Tofu ideas, recommendations... I wanna go vegan. Help?

Question

I need ideas in how to buy and prepare tofu. I want to go vegan.

I'm a bit picky with food. I wanna quit eating chicken, and eventually milk, cheese, ice cream... and the like. That's all the animals I eat x_X I don't eat red meat or any other animals.

Answer 1

Tofu is usually an acquired taste. You don't have to like it to go vegetarian. To be honest, I probably wouldn't venture into the world of tofu until your tastes have changed a bit. Otherwise you'll probably expect it to taste like meat, and you're going to be sorely disappointed. Good luck. :)

Answer 2

I am not familiar with "vegan" cuisine but I do kow a bit about tofu.
First if you are looking to substitute tofu for dairy ingredient in dessert and creamed soup recipes you would buy the soft or silky tofu. You can also blend these with fresh or frozen fruits for incredibly delicious smoothies.
Firm tofu, sliced or cut into cubes, can be added “as is” or deep-fried to stir fry dishes, soups, and stews. I like the deep fried approach. Deep fried slices dipped into some chili sauce is yummy for a quick snack.
A word of advise ... try to avoid the common mistake made by first timers ... tofu is not really the "star" ingredient of most dishes. It doesn't add flavor to dishes but absorbs the flavor of the other ingredients. If your thinking tofu is a tasty ... its just not. It's very plain sort of like eating unflavored custard. BUT it is really delicious when prepared in the correct manner. So enjoy!

Here are my two favorite recipes for tofu dishes http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/430838/how_to_turn_your_taste_buds_on_to_tofu.html

Answer 3

There are lots of things you can do with tofu. For cooking, freeze extra firm tofu for 24 hours then allow it to thaw out. Unwrap it and squeeze as much of the water out of it as you can. You can then cut it into strips or cupes and marinate in italian dressing or anything else you like for a few hours. Then you can either put it in a stir fry, or bake it like it is, or put bread crumbs on it and bake them on an an oiled cookie sheet. The possibilities are endless. Just experiment with it until you find what you like the best.

For a great dessert, try silken tofu in this vegan chocolate mousse:
http://www.peaceful-organic-planet.com/vegan-recipes.html

Answer 4

I freeze my tofu, defrost for about a day, then press it for at least 45 minutes before I cook it. Freezing tofu gives it a chewier, firmer texture. I actually store several containers of tofu in the freezer at a time.

For recipes, check out www.vegweb.com.

If you need recommendations for vegan ice creams, I'm here for ya.

Answer 5

Tofu's great! Since youre gonna be vegan, I recommend you Amy's (found in frozen sections of food stores) Amy's has a lot of good tofu entrees. You can also get silk tofu. Toss that in a blender with strawberries, and you have an awesome shake my friend :)

Answer 6

If you have a wok - this is a recipe - if you don't , use a large frying-pan - Buy fresh spinach, wash them under cold water, dry them on a towel - then cut them in stripes - marinate together with TOFU slices - 2/3 hours- and then all at high temperature fried in sesam oil -2 minutes are enough - quick - simple - delicious

Answer 7

Tofu is a good try, you can make a lot of meals from it. I give you some more recipes I found on a web page. I tried Vegan Banana Coconut Muffins it is really good. You can see also vegetarian recipes from different countries.

Answer 8

Tofu is best marinated before cooking otherwise it's bland. Try marinating it in soy sauce, oyster sauce, chopped ginger, chili. And then stir fry with vegetables with the marinade. You can eat it on toast or with noodles... Or anything you like really.
You can marinade it in anything. Try taking some marinades for chicken that you like and using tofu instead of chicken.

Answer 9

I'm vegan, and have never even had tofu.

Please remember that veganism is a lifestyle, not just what you eat. Vegans don’t wear leather, fur, or wool, buy products from companies that conduct non-required animal toxicity tests:
http://www.caringconsumer.com/pdfs/companiesDoTest.pdf
Or frequent zoos, rodeos, circuses, or other places where animals are held in captivity or forced to perform.

Answer 10

Buy extra firm tofu
then crush it..season with like salt and pepper.
then fry it..
yummy tofu buger!

Battered and Deep fryed tofu is the best!!
dip with soy sauce!