Tempting Tofu - recipes

Vegetarian Times, April, 1999 by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley

Soak dried mushrooms in 1/2 cup hot water for 20 minutes. Remove mushrooms from soaking water; reserve liquid. Chop mushrooms; set aside.

In large saucepan, bring cup water and soy sauce to a boil. Add jicama, carrots and onion. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms with reserved liquid, tofu, 5 cups water, vinegar, Szechuan sauce and salt. Bring to a simmer, add dissolved cornstarch and simmer, stirring, until thickened.

Per cup: 64 cal.; 3g prot.; 1g total fat (0 sat. fat); 12g carb.; 0 chol.; 563mg sod.; 3g fiber

Chocolate Cream Couscous Cake

8 SERVINGS DAIRY-FREE

This stove-top, no-bake cake is simple to make and fun to eat.

3/4 cup pecan halves
2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar or
  Sucanat[C]
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup couscous (see glossary, p. 119)
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
10-oz. pkg. barley malt-sweetened
  chocolate chips or regular semisweet
  chocolate chips
2 (10 1/2 oz.) pkgs. firm "lite" silken tofu,
  at room temperature
3 Tbs. maple syrup or honey

Preheat oven to 300 [degrees] F. Place pecans on baking sheet and toast in oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then transfer pecans to food processor and process until coarsely ground.

In medium saucepan, mix water, sugar, cocoa and couscous. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Spread mixture into ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Sprinkle cup ground pecans over top.

In small saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly. Transfer to food processor or blender, add tofu and maple syrup, then process until smooth. Pour mixture over couscous base and top with remaining pecans. Refrigerate until cake is set, about 2 hours. Serve cold.

Per serving: 383 cal; 8g prot.; 13g total fat (5g sat.); 60g carb.; 4mg chol.; 56mg sod.; 2g fiber

Reprinted with permission from Friendly Foods by Ron Pickarski (Ten Speed Press, 1991, P.O. Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707).

Firming Up

Soft tofu can be made firmer by pressing out more whey. Simply slice the tofu, place it on a layer of absorbent towels and cover it with a plate or breadboard. The more weight you apply and the longer you/et the tofu sit, the firmer it becomes. After 15 to 30 minutes under a breadboard, soft tofu slices become firm enough to hold their shape when heated. Fresh-packed tofu should be stored in the refrigerator and used within a few days. Check the date on the package. After you open the package, change the water daily; or drain the tofu, wrap it in foil and freeze it. Vacuum-packed tofu is shelf-stable and will keep indefinitely until opened.

Chill and Grill

Freezing tofu changes it utterly, It can be defrosted slowly at room temperature or covered with boiling water for a quick thaw. The whey, which crystallizes into ice when the tofu is frozen, melts away during the defrosting process, leaving a spongy matrix of solid tofu Defrosted tofu has a chewy, meatlike texture that absorbs marinades and flavorings easily and is great for dishes like chili and tacos. Try it on the grill, after soaking it in your favorite marinade.