The expansion of cultural and culinary ties with many Asian countries has led to the appearance of new products on store shelves, and new dishes on our tables. So, cheese with a neutral taste from soybeans is no longer a wonder. A closer look at this product will help our article and recipes for making tofu.

What is Tofu Soy Cheese

To give an exhaustive answer to the question of what is tofu, you need to go back many years ago. According to history, back in the 2nd century BC, one Chinese chef decided to improve the aroma of mashed soybeans by adding Niagara seasoning, and as a result received cottage cheese. So begins the story of a tofu product - cheese obtained by curdling soy milk.

The production technology of modern tofu differs little from the ancient recipe. Most often, potassium sulfate, citric acid or sodium chloride are used as a coagulant for curdling. Curdled milk is pressed into briquettes, which are then packed in baths with water so that the cheese does not absorb extraneous odors.

The composition and calorie content of the product

The composition of tofu cheese is replete not only with B and C vitamins, but also with an easily digestible vegetable protein used by the body in the process of building new cells. Unlike animal products, it does not contain harmful cholesterol. On the contrary, its use in food has a beneficial effect on the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels.

The calorific value of this product of soybean processing per 100 g is within 73 kcal.

Despite all the positive aspects, the amount of tofu in the daily diet should not exceed 200 g.If there are problems with the absorption of calcium by the body, then you should also refrain from using this product, as well as people with pronounced allergic reactions.

Fried tofu cheese

The simplest, but perhaps the most delicious dish of soy cheese is fried tofu. If the cheese was sold in water, then excess moisture should be squeezed out under oppression for 15 to 20 minutes. Then you can immediately start cooking.

For him we need:

  • 500 g of tofu cheese;
  • 50 ml of soy sauce;
  • 12 to 18 g of garlic;
  • 5 g of honey or brown sugar;
  • salt, black pepper, breadcrumbs, vegetable oil.

Working process:

  1. Cheese cut into rectangular plates with a thickness of a finger, roll them in breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown in a pan with a small amount of any vegetable oil.
  2. Chop or chop the garlic through a press, combine with soy sauce, honey and spices. On a plate lined with lettuce, beautifully spread the fried tofu, pour it on top of the cooked dressing and serve.

Vegetarian Cheese Cutlets

Fried tofu can appear on the dining table in another aspect - in the form of vegetarian cheese cutlets. They are easy to prepare, and thanks to the basil and olives, their taste will make you forget about meat for a long time.

For minced meat you will need:

  • 400 g tofu;
  • 200 g carrots;
  • 100 g bread crumbs (50 g for dough and 50 g for breading);
  • 50 g pitted olives (black);
  • 30 g of fresh basil;
  • crushed pine nuts, salt, olive oil and pepper.

Cooking Method:

  1. For minced meat, knead a little tofu with a few tablespoons of olive oil. The mass should be like a dough.
  2. Prepare the remaining ingredients as follows: pass the carrots through a fine grater, chop the basil with a knife, and turn the olives into thin rings.
  3. To the mashed cheese add carrots, herbs, crackers and olives. Stuff the minced meat carefully and let it rest for about 30 - 40 minutes.
  4. After this, you can proceed to heat treatment. Formed cutlets are crushed in breadcrumbs and crushed nuts and fried in hot olive oil. Served hot or cold with various side dishes from vegetables.

Light tofu vegetable salad

Even with the complete absence of meat in the composition of the dish, after this light salad of vegetables the feeling of fullness will not soon leave the eaters. This effect helps to achieve soy cheese tofu.

Its ratio to other components of the salad will be as follows:

  • 100 g of tomatoes;
  • 100 g of cucumbers;
  • 50 g tofu;
  • 10 to 15 black olives;
  • 50 g of lettuce;
  • 10 g of sesame seeds;
  • 45 ml of olive oil;
  • 30 ml of soy sauce;
  • 30 ml of lemon juice;
  • 5 g of paprika;
  • 5 g of provence herbs;
  • salt, black pepper.

How to cook:

  1. On a serving dish put torn into small pieces, washed and dried lettuce leaves. Cut cucumbers and tomatoes into small slices and lay on top.
  2. Mix olive oil with paprika and Provencal herbs, pickle tofu sliced ​​in small cubes in the resulting mixture for 2 to 3 minutes. Then spread the cheese with olives evenly over the salad.
  3. Combine the oil after soy cheese with soy sauce and lemon juice, season with pepper and salt to taste. Pour the salad with the resulting dressing and sprinkle the dish with sesame seeds.

Japanese miso soup with soy cheese

Miso soup along with rice form the basis of the Japanese diet.

There are a lot of options for this dish.

The following is a classic soup recipe that is most often served for breakfast:

  • 1000 ml of water or fish stock;
  • 100 g Shiitaki mushrooms;
  • 100 g of tofu cheese;
  • 30 g dry seaweed;
  • 50 g carrots;
  • 30 g daikon;
  • 30 g zucchini;
  • 30 g miso paste;
  • soy sauce, green onion feathers and hot pepper to taste.

The sequence of actions:

  1. In boiling broth or water, send the washed mushrooms and cook them for half an hour.
  2. Following them, throw dry seaweed, which should boil for five minutes.
  3. Carrots and daikon, sliced ​​in circles, are sent to the soup next. The duration of their heat treatment before laying the next product is ten minutes.
  4. Grind zucchini in small sticks and boil with other ingredients in the soup for five minutes. Then put the remaining products: miso paste, green onions and hot pepper. Adjust the taste of the soup with soy sauce.
  5. Cut the tofu cheese into small cubes, arrange them in plates, and pour the soup on top. In Japan, this dish is served very hot.

Avocado and Tofu Appetizer

A vegetarian alternative to various meat pastes can be soy cheese tofu and avocado, turned into a delicate appetizer of mousse texture. It can be served on a slice of cucumber, wrapped in a roll on the “tongue” of fried eggplant or zucchini, or simply spread on a slice of bread or cracker.

For cheese and avocado paste, you need:

  • 125 g tofu;
  • 1 ripe avocado fruit;
  • 20 g of cilantro;
  • ½ lemon (juice);
  • 6 to 8 g of garlic;
  • salt pepper.

Cooking Technology:

  1. With an avocado, use thin ribbons to peel, take out a stone, and chop the pulp into cubes. Cut tofu into the same square slices. Finely chop the cilantro, peel the garlic and chop as finely as possible.
  2. Put all prepared snack ingredients in a blender bowl, season with salt and pepper and pour over lemon juice. Then, turning on the device, bring everything to a paste state. Chill the snack in the fridge for about one hour before serving.

Eggplant with white sauce

Just fried eggplant is nothing remarkable, but you just have to serve them with white tofu soy cheese sauce - and this is not a dish, but a real culinary poetry.

Its structure includes:

  • 1 large eggplant;
  • 300 g of soy cheese;
  • 30 ml of olive oil;
  • 30 g coarsely chopped walnuts;
  • 20 g of dill;
  • 20 g of cilantro;
  • 10 g of green onions;
  • salt pepper.

Cooking Algorithm:

  1. Wash the blue vegetable, cut the stalk and chop the flesh in small cubes. Salt the prepared vegetable and leave for five minutes to neutralize the corned beef.
  2. In a small amount of oil, fry the prepared eggplant under the lid, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
  3. To prepare the sauce, tofu, garlic, dill and cilantro, beat with a blender in a paste. Chop the green onion feathers with rings and mix in the finished sauce.
  4. Put the heat-treated vegetable into a salad bowl, pour sauce on top and sprinkle with nuts. The dish is ready to serve.

Fast pizza for breakfast

Tofu soy cheese can also be used for pizza.

And in order not to bother with the dough for a long time, it is better to pre-purchase a puff cake prefabricated in a store. Then a hot, crispy open pie can be enjoyed even for breakfast.

List of products used in the baking process:

  • 400 g of ready puff pastry;
  • 200 g of frozen broccoli;
  • 150 g canned corn;
  • 200 - 300 g of soy cheese;
  • 40 - 60 g of ketchup or tomato sauce.

Stages of baking:

  1. Roll the dough into a rectangular cake with a thickness of 5 mm. Tighten its edges inward and press the forks with the teeth, forming the sides.
  2. Lubricate the surface of the dough with ketchup, top with cabbage scalded with boiling water and corn grains, sprinkle with coarsely tofu.
  3. To readiness to bring pizza for 15 - 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 220 - 230 degrees.

Tofu is a healthy product that will not be amiss in the daily diet. It can become both an independent snack and a component of other dishes. Try, evaluate the taste and create your own dishes with a slight oriental accent.

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