Silken tofu

[JenniferW]

I use tofu / bean curd quite a bit, but rarely use the soft-ish one, usually called 'silken' on the pack. Can people give me bright ideas for making the most of it? I like the fact I can keep it on the shelf for the times when I've not been shopping where I can get the more solid sort.

 

[WuTwo]

I use it as one of the main ingredients in a particular variety of seitan but @MeiChanski is a great with tofu dishes.

This site has loads of recipes for silken tofu: https://thestingyvegan.com/tofu-for-beginners/ and so does this site https://www.thespruceeats.com/silken-tofu-recipes-3378159 this is a quick and easy favourite: https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegetable-miso-soup-recipe-3378025

This is probably one of my. favourite ways:

https://cookpad.com/uk/recipes/6290685-tofu-avocado-salad?via=search&search_term=soft tofu

@Marie 2 is vegan and probably has a few suggestions and ideas

 

[Marie 2]

Silken tofu is great!

1)Drain and squeeze it with your hand so you break it up but keep chunks in it. How big you want the chunks is up to you.
Then add to make "egg salad" for a sandwich, add what you are used to regular egg salad, I add mayo, small amount of mustard and relish. Garlic powder, minced onion is also nice!

2)Soften chocolate of your choice, chocolate chips melted in microwave (be careful, not too long it's deceiving) to 2 packs of silken tofu , I use 1 pack tofu 1 pack chips because I love chocolate.
Blend together and you have chocolate pudding with a protein punch.

You can do the same thing with berries or any fruit, but you might want to add a sweetener of your choice. Lemon with stevia is one combo!

3) It makes a great base for dressings too, you can find exact recipes, but cucumber, or onion etc, blend together!

It's also good past the expiration date!

Mori Nu is one of the best sites for silken tofu recipes! They used to hand out flyers for the pudding and egg salad!
I'm sure they have better directions for both, I have a tendency to throw things together!

https://www.morinu.com/recipes

 

[MeiChanski]

Hello, thank you for the tag @WuTwo!
Hello Jennifer silken tofu, the soft kind is very nice in soups - miso soups, chinese spinach soup, etc. It is also good as a pudding. You can steam it with other vegetables. I use to steam it with pak choi, afterwards drizzle it in light soy and place chopped spring onions on top. You can lightly fry it, bearing in mind it’ll break very easy if you are not careful. If you like it spicy, ma pao tofu is great with silken tofu.
Tesco do sell the firm tofu in the fridged vegan food section and silken tofu on the shelves.

 

[dms1]

Silken tofu makes a rich vegan mayonnaise - whizz up one of the small packs in a blender or food processor with salt, pepper, 1/4 tsp powdered garlic, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp maple syrup (optional) and 2 Tbs olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil. When it is smooth and glossy, add juice from 1/2 lemon and taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary and add more oil if you want a thicker consistency. Store in a clean, glass, screw top jar in the fridge for up to a week.

I also use silken tofu in veggie burgers, nut roasts, frittatas, quiche fillings - anywhere I might have used eggs in the past as a binder or for extra protein.

 

[Marie 2]

Chocolate Mousse recipe, I haven't made it this way but it caught my eye because it calls for cocoa powder with agave added and you could substitute a sweetener of your choice like stevia with it! Or more cocoa powder!!!!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup agave
• 1 package silken firm tofu
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp peanut butter or PB2 (optional)
• Fresh berries, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Open container, drain excess water, and place on paper towels for at least 15 minutes to remove excess liquid. If using the boxed shelf-stable tofu that is packed in very little water, this step can be skipped.
2. Add all ingredients to blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides, if necessary.
3. Chill mixture in serving bowls for one hour. Then top with fresh berries and serve.

And this one I ran across looking for an official pudding recipe and it looks really good!

Vegan Mango Lassi
This vegan mango lassi is made with creamy blended silken tofu, ripe mango, vanilla and a hint of cardamom.
Course Smoothie
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 -2
Author Alissa
Ingredients

• 2 cups very ripe diced mango 1 very large or 2 small mangoes
• 1/2 lb. silken tofu
• 1/2 cup unflavored soy or almond milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. cardamom
• Optional: fresh mint leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients except mint leaves (if using) into blender. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of pitcher as needed.
2. Divide into glasses and optionally garnish with mint leaves.

 

[JenniferW]

Hello, thank you for the tag @WuTwo!
Hello Jennifer silken tofu, the soft kind is very nice in soups - miso soups, chinese spinach soup, etc. It is also good as a pudding. You can steam it with other vegetables. I use to steam it with pak choi, afterwards drizzle it in light soy and place chopped spring onions on top. You can lightly fry it, bearing in mind it’ll break very easy if you are not careful. If you like it spicy, ma pao tofu is great with silken tofu.
Tesco do sell the firm tofu in the fridged vegan food section and silken tofu on the shelves.

Thanks for the reminder about ma po tofu! I lived in China for several years, but never paid attention when I was eating it to exactly what sort of bean curd it was - but I remember a lot of the bean curd then being something half-way between what we buy here as the 'silken' one and the harder one. I should be working on a non-meat version of this as a regular, I think.

 

[JenniferW]

...

Vegan Mango Lassi
This vegan mango lassi is made with creamy blended silken tofu, ripe mango, vanilla and a hint of cardamom.

I like the lassi idea. It doesn't have to be vegan for me. I'm a veggie who just likes bean curd, more than most cheese. Do you think it would separate if I make up a whole pack's worth?

 

[JenniferW]

Silken tofu makes a rich vegan mayonnaise - ...

I also use silken tofu in veggie burgers, nut roasts, frittatas, quiche fillings - anywhere I might have used eggs in the past as a binder or for extra protein.

With the mayo, but I'm happy enough with versions I can buy off the shelf, so I can't see the point of this - for me. Of the other ideas, because wherever possible I try to spend as little time as possible actually cooking, the frittata's something I should try. But I've only made that before with potatoes. What's your recommended list of ingredients for that? I'm on a low carb diet.

 

[JenniferW]

Silken tofu is great!

... to make "egg salad" for a sandwich, add what you are used to regular egg salad, I add mayo, small amount of mustard and relish. Garlic powder, minced onion is also nice!

https://www.morinu.com/recipes

Because I'm on a low carb diet, I don't actually eat anything like bread, or anything resembling it, so I'm rejecting the egg-may type of idea. But I do put eggs in salad, and do use the harder versions of tofu in salads. I don't like the silken one in salads because it does break up so much.

I'm also rejecting anything resembling deserts / puddings / 'sweet' dishes, because my priority is to get those right out of my life!

Thanks for the recommendation of https://www.morinu.com/ Despite some searches, that's a website I'd not looked at.

 

[JenniferW]

I use it as one of the main ingredients in a particular variety of seitan but @MeiChanski is a great with tofu dishes.

This site has loads of recipes for silken tofu: https://thestingyvegan.com/tofu-for-beginners/ and so does this site https://www.thespruceeats.com/silken-tofu-recipes-3378159 this is a quick and easy favourite: https://www.thespruceeats.com/vegetable-miso-soup-recipe-3378025

This is probably one of my. favourite ways:

https://cookpad.com/uk/recipes/6290685-tofu-avocado-salad?via=search&search_term=soft tofu

@Marie 2 is vegan and probably has a few suggestions and ideas

Thanks for all those suggestions of places to look for ideas!

 

[Marie 2]

@JenniferW I can't see why the Lassi wouldn't last. I will make a smoothie and put it in the refrig all the time because I don't want to drink the whole thing at once. I have a tendency to drink 2-4 oz at a time. It's just not as always "fluffy" if it's past a day. I've kept them in the refrig I think 4 days? Tofu does freeze to keep around longer. I find it very useful to put leftovers in the freezer until I want it for the next time!

 

[JenniferW]

@JenniferW I can't see why the Lassi wouldn't last. I will make a smoothie and put it in the refrig all the time because I don't want to drink the whole thing at once. I have a tendency to drink 2-4 oz at a time. It's just not as always "fluffy" if it's past a day. I've kept them in the refrig I think 4 days? Tofu does freeze to keep around longer. I find it very useful to put leftovers in the freezer until I want it for the next time!

Great - I'll try it.

 

[Tattyjacket]

Liquidised with a banana.....really nice dessert.
Can I share a funny story with you all?
Years and years ago I'd tried tofu but at the time, only silken tofu was available. I tried to fry it but it always came out wrong, like scrambled egg.
A new shop opened near where I lived. It was a specialist Japanese food shop. I went there on opening day. There was an absolutely gorgeous young lady serving, beautifully attired in Japanese national dress....think geisha.
I saw some tofu on display in the fridge, not silken; large blocks of tofu.
Now, I hasten to add that I speak no Japanese. The lady in the Japanese costume spoke very little English. We had this little conversation.
Me:-
"How do you cook tofu, only whenever I cook it, it goes wrong."
Japanese lady:-
"Oh no. You keep in fridge. It keep awful wrong time."

Phil