Cook Tofu Like a Pro with House Foods & Chef Melissa King

Disclosure: We were invited to attend an event on behalf of House Foods to facilitate our post. All opinions are our own.

As a longtime vegetarian, I eat a lot of tofu, but more over the past year or so, since I discovered more about this incredibly versatile and healthy food, including different ways of preparation.

I stir fried tofu, grilled it, but it wasn’t until I went onto House Foods’ recipe and saw the numerous tofu recipes geared for tofus of all firmness that I realized how simple it would be to cook tofu at home.

My friends were beyond impressed when I used House Foods soft tofu to make these Ginger Spiced Tofu Cupcakes – and I was elated to learn how easy it was to bake with tofu.

The recipes on House Foods’ website are a huge resource in and of themselves, so when the brand shared that they were hosting a Tofu Cooking Class with Chef Melissa King, I knew this was an opportunity that could not be missed! Chef King from The Culinary Institute of America, King trained under several Michelin-star and James Beard-recognized chefs including Dominique Crenn (Atelier Crenn), Craig Stoll (Dellfina), and Ron Siegel (The Ritz Carlton Dining Room). She earned national U.S. recognition as a finalist on the Bravo hit TV series Top Chef. She grew up eating tofu with her family, and shared some of her tips on serving and preparing tofu with the fortunate group of attendees.

The evening began with tofu-inspired appetizers created by Chef David Bouley, whose kitchen hosted our event. They were all completely mouthwatering! Favorites included the Kuzu Crisp with Tofu Aligote made with Organic Soft Tofu, and Black and White Sesame Crusted Tofu with Ginger Aromatics, made with Organic Medium Firm Tofu. After tasting these appetizers, I knew we were in for quite a delicious evening!

Chef King shared with us the different firmness options in tofu by having them on display during our class. You can also see the variations via this infographic.

One of the best tips I picked up from Chef King was how to prepare crispy tofu. She dusts tofu in an even mix of cornstarch, rice flour and potato starch to provide a gluten free coating that crisps easily in your preferred oil. We prepared it this way in the class, and it was delicious, and so easy to replicate when I tried it at home a few days later!

As with the ginger spiced cupcakes, tofu cannot be overlooked as a base for a dessert. Chef King demonstrated how tofu can be used as the base of a mousse by simply blending soft tofu with blueberries, agave, coconut oil, almond milk, almond extract and of course, House Foods Organic Soft Tofu.

Some in the group asked Chef King why she chose House Foods Tofu as her preferred brand. Like me, Chef King appreciates that the products are made from 100 percent non-GMO US Soybeans and contain no cholesterol or trans fat. Living in New Jersey, much of the East Coast distributed products are made right in my own home state! Aside from these points, she agree with me on the flavor profile. House Foods Tofu takes on delicious flavors of your meal, and has the perfect consistency no matter what tofu-based dish you are creating.

Here’s Chef King’s recipe we prepared at the event!

RED RICE SALAD WITH CRISPY TOFU

Served: Chilled

Dressing: Red Wine Vinaigrette

Serves: 6 guests

2 Cup – Raw Red Rice, boiled in salted water until tender, strain

1 package – House Foods Organic Firm Tofu, drain well, medium diced

2 ears – Corn Kernels, char the corn on the grill until there is color, cut kernels off and chill (discard cobs)

½ Cup – Cherry Tomatoes, halved

½ Cup – Kidney beans, canned, drain and rinse well

½ Cup – English Cucumbers, remove seeds, small diced

½ Cup – Radishes, small diced (or sliced on mandolin)

½ each – Red Onion, slice thinly or diced

¼ Cup – Italian Parsley, chopped

¼ Cup – Basil leaves, chopped

¼ Cup – Mint leaves, chopped

1 Cup – Potato Starch

½ Cup – Rice Flour

½ Cup – Cornstarch

Red Wine Vinaigrette

1 Cup – Canola Oil

Red Wine Vinaigrette Recipe:

1 Cup – Quality Red Wine Vinegar

1 1/4 Cup – Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 – small shallot, minced

Kosher Salt

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well. Set aside.

Cooking Red Rice:

Heat a large pot of water. Do not salt the water. Once water is boiled, add the red rice. After 15-20 minutes the grains will start to split, at this point you can add salt to the water to flavor the rice, and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes until tender. Drain and rinse very well, and cool the rice for later use. Note: the rice will not be tender if you salt it in the beginning.

Crispy Tofu:

Mix potato starch, rice flour, and cornstarch together. Lightly dust the tofu dices in the flour, and shake off excess. Heat a pan with canola oil. When it is hot, add the tofu and crisp on one side until golden brown. Then turn and crisp on the other side, until all sides are golden brown. Remove from pan, onto a paper towel, and salt immediately.

Assembly:

Get a large mixing bowl, add cooked red rice, grilled corn kernels, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, radishes, kidney beans, parsley, basil, mint, and enough dressing to absorb well into the rice. Season with additional salt and pepper. Taste it to make sure it’s has an even amount of acid and brightness from the vinaigrette and fresh herbs. Garnish with additional chopped basil and parsley if needed. Refrigerate until needed. To serve, top with crispy tofu and serve immediately.

Featured image credit: monkeybusinessimages/Thinkstock

Lorianne Lacey