My first tofu pressing experience involved a plate, a chopping board and a kettle filled with water. A precarious game of jenga which of course ended up in disaster when it all came crashing down.
For many years, tofu was a mysterious ingredient I was not sure what to do with. I found it bland, squishy and not that exciting. The truth is that I did not know how to cook it. As I started to eat less meat, tofu became more of a staple ingredient and only once I knew what to do with it did I start to appreciate how delicious and versatile it can be.
Tofu is made of coagulated soy milk. It contains a lot of protein, iron and calcium while being low in fat and calories. It is sold as silken/soft, firm or extra firm. Silken tofu is a great substitute for eggs or dairy and is generally used for desserts or smoothies. Firm and extra firm tofu can be used in stir fries, stews, kebabs etc…
Plain tofu has no distinctive taste but will absorb flavours from other ingredients it is being cooked with, so you can mix it with pretty much anything you want. Firm and extra firm tofu is packed in water. Squeezing out this excess liquid before cooking or marinating tofu will improve its texture and taste. Pressed tofu is not only crispier but also more flavoursome.
A few weeks ago, I received a tofu press from Tofuture to review.
Small and compact, it is made of 3 compartments nested into one another. The bottom white container collects the extra water, the green middle container secures the tofu while the lid is fitted with elastic bands and handles to impart a continuous pressure.
I followed the 3 simple steps from the instructions:
Step 1: Remove the tofu from the packaging and drain off any excess water
Step 2: Place the block into the inner tub, the green container with perforated holes
Step 3: Replace the lid, pull the elastic bands down around the hooks and push the handles down to impart a continuous pressure on the tofu.
The press can then be placed in the fridge for the desired amount of time, you don’t need to return to the press to increase the pressure half-way through the pressing time. The longer you leave the tofu, the better it will be pressed. The following are the guideline pressing times, depending on what you are making.
- Short press, 15-30 mins – for ‘cheese’ sauce, ‘chocolate’ mousse or ‘cheese’cake
- Medium press, 1-2 hours – for pasties, quiches and pies
- Long press, 4 hours to overnight – for stir-fries, kebabs and baked tofu
When you’re ready either to marinate or cook your tofu, simply release the bands by opening the handles, remove the tofu and pour out the water. You’re ready to marinade, whizz, bake or fry your tofu.
Tofuture‘s Tofu Press was easy to use. Small and compact (W14cm x D12cm x H7cm), it fitted nicely into my fridge. So much better than the piles of random kitchen accessories I have tried in the past! The outer tub can also be used as a container to marinade the pressed tofu. This tofu press is also ideal if you are making your own homemade tofu. The whole design is really well thought through.
The first dish I made with my new tofu press was these Smoked & Spicy Breaded Tofu Strips below. Once pressed, the tofu absorbed the wonderful flavours of the smoky paprika marinade and was perfectly crisp when cooked. You can click on the image below to find out more details about this recipe.
![Smoked & Spicy Breaded Tofu Strips [vegan] by The Flexitarian](https://theflexitarian.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Smoked-Spicy-Breaded-Tofu-Strips-vegan-by-The-Flexitarian-v9-1-509x1024.jpg)
I am so glad I discovered Tofuture‘s Tofu Press. It is such a nifty, compact and practical kitchen gadget: a real essential to get the best results when cooking tofu.
You can buy it online here for £24.99 or maybe try your luck below, as Tofuture is kindly offering one tofu press for today’s competition.
You can find out more about Tofuture here, check them out on Twitter or visit their Facebook page.
A Collaborative Post for Tofuture. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED
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Thank you what an interesting gadget I’m thinking it might help make tofu more palatable for me, kindest regards Jasmine 🙂 xxx
Yes, it certainly makes a lot of difference !
Ooo it does sound fabulous and really interesting, thank you 🙂 xxx
I need this in my vegan life!!!