Tofu

Preparation

1. Bland

   Step 1

   Some people love the delicate flavor of tofu, but others ask “what flavor?” The flavor-seeking folks are the ones who should note that tofu soaks up flavors incredibly well. Marinate it. Good ingredients to try include soy sauce, citrus, hot chiles or chile paste, rice vinegar, garlic, and sesame oil. Experiment.

2. Watery or falling apart

   Step 2

   First make sure you have the right kind. Silken tofu is best for puréeing to make dressings, puddings, sauces: Don’t try to cube this kind unless you’re serving it cold with soy sauce or putting it in the bottom of bowls of miso soup. If you’re making a stir-fry or other entrée, you should use firm or extra-firm tofu. You may also want to press the extra water out of it. Fancy tofu pressers exist, but you can just put it on a plate, put another plate on top of it, and weight it down with something like a large can. Wait for 30 minutes and then drain the water off. If you’re already cooking your tofu and it’s too watery, just turn up the heat and keep cooking until the water evaporates.