How do you cook tofu to get a less squishy consistency?

Question

My 16 year old daughter is a vegetarian and we are trying to support her in her beliefs, but it's too expensive and time consumming to have to cook a "veg meal" for her and a "meat and potatos" meal for my hubby. I would like to eat more tofu myself, but can't get over the mushy consistency of it. Even when I get it to absorb the flavors of the other ingredients, that squishy-ness makes me gag. I know supposedly you can cook it so it is the same consistency as chicken, but HOW?

Answer 1

Well, you can go through all the trouble of draining it, and then gently squeezing it with a press to get as much of the water out of it.  But tofu-based tempe is also sold in the store (already squeezed down), as are tofu hotdogs and tofu burgers and tofu that looks like chicken pieces, etc.  In the chinese and japanese markets, you can buy already fried tofu too (some are just light puffs, others are heavier).  And tofu cubes themself come in different consistencies too.

Answer 2

First, start with extra firm tofu!!!  Then before you cook it drain/blot most of the liquid out using paper towels.  Then cook it on high heat and add sauces or liquid flavorings only in the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Answer 3

Tofu mania : add tofu to 120 of your favorite dishes / Brita Housez.



The tofu for health cookbook : recipes with style and taste / Wendy Sweetser.

Tofu cookery / by Louise Hagler



Tofu / Martha Elena Yamasaki López.



The book of tofu. Volume I : protein source of the future- now! / William Shurtleff & Akiko Aoyagi ; illustrated by Akiko Aoyagi.



366 healthful ways to cook tofu and other meat alternatives / Robin Robertson.

Answer 4

First, buy Extra Firm tofu, the soft and silken are squishy.  It helps to drain the water from it.  Another trick is to put it in the freezer...when you thaw it out, it will be much more stiff.

Tofu will always have a softer feel to it than meat.  What you may really like is called Seitan, which is made from wheat protein instead of soy protein.  It is a lot tougher and "meaty".  You can find it at health food stores.

Answer 5

Fry it with oil and make it golden brown

Answer 6

Freeze and press your tofu.  I have step-by-step instructions in my profile.

Tempeh, an Indonesian food made of fermented soybeans, has a nutty, chewy texture.  Marinate and grill or fry.  You can also crumble it into chilis.

Seitan, a.k.a. wheat meat, has a chewy texture.  I strongly recommend you make your own.  The baking goods aisle of your local grocery store should have Arrowhead Mills Vital Wheat Gluten, and there are instructions for making seitan on the box.  Just don't simmer it in plain water; most vegetarian cookbooks will have seitan recipes.

I make the gluten dough, cut into small pieces, take four cups of water, a splash of tamari or soy sauce, some nutritional yeast, and some seasonings (I don't measure), mix it together, bring the mix to a boil, drop in the seitan pieces, lower to a simmer, and cook for 45 to 50 minutes.  I also don't use the seitan the same day I make it.

Answer 7

Buy firm tofu and freeze it first.

Answer 8

Press it before cooking it.  Wrap it in paper towels or clean dishtowels, stack a couple of heavy cookbooks and a can of beans or two on top and just weigh it down for an hour or so.  You'll get a lot more moisture out of it than just squeezing.

Freezing and thawing makes it chewier, which might be more the texture you're looking for.

And I second the suggestion of trying seitan instead of tofu.  it has a meatier texture.  You can buy it packaged or make it yourself.

Answer 9

Fry it. So good fried.

Answer 10

go to an asian market and buy a premaid burger mix.mix it with the tofu and fry it up.serve with rice and don't forget to buy tonkatsu sauce for it to.