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Recipes for Health

Tofu: Not Just for Health Nuts Anymore

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

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By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Published: April 13, 2009

Though you might not know it from reading the labels at your local market,
the health benefits of soy are the subject of some controversy. Numerous studies
examining the links between soy consumption and such ailments as heart disease
and cancer
have produced contradictory results, according to Marion Nestle, a professor of
nutrition
at New
York University and the author of “What to Eat,” while the science behind
many of the studies has been less than compelling.

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Recipes for Health

This series offers recipes with an eye towards empowering you
to cook healthy meals every day. Produce, seasonal and locally grown when
possible, and a well-stocked pantry are the linchpins of a good diet, and
accordingly, each week’s recipes will revolve around a particular type of
produce or a pantry item. This is food that is vibrant and light, full of
nutrients but by no means ascetic, fun to cook and a pleasure to eat.
See
previous recipes »

Related

Recipes
for Health: Miso Soup With Tofu (April 17, 2009)

Recipes
for Health: Spicy Stir-Fried Tofu With Bok Choy or Baby Broccoli (April 16,
2009)

Recipes
for Health: Soft Tacos With Scrambled Tofu and Tomatoes (April 15, 2009)

Recipes
for Health: Spinach, Tofu and Sesame Stir-Fry (April 14, 2009)

Still, my favorite soy food, tofu, has a lot to recommend it, wonder food or
not. Light and easily digestible, tofu is a fine source of protein, magnesium,
iron, calcium,
omega-3 fatty acids, selenium and copper. This delicate white curd (made from
soy milk, in much the way ricotta cheese is made from dairy milk) is a longtime
staple of Asian diets. I like the texture, particularly of firm tofu, and the
way it absorbs flavors.

For the most part, I use traditional Asian seasonings — ginger and garlic,
soy sauce and chile — and stir-fry it. But I love doing novel things with tofu,
too, including the marinated grilled tofu below. Later in the week, I’ll be
scrambling tofu with Mexican ingredients and filling a taco with it. My son and
I often eat a simple tofu sandwich on whole grain bread for lunch — the bread
spread with mustard, the firm tofu sprinkled with soy sauce and topped with
sliced avocado.

Seek out organic tofu. These days, most soybeans are genetically modified,
but those varieties generally are not used to make organic tofu.

Grilled or Pan-Fried Marinated Tofu

This is one of my favorite ways to eat tofu. Keep some marinating in the
refrigerator, then grill or pan-fry at will.

For the marinade:

1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon minced or grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sugar

For the tofu:

1 pound firm tofu

1 tablespoon canola oil or peanut oil

Additional soy sauce or marinade for topping

1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a
2-quart bowl. Whisk together well.

2. Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels.
Slice into 1/2-inch thick slabs, and blot each slab with paper towels. Add to
the bowl with the marinade, and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for
15 minutes to an hour, or for up to a day.

3. To pan-fry the tofu, heat the oil over medium-high
heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. When the oil is hot, add the tofu in
one layer (you may have to do this in batches). Cook on one side for one to two
minutes, until lightly colored. Using tongs, turn the tofu over and cook for
another one to two minutes, or until lightly colored on the other side. Remove
from the pan, and serve with additional marinade or soy sauce.

To grill the tofu, prepare a medium-hot grill. Brush the grill with oil, and
grill until grill marks appear, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from the
heat, and serve with additional marinade or soy sauce.

Variation: For a spicy dish, add 1 teaspoon Asian
chile sauce, such as sambal oelek, to the
marinade.

Yield: Serves four

Advance preparation: Pan-fried or grilled tofu can be
kept in the refrigerator and served hot or cold. It makes a good
snack.

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Past Coverage

A
GOOD APPETITE; Tofu Meets Its Match In a Dish Fit for
Carnivores (April 9, 2008)

Green
Beans and Tofu Skins With Rice Sticks Time: 30
minutes (October 17, 2007)

Food;
Do You Tofu? (November 5, 2000)

EATING
WELL; Fresh Tofu: Safe Cooks Buy Carefully (August 23,
1995)

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