Tips and Guidelines for Living Well on a 100% Plant based diet

Archive for June, 2015

Seasoned Tofu Chikun Strips and the Art of Pressing Tofu

I just noticed this recipe on Skye Michael Conroy

–otherwise known as The Gentle Chef’s– blog.

Looks tasty and oh so chewy!

I’ve made a lot of Asian stir fries using firm tofu that’s

been first frozen, then thawed.

His version is quite different, pressing out the liquid

from the tofu first, then baking it. The one trick

(that he does not elaborate on in the recipe)

is how one actually presses tofu.

Here’s how I do it:
How to Press Tofu in 5 Easy Steps

And here is the towel and/or paper towels using version..

Veggie Belly’s guidelines on How to Press Tofu

Well, okay, in truth I don’t actually always use all of the

towels, nor do I necessarily grab a book off of my shelves,
and, rarely do I wait four hours. Sometimes I just place my tofu slab between two small dessert plates and squeeze it like heck for
30 seconds or so, then get on with my recipe. Of course that actually doesn’t constitute real pressed tofu, nor does it
achieve the texture one is looking for in recipes calling
for pressed tofu. And, of course, there’s the possibility of getting a little too aggressive with the block, which then impacts the tofu’s overall integrity/shape and hold togetherness. As anyone who’s done this abbreviated step cutting impatient cook version knows, crumbly, slightly pressed tofu does not a block of properly pressed tofu make!
The longer gentler pressing method is far superior and more effective for achieving the chewy (and maximum flavor holding) quality you want.