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Tofu is an important ingredient in Chinese and Japanese cuisine, as it is inexpensive and packed with nutritional value and can provide excellent flavors and textures to many dishes. It can also be used as a meat and cheese substitute in non-Asian cuisines. However, the results will vary and might not please all palates, and tofu is at its best in East Asian food. Tofu is available in numerous forms and versions, and the taste and texture varies according to the country in Asia. The most common type is blocks which have a high moisture content and are stored and packaged in water so that the tofu will not dry out. One key point to getting the best flavor is to use tofu as soon as possible, and well before any expiration date on the package. In fact, tofu tastes best when it is fresh, and it is possible in Asia to buy tofu that was made the same day from local tofu makers. Tofu that is no longer fresh begins to acquire an unpleasant sour taste. For most dishes, it is also important to drain tofu as thoroughly as possible before using. This can be accomplished by removing the block of tofu from any liquid that is included, putting it on a plate, cutting it into a number of pieces, and then draining the plate several times over a period of a half hour or hour as some of the liquid comes out of it. The result is that the problem of excess liquid when stir frying or otherwise cooking the tofu is minimized. Created September 30, 2006. |