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Tofu - Glossary of Chinese Ingredients and Cooking Terms

By Rhonda Parkinson, About.com

Tofu Puff

Tofu puffs are chewy squares of deep-fried tofu

Rhonda Parkinson
Definition: Called doufu in China and tofu in Japan, bean curd is made from soy beans in a process that has much in common with making cheese. Commonly called "meat without bones" it is extremely high in protein. Although quite bland in taste, it absorbs the flavors of the food it is cooked with and is used in a number of dishes, from soups and sauces to stir-fries. (The firmer tofus are recommended for stir-fries and grilling, while the regular tofus work well in soups and silken tofu is great for blended dishes like pudding).

For the connoisseur who wants to expand his or her horizons, there is fermented bean curd (preserved in rice wine), bean curd skins (taken from the film or skin that forms on top when the bean curd is being prepared), and pressed seasoned bean curd - simmered in water with a number of spices.

Written by Rhonda Parkinson
Pronunciation: toe foo
Also Known As: Dofu, Do Fu, bean curd, soy bean curd
Examples:
Recipes using tofu:

Mapo Tofu (also called Ma po Tofu, Mapo Dofu or Ma po Dofu)
Deep-fried Tofu

Italian Style Tofu

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