impulses through the nerves.

The body’s need for protein can be met with a wide variety of foods, from animal sources alone, from plant and animal sources or from specific plant-protein combinations. High-quality protein foods such as milk, eggs, meat, poultry and fish are the best sources of protein and will supply all the amino acids a body will need for protein synthesis in a single food. But, fortunately these are not the only sources of dietary protein.

Nuts, legumes, and grains such as wheat, rice and maize, potatoes and leafy vegetables provide lesser quality protein that is an important source of all amino acids. But they do have an important advantage over animal proteins – as plants they do not contain cholesterol at all and when they do have fat, it is in the form of unsaturated oil which is healthier than animal fat. (The exceptions here are coconut and palm oil.)

The good news for vegetarians is that a high-quality or even complete protein without any animal foods can be obtained by pairing two specific incomplete proteins in a meal, such as maize and beans. However, it must be borne in mind that relatively large quantities of plant foods have to be eaten to match the amount of protein a person would get from animal sources. Lacto-ovo vegetarians who eat milk and eggs in addition to plant foods can much easier obtain a well-balanced and complete diet.

It is a proven fact that that if legumes (peas, beans, peanuts) are a daily staple of vegetarians the total protein need can be met efficiently. Of all the beans, soy beans contain the highest percentage of protein among all vegetable foods. One cup of soy beans cooked contains about 20 g of protein which is more than one-third the RDA.

The matter of protein intake is a very delicate situation. But, this is to the benefit of vegetarians to the effect that oversized intake of protein can actually be wasteful since extra protein kilojoules are a costly form of bodily energy and excess dietary protein may in turn help create lager needs for calcium, vitamins B and other nutrients.

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