By Emily Ho, The Kitchen
Firm, extra firm, soft, silken — the vast array of fresh tofu varieties can seem daunting. What’s the difference between them, and how do you choose which kind to use in a dish? To help answer these questions, I spoke to Tim Kenny, vice president of marketing at Nasoya, a company that makes organic, non-GMO tofu, and Andrea Nguyen, author of “Asian Tofu: Discover the Best, Make Your Own, and Cook It at Home.”
Tofu. (Photo by Education Images/UIG via Getty Images)
Kenny explained: “The difference is in how much water is pressed out of the tofu. The more water you press out of it, the firmer it gets. As we make it firmer, with less water content, both the fat and protein go up.”
Nguyen said: “Just like you have to try different brands of jeans to see what will look best, you need to try different kinds of tofu and see what you like.
Tofu varieties
Some of these categories overlap depending on the manufacturer, and one company’s firm tofu may be more or less dense than another’s. However, in general, here’s what you can expect, and the best uses for each variety.
Silken tofu
This undrained, unpressed Japanese-style tofu has the highest water content and a custardy texture. Silken tofu can have different consistencies depending on how much soy protein it contains. It is often labeled soft, firm or extra firm. While Nguyen recommends the silken tofu found in plastic tubs, that’s more difficult to find in my area. The boxed is more readily available.
Silken tofu works well in creamy and blended foods like smoothies, desserts, puddings, salad dressings, sauces and dips. It can also be used as an egg substitute in baking. Nguyen recommends buying silken tofu in plastic tubs rather than boxes.
“The boxed stuff is emergency tofu,” she says. “Though it doesn’t need to be refrigerated and is handy for camping, it doesn’t taste as good as the others.”
Regular tofu
Regular tofu is pressed and has a somewhat spongy texture. Like silken tofu, regular tofu comes in several consistencies.
Extra soft/soft: This is the Chinese-style equivalent of silken tofu. It is slightly less smooth but can be used in the same way.
Medium/medium firm: This is denser than silken or soft tofu but still fairly delicate. It can work well in gently simmered soups like miso and served cold like hiya yakko. Depending on the brand, it may be interchangeable with Firm tofu.
Read the full article by Emily Ho from The Kitchen.
