Sweet & Sour Tofu

The most common question I hear from people when asked about cooking with the vegetarian powerhouse tofu is, “well, how do you cook with it? It doesn’t taste like anything does it?” And…well…they’re right.  Seldom does tofu ever really taste like much of anything, but rather packs more texture than taste (see The Book of Tofu on Google Books).

“Tofu” comes from the Japanese tōfu (豆腐) and means “bean curd”; it is made in a series of varieties today ranging from production method (frozen/refrigerated tofu versus sun dried tofu), density (firm tofu versus soft), and more.  Despite its flavorless first impressions, tofu is extremely popular in Asian countries and has now made its way into many Americans’ diets and menus.

What I like best about cooking with tofu is that whatever you cook it in, it retains that flavor.  You can’t add it to something and it automatically “tastes like chicken,” but rather, it “taste like Szechwan” or “it tastes like sweet and sour sauce” like this recipe here.  When used correctly, tofu is more than just a bland bystander to other ingredients, but a clearly delicious ingredient absorber that can really pack a flavorful punch.  Stir fry in the below sweet and sour sauce, or other asian marinades and you’re guaranteed to have a dish that’s clearly delicious!

Sweet & Sour Tofu
This recipe comes from one of the “guest contributors” over at Simply Recipes, Jaden Hair, whose food blog Steamy Kitchen is certainly worth trying out.  Jaden’s recipe originally calls for chicken instead of tofu, and I highly suggest trying this recipe both ways.  If you hate tofu, however, the chicken will do you right!

Ingredients:
* 1 pound (32 ounces) semi-hard tofu
* 1 egg white
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 2 teaspoons corn starch
* 1 10-ounce can pineapple chunks (keep the juice! you will need it!)
* 1/4 cup juice from canned pineapples
* 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
* 1/4 cup ketchup
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cooking oil (i.e., vegetable oil)
* 1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
* 1 yellow or orange pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
* 1 teaspoons (fresh) ginger

1.) First, prep your ingredients.

2.) Then, begin by marinating the tofu.  Combine tofu, egg white, corn starch, and salt.  Coat evenly and allow to marinate for 15 minutes, but can marinate in the refrigerator for “up to overnight.”

3.) Whisk together pineapple juice, ketchup, vinegar, salt, and brown sugar.

4.) Heat a large frying pan or wok.  Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and coat pan.  Add tofu and spread evenly to coat and cook. Fry each side until golden brown.  Remove tofu from pan.

5.) Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and add peppers and ginger.  Fry for 1 minute.  Add pineapple chunks and whisked mixture from above (the “sweet and sour sauce”).  Turn heat to medium-high and add tofu.  Allow sauce to simmer and cook until ingredients are all tender and browned, but still retain their “crisp” (I’m speaking specifically of the peppers here).

6.) Taste the sauce and add more brown sugar if necessary.   Plate with brown or white rice.  Make 6 servings.  Enjoy!

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