Perhaps the biggest challenge is to make it look and taste great as part of a fulfilling meal. Your Food Lovers Newsletter today is packed with useful tips and recipes creating ‘meat-free’ meals this Veganuary. If you’re new to tofu, we can help. Go on, have a go.
Here are 5 key things to consider when cooking with tofu to help you really get the best flavours and texture. Enjoy.
1. Choose the Right Type of Tofu
Different dishes need different tofu, for instance:
Silken tofu is soft, almost custardy and is great for soups, smoothies, desserts, and tofu-based sauces.
Firm and extra-firm tofu holds shape and is best for frying, baking, grilling, and stir-fries. This is the one you will use the most (oh yes you will!).
Top Tip: Look for Cauldron, Tofoo Co or supermarket own-brand – check the firmness on the pack.
2. Press Out Excess Water
Tofu is packed in water, which stops it absorbing flavour. So, here’s how to press:
The result is a crispier texture as well as better flavour absorption.
[Crispy tofu stir fry finished with chilli sizzle from our Sweet Chilli Sauce.]
3. Marinate Properly
Tofu is like a sponge in texture / nature, but only after pressing!
Good marinade basics:
Minimum: 15 minutes but best maritating from 1 to 4 hours (overnight if possible)
[Warm, crispy soy-marinated tofu on a fresh, green salad bed.]
4. Use High Heat for Crispiness
For golden edges, pan-fry in hot oil; don’t move it too soon; keep and eye on it and let a crust form.
Top Rip: Toss your tofu cubes in cornflour before frying for extra crunch.
Oven option – 200°C fan, 25–30 minutes, flip halfway.
5. Season in Layers
Tofu needs flavour at every stage, so season the marinade; season while cooking; and finish with:
The best tip is to think of it like meat, which also needs seasoning all the way through.
Believe it or not, this is Chef Andy’s remarkable Vegan Fish ‘n’ Chips.
He takes this great British classic and, with a wave of the wand, combines tofu, nori seaweed, miso paste and other ‘secret’ ingredients to create this.
You’ll find the RECIPE HERE.
Got to be worth a try one meat-free Friday.
Tofu Ramen
Andy’s vegetarian version of this popular Japanese-style soup uses tofu bathed in our amazing Hoisin Sauce.
Andy says: ‘Stokes Hoisin Sauce added to the vegetable broth gives an aromatic depth of flavour, complementing the other ingredients.’
He’s so right, as you too will see when you follow his RECIPE HERE.
Vegetable Masala
A friend cooked this the other day. Watching and taking note – it was simple. She fried sliced onion and red pepper, softened with a shake of medium curry powder then simmered in her favourite Masala Sauce.
While this gently bubbled, she pressed the tofu to remove moisture (done before we arrived), coated it with cornflour and seasonings for crispiness, and cooked it in the air fryer at around 190-200°C for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
Now, taste the masala and refine the flavours and heat with our Chilli Ketchup and perhaps a little hit from our Habanero HOT Sauce. Sit the tofu on the top and rest it for 5 minutes or so before serving with rice.
It really works.
Tofu Stir Fry.
All the textures, all the taste, all the fun of every day stir fry, sizzling with Sweet Chilli Sauce.
Enjoy the RECIPE HERE.
What do you know about the Scoville Scale?
Here’s a quick guideline to help you on quiz night, when the question comes up – what’s the hottest chilli on the SC?
There are many different types of Chilli rated on the Scoville Scale. Hailing from South Carolina, the Carolina Reaper chilli is cultivated purely for its heat, with an average SHU of 1,641,000. Some Carolina Reapers can peak at 2.2 million SHU!
WOW, that’s over 200 times hotter than a standard jalapeno!
With the hottest first, here are some of the well-known peppers on the Scoville Scale:
Carolina Reaper Pepper: 2.2 million SHU
Naga Viper Pepper: 1.3 million SHU
Ghost Pepper: 1 million SHU
Red Savina Pepper: 500,000 SHU
Scotch Bonnet/Habanero Pepper: 100,000–350,000 SHU
Cayenne Pepper: 30,000 – 50,000 SHU
Serrano Pepper: 6,000–23,000 SHU
Chipotle Pepper: 5,000–10,000 SHU
Jalapeño Pepper: 2,500–5,000 SHU
Bell Pepper: 0 SHU
I need a cold beer!
We asked our Food Lovers what their favourite Stokes’ chilli sauces are, and took the top three to wrap in our Chilli Tasting Collection.
It makes a great gift for anyone who likes things a little on the hot side.
Here’s what you get!
Habanero Hot Sauce
Hot, fermented Habanero chillies balance intense depth with a subtle fruity finish, this is a 2 Star Great Taste Award Winner.
Sweet Chilli Sauce
Made with red chillies and red peppers our Sweet Chilli Sauce overflows with the vitality of the Orient.
Chilli Ketchup
A twist on the best – savour the rich tomato taste and then feel the heat of the spices kicking in. Spice up your shepherd’s pie, sweet potato wedges, fish cakes…
All Three
All three are available in this unique collection – our Chilli Tasting Collection – just £18 (plus P&P).
1. Login to your Stokes Sauces account. If you’re not yet registered, set up an account here.
2. Copy your unique referral link which can be found under the ‘Referral Coupons’ tab on your account dashboard and share with your friends.
3. When your friends visit the website and sign up for an account via your link, they will get 10% off at checkout.
4. Once your friend’s order has been processed, you’ll also receive a 10% off voucher code. This can be found under the ‘Referral Coupons’ tab on your account dashboard and valid for 3 months.
1. Copy & Share Your Link
2. Your friends can register via your link
3. You will get 10% coupon on the referral order purchase.
4. Your friend will also get a 10% discount coupon in return on Signup
