Day 7 Or... How Even Panko Bread Crumbs Couldn't Help the Tofu

Tofu. I never imagined I would eat tofu. I certainly never imagined that I'd be cooking it at home. And today wasn't really a day that screamed for such an experimental dining option. The kiddo has been sick and, if that weren't hard enough, I've started to get really busy with lecture prep for the spring semester.

So why did I decide to cook tofu tonight? I'm not exactly sure. I suppose there was the appeal of going ahead and getting it out of the way... the same way a nervous public speaking student might volunteer to give her speech first, just so she could soon enjoy the feeling of it being over with.

I promised to try tofu as a part of this experiment, but words can't describe how much I was not looking forward to eating it. I don't think I've ever tried it before, but even the name doesn't sound appetizing. Also, my palate and I found such fulfillment with TVP (textured vegetable protein) that I figured that another meat substitute would have to be a disappointment. Going two for two just seemed unlikely.

So what exactly is tofu? Basically, tofu, also sometimes known as soybean curd, is a soft, cheese-like food made by curdling fresh soy-milk with a coagulant. In simpler terms, soybeans are cooked and mashed, then processed into tofu in a form quite like cheese. The tofu you may buy at Happy Meadow (or your store of choice) has almost always already been pressed into a solid block for your convenience.

It seems tofu has actually been around for a long time because it originated in ancient China. I've read some estimates that it's been around since the Han Dynasty.

Also, tofu comes in a variety of textures ranging, for example, from soft to extra firm depending on how you'd like to use it. Soft tofu is primarily used in for dips and sauces. According to allrecipes.com, firm tofu is probably the most commonly used tofu and is suitable for many types of entrees. Extra firm tofu is primarily used for grilling and stir fry.

For tonight's recipe I opted for firm tofu... specifically Mori-Nu Tofu. And I followed a Food Network recipe for "fried tofu sticks." Sounds yummy doesn't it? Doesn't it?!?

In brief, here's how the cooking process went...

I opened the package of tofu and was amazed by the water content that came pouring out. I immediately understood why my recipe called for paper towels to "absorb the excess moisture."

As the block of tofu slid out of the package, I tried hard not to looked completely grossed out. Carolyn was watching after all. "Don't look! Just don't look," I said. But it was already too late.

As you can see from the picture below, the tofu looked horribly pale and I can best describe its consistency by comparing it to soggy Jell-O. I was a little nervous that this would not be, in any way, a fantastic dinner for two.

Put I proceeded with the recipe, just as if I were making fried chicken. Only, without the chicken of course. Dipping tofu in the egg wash, dredging it in the bread crumbs, etc.

I also opted to go with panko breadcrumbs, because they had the best chance of masking any grossness that might occur. If you haven't tried them, please take my word for it and do so. Panko is big in Japan, but you can probably find some at your local mega-mart.

Immediately, I began to get frustrated. The cut tofu chunks didn't seem to handle dredging very well and no matter how gentle I tried to be, many of them were smashed into two pieces. Also, some of them didn't get as coated with breadcrumbs and I would have liked.

Nonetheless, I put the breaded tofu pieces into the hot oil and they fried up beautifully.

The fried tofu even smelled delicious, but I knew that the Italian seasonings I had added to the panko would probably do that. I knew I had fried a tasty golden brown breading, but the actual tofu was still a completely mystery. How would it taste? It looked wonderful on the plate, but I still was unsure at best.

Carolyn and I clinked our forks together and each took our first bite of tofu. I wish you could have seen our faces! We both knew that we weren't impressed with tofu and we didn't have to say a thing. I tried to rationalize that the texture just was a new experience, and not necessarily bad, so I took a second and third bite... only to find myself chewing way too quickly to swallow it. The panko breading was good and crisp, but the tofu itself still had the texture of a Jell-O Jiggler. Tofu, as I had already been told, didn't really have any flavor, but the odd texture was too much for me to handle.

Sure, I ate most of the fried tofu pieces on my plate. But I found myself all the more thankful that my wife makes the best mac & cheese the entire world, from scratch. I ate lots of it.

And despite the my lack of tofu enjoyment, I hadn't really expected to like it all that much, and I had left my comfort zone even more by trying something completely new and different.

Not to mention, thanks to the disappointing tofu, my salad also tasted even better.

- What did I eat on Day 7?

Breakfast. Raisin Bran.

Lunch. A leftover veggie burger with mashed potatoes. TVP comes through again.

Dinner. New recipe #3: Breaded/fried tofu sticks with lots of mac & cheese and salad. You can't win 'em all.


I have been a vegetarian for an entire week. I like it.

7 days down, 33 to go.















































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