ANN/THE YOMIURI SHIMBUN – Tofu, a protein-rich and affordable ingredient, offers great versatility in the kitchen, especially when frozen.
Freezing tofu not only preserves it for up to a month but also transforms its texture, making it a suitable substitute for meat and fish, said cooking expert Miyuki Shimamoto.
According to a 2022 survey by House Foods Group Inc, which polled around 7,000 people aged 10 to 90, tofu was the sixth most commonly discarded food, with 4.2 per cent of respondents reporting they had recently thrown it away.
“Many people buy tofu on sale but don’t use it all,” Shimamoto added.
First, how do you properly freeze tofu? You can freeze it in its package – in one big block – but it’s useful to cut it into pieces before freezing so that you can use it immediately in stir-fries, stews and miso soups.
Tofu changes its texture when frozen because water seeps out as it thaws, making it sponge-like and chewy and helping it to absorb flavours easily.
While you can add frozen tofu directly to stews or hot pots, it needs to be thawed when fried or grilled. You can thaw it by placing it in the fridge, or, if you’re in a hurry, submerging it packaged or bagged in water. Frozen tofu pieces can be used to make a teriyaki chicken-style main dish.
Tofu that has absorbed flavour is satisfying. You can introduce a bit of spice with a chili bean sauce or create a hearty meal by adding vegetables, like onions and carrots.
Diced frozen tofu and enoki mushrooms – or any of your favourite mushrooms – can be whipped up into a tasty side dish. Tofu and mushrooms go down smoothly. “Freezing tofu allows you to use it without waste and expands the range of dishes it can be used in,” Shimamoto said.
FROZEN TOFU
Directions:
1. For large pieces, cut the tofu into equal eighths.
2. Cover the pieces with plastic wrap, put them into a freezer bag and freeze them.
3. For diced pieces, cut the tofu into 2.5-centimetre cubes, put them on a tray that has been covered with plastic wrap. Place another layer of plastic wrap on top of the pieces and put the tray in the freezer.
4. When the tofu cubes are frozen, put them into a freezer bag.
Teriyaki chicken-style frozen tofu
Ingredients
– One block frozen tofu
– Two green peppers
Directions:
1. Thaw the frozen tofu. Drain excess water and sprinkle potato starch.
2. Remove the stems and seeds from the green peppers and cut the peppers into chunks.
3. Heat two tablespoons of salad oil in a frying pan. Add the tofu and green peppers and grill both sides until browned.
2. Remove any excess oil from the frying pan. Mix one tablespoon of soy sauce and half a tablespoon of sugar. Simmer and stir.
Frozen tofu and nametake-style mushrooms
Ingredients
– Quarter block frozen tofu
– 50 grammes shimeji mushrooms
– 50 grammes enoki mushrooms
– One-third tsp granulated dashi stock
– Shichimi chili powder
Directions:
1. Cut the ends off the shimeji mushrooms and pull the mushrooms apart. Cut the ends off the enoki mushroom, divide the mushrooms into four-equal lengths and pull them apart.
2. Put the frozen tofu, mushrooms, tablespoon of soy sauce, sugar and one-third of a teaspoon of granulated dashi stock into a heat-proof bowl and mix.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Heat in a microwave at 600 watts for three minutes and then stir. After it cools down, sprinkle shichimi to taste. – Miewa Uehara
