Japanese foods--tofu

[hillvalley]

I have a few questions about fresh v. packaged tofu.

What are the differences in flavor and texture?

How long does each last?

What is the best way to store them both? (I assume in the liquid it comes in, but are there any other tricks?)

Which is better for miso soup?

Thanks

[torakris]

hhhhmmmmm....... good question!

In my opinion the fresh stuff is just..... well.....fresher

You can get some very good stuff in packages in Japan but the fresher the better, saying that though I have to admit that 90% of the tofu I buy is packaged stuff from the supermarket, becasue they are cheaper and more convenient (two bonuses for me at this stage in my life).

Usually when I buy the fresh stuff (and it recquires a trip to a tofu shop) I use it for hiyayakko, so the freshness can really shine.

There is more of a difference in flavor than texture, it is all a matter of taste and varies depending on what kind of tofu you are eating.

How long they last also depends on the type of tofu ad how it was packaged, I have bought tofu in Japan with expiration dates anywhere from 2 to 11 days after manufacture.

I would recommend uses the fresh stuff as soon as possible, so it doesn't lose its "freshness".

As to storing, I store the tofu in the tub it comes in until I use it, if for some odd reason I don't use all of it I will place it in a piece of tupperware with water to cover and use it as soon as possible.

I have never stored fresh tofu since I normally use it on the day of purchase.

Which is better for miso soup?

Again all a matter or preference, I prefer the silken packaged pieces for this, but who knows some day maybe when I am not on a serious budget I may purchse all of my tofu from a tofu shop!

[torakris]

One of my favorite (and very economical) lunches or late is a block of cold tofu with some sliced cucumbers all topped with a Thai style sweet-chile sauce.

[helenjp]

yuba...mmm...good with various stir-fried greens...basically, just good stuff, and am I ever glad it broke out of Kansai and snuck into supermarkets near Tokyo!

Guess what I found today in the supermarket. Tempeh! Yes! Here in murder-a-minute-ville wrong-side-of-the-tracks-town! Made by Kume Quality Products of Ibaragi Pref.

And what are we having for dinner? Not tofu, not tempeh...by request of the Chief Wage Earner, Japanese curry (with a can of tomatoes to make it blush decently for its inauthenticity), cooked to the strains of Yo-yo Ma playing Appalachian hillbilly in the background...and served with a side of kimchi!

Regards

[SobaAddict70]

I think hiyayakko is about where perfection resides. Or close to it.

Everything else pales in comparison. Ok, well most everything. Ma po dofu is a close second.

Soba

[gus_tatory]

...There's a Chinese place about 5 miles from here that makes much of the silken tofu sold in Chinatown... As fresh as fresh can be.

i just found out there's a tofu micro-factory opening around the corner from me. i went in today, and spoke with the guy--they are using an organic japanese soybean--can't remember the name.

i asked him if they'd be selling yuba (the tofu skin), and he said they didn't make enough to sell, but if i wanted, they'd save it for me.

how can i prepare this yuba? can i fry it, or is it better served through some other preparation?

thanks,

gus

edit to add: this means i'll be eating *fresh* tofu for the first time in my life. am v. v. excited.

Edited April 4, 2004 by gus_tatory (log)

[torakris]

If it is freshly made yuba, just eat it plain with some wasabi and soy.

It is quite wet and don't think it would be suitable for frying, save that for the dried stuff.

[torakris]

I was just think about it some more and am not sure what kind of yuba they will be giving. I was initially thinking of what is referred to as kumiyuba which is very freshly made yuba still sitting in the soy milk, this is very wet and there is really no other way to eat this except with either ponzu or wasabi and soy.

Then there is what they refer to as nama yuba, looks like this:

http://www.fujimuraya.com/shopping/shop/manmi/namayuba.jpg

This can also be eaten sashimi style but this type is also good deep fried and in simmered dishes or soups.

You are a lucky guy!!

[gus_tatory]

I was just think about it some more and am not sure what kind of yuba they will be giving...

This can also be eaten sashimi style but this type is also good deep fried and in simmered dishes or soups.

You are a lucky guy!!

thanks for the info and idea, torakris!

i know i'm lucky--i bet fresh tofu is 5 times better than the stuff i'm used to, that either comes in tubs of water, or in sous-vide (airproof sealed) plastic packages.

the guy said they were starting with only soft tofu. can i put it between two plates--maybe with a weight on top--to extract some of the moisture, to make it more like the firm tofu i prefer?

[torakris]

the guy said they were starting with only soft tofu. can i put it between two plates--maybe with a weight on top--to extract some of the moisture, to make it more like the firm tofu i prefer?

You can try but the texture will still be different and I wouldn't recommend using it in some of the same ways you might use the firm.

Soft tofu is wonderful and I sure you will learn to love it as mucg as you do the firm one.

[torakris]

I ran across an interesting tofu in the store the other day, I can't remember it's name now that I threw the package away , but it was something like "three flavors" tofu.

It is a normal sized block of tofu, but the top 1/4 and the bottom 1/4 are momen (cotton) and the middle is kinu-goshi (silken), it was interesting but I think I would prefer just one ofr the other.....

the textural difference doesn't show up well in the picture, but it was quite noticable.

[torakris]

I just found this great tofu!

A friend recommended it so I thought I would try it, it was some tof the best supermarket tofu I have had and the price can't be beat at 158yen for 500g.

It is called dondoko tofu どんどこ豆腐

I turned it into a salad with mizuna and myoga, dressed with a kabosu ponzu

[torakris]

I picked up two kinds of tofu for dinner last night

left is matcha (green tea) tofu and the right is goma (black sesame seed) tofu

I love the goma one (and buy it frequently), the matcha was a first for me and I really didn't care for it, my husband loved it though...

[Kiem Hwa]

Found in Hanshin Dept store: Kyo-dofu (I know there is a more specific name for it, but I forgot it). Flavored (L-R): Yuzu, plain, and yomogi.

Being a fan of both yuzu and yomogi flavorings, I couldnt resist this three-flavor pack. There were also larger single flavor packs, including a sakura flavor.

It was very soft with a light and subltle flavorings (the flavored ones), and I ate it without the shoyu-sauce provided so i wouldnt mask the flavor. Yummy!

[JasonTrue]

On another thread I mentioned gofoufu, a specialty of Saga-ken which I nibbled on in Arita.

If you read Japanese, you can see serving suggestions and find domestic ordering information on GoDouFu.com.

Here are the basic proportions, which I always double or triple because this is more work than making risotto. I usually serve it when I have parties. It seems to have a similar lifespan to tofu, maybe slightly longer.

600 ml scrupulously fresh, high-protein soy milk.*

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup in US measurements) Katakuriko

1 tablespoon Kuzuko

* I have usually made my own, essentially in the manner of Torakris' tofu eGCI forum, but if you have thick Vietnamese-style soymilk like I can get from a little tofu shop in Seattle, you might be able to simplify.

Combine in a pot and stir to dissolve as much as possible. Initially, you can use a whisk, but eventually you'll need to switch to use a wooden spoon because this will get very thick.

On medium-high flame, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir frequently. The recipe I followed wanted me to stir constantly for about 40 minutes, which seems about right.

You must be careful to avoid letting the bottom of the pan burn, because this is supposed to be custard-like rather than grilled. Accordingly, stir frequently, scrape from the bottom of the pan, and watch like a hawk. You need enough heat to create bubbles so that the thickening agents will work most efficiently.

When the liquid is quite thick, you'll remove it from the heat, and put it into a mold (I use an airtight Rubbermaid-type container). Usually cut into manageable chunks after it's chilled and set. I will post a photo that I took in an Arita restaurant when I get to my other computer later today.

Suggested toppings:

- Dengaku miso (equal parts mirin, miso and sugar, sometimes with a splash of dashi, boiled) with grated ginger added at end.

- Simmer some soy sauce, ground black sesame seeds and sugar

- Simple grated ginger and soy sauce

To eat warm:

- Use in a suimono (clear soup) with konbu-porcini-shiitake or konbu-katsuo dashijiru, seasoned with soy sauce and salt as needed, garnish with negi.

[JasonTrue]

And the promised photo.

Described in excrutiating detail on my blog, there are three godoufu dishes on this plate, served to me in a restaurant in Arita, Saga prefecture.

In the center, godoufu no hiyayakko, with ginger, grated radish (probably), and soy sauce. Upper right: some sea vegetables (maybe ohitashi), godoufu with a slightly sweetened miso something like dengaku, seasoned with, if I remember correctly, some ginger... maybe it was ground white sesame seeds. And the soup on the bottom right had godoufu, fu, and tamagoyaki, I believe.

[JasonTrue]

It occurred to me that in the original version of this post I didn't make it clear that you should chill and set the godoufu before cutting and serving it. I've modified the original post for anyone who prints it out, and I am replying as well just anyone subscribing to the topic can catch my mistake

[Kiem Hwa]

I made my godoufu! It is such a nice texture, I suppose somewhere in-between tofu and mochi. Very delicious! So far (I was lazy), I just poured some ponzu sauce over it, but tonight I will try another sauce, probably the miso-dengaku, or maybe a yuzu-miso.

Thanks for leading me towards a new exciting experience JasonTrue!!!!

Just some questions....Im not too experienced with cooking with thickeners (like kudzu-ko or katakuriko). Is there any way to shorten the cooking time (like adding extra thickener or something)? What kind of texture would I get if I did shorten the cooking time....The only reason i ask is because 40-minutes of comstant stirring makes for a dish Ill be too lazy to make that often, even though I really enjoyed it.

[helenjp]

I have had that, I remember that it was especially smooth and nice in hot weather.

Kiem Hwa, I think you might be able to get away with cooking some stuff in a slow cooker, but in most cases with Japanese cooking, the end result is something stiff enough to hold its shape...and that is almost impossible to do without stirring. If you cook it for a long time, you get a very mild sweetness, and lose any raw taste.

...I guess how much trouble you go to will depend on how strong the flavors you serve with it are going to be

[JasonTrue]

On my blog today I finally posted some photos of a godoufu dinner I made last week.

This was served before the godoufu had fully set from the hurried ice bath (hey, I was hungry) so it doesn't look as block-like as it could.

The full entry includes some photos of various side dishes, including nasu-no miso-ni and sunomono with konbu and kyuuri.

[dornachu]

Anyone has picture of Katakuriko and Kuzuko? I want to try this and get these ingredients in my japanese supermarket. Thanks!

[JasonTrue]

This is what I use:

The left side is katakuriko. The right side is kuzuko, but you will want to crush it a bit or make sure it's dissolved before bringing anything made with it up to a boil.

Anyone has picture of Katakuriko and Kuzuko?  I want to try this and get these ingredients in my japanese supermarket. Thanks!

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[Hiroyuki]

Is kuzuko indispensable for getting the right texture?

As you know, kuzuko is rather expensive...

[JasonTrue]

Every recipe I have found requires both katakuriko and kuzuko to make godoufu. But the ratio is 4:1 katakuriko to kuzuko.

I think without the kuzuko it will be more like the tounyuu no warabimochi I had in Kyoto.

Is kuzuko indispensable for getting the right texture?

As you know, kuzuko is rather expensive...

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[Kiem Hwa]

I think without the kuzuko it will be more like the tounyuu no warabimochi I had in Kyoto.

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ooohhhh.... tounyuu no warabimochi? What was that like? I have warabi powder too