tofutastic!

[contessapiranha]

ok, venalanatomica, here are my two basic easy everyday tofu recipes:

Tofu Scramble

1 packet extra-firm tofu, water or vacuum packed (not silken). I use either 20 or 16oz packets.
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Italian herb mix
scant 1/4 tsp turmeric (this makes it nice & yellow, but it stains, so I don't use too much when I'm feeding babies)
2 tbs Bragg’s or soy sauce
olive oil

1. Crumble tofu into scramble-size chunks; set aside.
2. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. When hot, add tofu & cumin, Italian herbs, & turmeric (the turmeric is just for coloring, so you can leave it out if you don’t have any). Stir until tofu is coated evenly, then add the Bragg’s (you can use soy sauce instead, but the Bragg’s gives a mellower flavor) & stir to mix.
3. At this point, cook until it’s as hot as you want, & then you’re done.. Or, this is the moment to add other things to your scramble - diced tomato is good, or chopped spinach, feta, & olives, or mushrooms, or cheese, or whatever you like. I find that adding the extras after I've seasoned the tofu makes the whole dish that much more scrambly.

This is really good scrambled up with diced tomatoes, served in toasted pita halves with avocado, lettuce, & Annie’s Goddess Dressing. Our other favorite way to eat it is in whole wheat tortillas with refried black beans.

Savory Baked Tofu

1 packet extra-firm tofu, water or vacuum packed (not silken), drained & pressed
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. sesame oil
1 tbs. rice vinegar
¼ tsp. cumin
¼ tsp. oregano
pinch red pepper flakes

1. Combine marinade ingredients & set aside.
2. Cut tofu into 4 ½” thick slabs (cut through the short side of the block, so you get sandwich-sized pieces).
3. Put the tofu into a shallow dish (a storage container is great for this, because then you can just shake the tofu as it’s marinating; if you’ll be baking the tofu in a baking pan instead of on a baking sheet, you can also just marinate it in the pan), cover with the marinade, & marinate for at least 15 minutes in the fridge (I usually let it sit for about 30 minutes).
4. Bake at 400F for 20-25 minutes, until the tofu is firm & lightly browned

This is a completely basic baked tofu, & it goes with pretty much everything. It makes amazing sandwiches (especially with broiled eggplant, roasted red pepper, & hummus). You can also cut the ½” thick slabs into smaller pieces & add them to other dishes - smaller pieces will cook faster, though, so keep an eye on them.

a few notes on tofu:

not all tofu is created equal. try a few different brands (& different varieties of those brands) & see what tastes best to you. (for example, I have a favorite kind of tofu for each of these recipes; they're both "extra-firm," but the one I use for the baked tofu is noticeably firmer than the one I use for the scramble, & the taste is different.) personally, I tend to like a slightly softer extra-firm tofu for the scramble than I do for the baked, but that's just a matter of preference.

if your tofu isn't firm enough, you can press it:

• take it out of the packet.
• put it on a plate.
• put another plate, face down, on top of it. (if your tofu seems sort of unstable, wrap it in a dishcloth or paper towel first. this will help keep it from smushing apart.)
• put a big can of tomatoes on top of the plate.
• stick it in the fridge for about half an hour.
• look at all of the water that drained out! your tofu is so firm now!

you can also get a chewier, "meatier" texture from tofu if you freeze + thaw it before using. I think it's just harder to chew this way, but some people really like it.