Using Tofu as Protein
Bloomberg: According to a 2017 Nielsen study, more than one-third of Americans—39 percent—described themselves as pursuing a more plant-based diet.
Tofu has always been seen by Americans as a hippie food, or a poor meat replacement, and something used in veggie burgers, or tofu cubes in broths. But tofu is not something to WOW over, right? It can be mushy, devoid of flavor, and something to just eat with lots of condiments so you can taste something.
I am here to write that our perceptions are wrong. First, soy products are a healthy protein that can also be organic and non-GMO. Second, HODO, as a company, makes flavorful textured tofu. Third, there are a variety of uses for tofu from custard, to noodles, to burgers, to chunks. Fourth, there are creamy tofu-custard-like food that are great additions to gravies and sauces. In other words, tofu can be used in a variety of recipes and you can make it taste great.
- Miso Ramen Soup add chunks of cubed tofu to a soup broth
- Shichimi Togarashi Baked Tofu flavorful baked marinated tofu cubes
- Drunk Tofu Noodles Stir Fry (with veggies)
Tofu + Health:
I have been okay with tofu, and historically have used it intentionally as a very good protein substitute; studies show it is great for middle aged and older adults especially. (Which I am, the “adult” part anyways.) The isoflavones in tofu provide some protection against diabetes type 2 (soy consumers have an 11% less risk). For men it provides some protection against prostate cancer (29% less risk). So overall, it is a good thing.
My issue has always been how to fully integrate tofu into my meal so it does not seem an afterthought or obviously a replacement for meat. One way is to start with great soy ingredients that easily lend themselves to dishes I know how to make.
Hodo in Oakland
I was researching Hodo because I really like and use Hodo products for making quick protein-based meals. Trader Joe’s Assembler Jill introduced me to them as a product she really likes, and I immediately agreed. In the process I ran across an article in MensHealth from Todd Kliman, writing about his tour of their tofu-production facility, located in Oakland’s warehouse district.
Tofu
He writes that they use soybeans harvested from the American Midwest. But the magic is not where they get them (although it helps they are organic and non-GMO), but in their processing of the beans. Hodo’s tofu product is denser in proteins than the regular tofu you can buy.
Kliman writes that Hodo has 21 grams in 3 ounces versus firm tofu 14 grams. He continued, higher-protein tofu [that] results in a richer, creamier flavor and a texture with more chew. It also does not come stored in liquid so it is dryer and I do not need to press all the liquid out of the block. Some tofu blocks come pre-flavored.
Yuba
BusinessInsider described their process of making tofu and yuba. So what is yuba? When soy milk (a byproduct of soybeans) is boiled, a film or “tofu skin” forms on the liquid surface. It’s scooped up and ready-to-eat as “yuba,” a delicacy in China and Japan.
SFChronicle: For the uninitiated, fresh yuba is the milky, sweet and nutty skin that forms on the surface of soy milk when it’s heated. Each batch of soy milk produces about eight sheets of yuba, the first of which are the creamiest, most delicate, and the last of which are pliable and chewy.
The SFChronicle describes that yuba has been made for 300+ years in Kyoto. Generations of families have been making this product to be eaten plain with condiments, or sliced into small sheets added to soup broth. They report that restaurants have also provided customers with a heating pot of soy milk so they can scoop up the layers themselves as they form.
When I see it being made. it reminds me of the skin that forms on milk when heated. If you are careful with pulling it off you can get a milk “sheet” too, but it is way too thin, and cannot be cut up as noodles; and certainly does not taste as good as this soy product. But having this milk experience, I can understand that this is a time and labor intensive product. As a result the Yuba products cost a bit more, but also are very healthy and taste great.
Types of Yuba
According to their website, Hodo is the only maker of fresh, organic, non-GMO yuba in the US.
Kumiage: Unpasteurized scooped yuba that is eaten with a spoon. It is a rich soy cream that can be used in the creation of a gravies and sauces.
Tsumami: Unpasteurized and textured like a raw oyster, it tastes mild and has a creamy mouth feel.
Hikiage: This is an unpasteurized pulled-yuba that is somewhat creamy and remains in soy milk to keep its texture.
Sheets: The most common type of yuba, because it can be pasteurized, is the solid sheets that can be cut into noodles.
The sheets, or skins, can be chopped into noodles and marindated at home, or you can buy ready-to-cook tofu noodles and just add veggies. Hodo writes, we first marinate our yuba, and then sear to bring out its amazing natural flavors. We then hand cut the yuba into ribbons and glaze them with our signature house-made dressings.
Nutrition
Below are some nutrition counts.
Sesame Soy Yuba Noodles: 3oz serving
170c, 17k, 17p, 6f, 310mgS and 3.5g fat
Thai Curry Tofu Nuggets: 3oz serving
110c, 6k, 10p, 3f, 250mgS and 5g fat
Braised Tofu: 3oz serving
110c, 4k,16p, 4f, 70mgS and 3g fat
Tofu Veggie Burger: 1 patty
200c, 11k, 19p, 9f, 400mgS and 9g fat
–Patty
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NEWS: 6/2019 Inverse reports that the FDA has proposed revoking the conclusion that soy is heart healthy, after a review in 2017 of “the totality of publicly available scientific evidence currently available. However, the lead author of a new meta-analysis of 46 studies criticized by the FDA isn’t so sure. And his disagreement with the FDA’s proposal is representative of a larger fight between the plant-food business and the cattle and dairy business. Read the article to see for yourself, for me taken in total, the claims about heart health still stand. Eating soy based products is healthier than eating meat-based products.
Recipes: Mom’s Chicken Soup and Zapiekanka
Tips: Kitchen shears is one of the least used and underrated utensils that I actually use a lot. I use them to open packages (never use your knife!), I will cut up food or herbs into smaller portions when required, I use them to remove fat from meat, or to cut a full chicken breast in half, or cut fish. I also use the shears to cut poultry at joints. They can be used to trim dough around pie tins, cut dry fruit or jerky meats. I also use my shears to slice rice noodles, which can be slippery and hard to cut with a knife. I wash the shears by hand and let air dry; I do not put them in the dishwasher.
