Why I Love Cooking With Tofu
Tofu isn’t a meat replacement, even in this Japanese version of a burger
I meet a lot of people who aren’t the biggest fans of tofu, even when they want to add it into their diet. Tofu is high in protein and low in calories and fat, and much more environmentally friendly than proteins like beef or chicken. But it seems that a lot of people have a hard time getting over the taste — they describe it as bland, spongy, and the rawness of the soy flavor as not very appetizing.
This confused me at first, but now it’s easy to see why. Western cultures have championed tofu as the optimal protein alternative for vegans and vegetarians, something to replace meat. Especially for firm tofu, this branding makes tofu seem like meat’s less flavorful, squishier, “healthy” alternative. Tofu teriyaki bowls and BBQ tofu stir-frys don’t quite ring as appetizing as meat, and many of these recipes end up adding lots of sugar, salt, and oil to replace the flavor that would be in animal-based proteins. Many people are unyielding in their conclusion: Tofu isn’t worth it!
But the Japanese use of tofu has never been as a replacement for meat, but rather a standalone ingredient. This is an important difference in point of view for those of us who enjoy meat because cooking with tofu should be about complementing meals, not…
