What is the best way/recipe to introduce a new person to tofu?

My husband and I are meat eaters, and have recently thought about trying tofu. 1- We'd like to be healthier and lose some weight, 2- With meat prices these days, we'd like to try to rely on it a little less.





Does anyone have suggestions as to what kind of tofu would be best? I saw that they come in different levels of firmness. I know we can use it in asian style dishes, but what else is there to do with it? Thank you!What is the best way/recipe to introduce a new person to tofu?
Tofu Parmigiana





you will never know that this isn't veal.





1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs


5 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese [preferably Reggiano]


2 teaspoons dried oregano


kosher salt to taste


freshly ground black pepper to taste


1 [12 ounce] package firm tofu


2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


1 [8 ounce] can tomato sauce


1 teaspoon fresh basil, julienned


1 clove garlic, minced


6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese





In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese,


1 teaspoon oregano, salt and black pepper.


Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, and place in bowl of cold water.


One at a time, press tofu slices into crumb mixture, turning to coat all sides.


Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.


Cook tofu slices until crisp on one side.


Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, turn, and brown on the other side.


Combine tomato sauce, basil, garlic and remaining oregano.


Place a thin layer of sauce in an 8 inch square baking pan.


Arrange tofu slices in the pan. Spoon remaining sauce over tofu.


Top with shredded mozzarella and remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan.


Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes





Baked Tofu


1. Use extra firm tofu. Slice the tofu block into 6 slices (sliced lengthwise- slices should look like a thin deck of cards).





2. Put the tofu in a plastic bag with liquid marinade for 15-60 minutes





3. Place tofu on greased pan (I cover mine with foil for easier cleanup)





4. Bake at 350 for 30-50 minutes (until good meaty texture- feel it out)





*easiest way to cook it- turns out really well and less fat than frying





Ideas for marinades:


-Orange balsamic vinegar and agave nectar *my fave (or whatever kind of flavored balsamic and honey is SO good)


-Knorr bullion- dissolve into about a cup of warm water- I do vegetable but you could use chicken or beef to flavor like meat- add a dash or Worcestershire sauce for meaty flavor


-you can use any store-bought marinade (like teryaki or BBQsauce- brush some more on after it comes out if you'd like





And a really good accompaniment is some baked tomatoes and onion. Slice tomatoes in half, sprinkle with salt, pepper and dried basil. Top with crushed club crackers. Quarter an onion and spread out slices (2-3 layers thick), sprinkle with club cracker crumbs. Place both in a ovensafe dish/ pan greased with a bit of olive oil. Bake alongside the tofu until tender and golden on top.What is the best way/recipe to introduce a new person to tofu?
I am a former chef and you might like to try it in a Chinese restaurant first, this way your only having to experience the one dish and not wast the meal at home, try a Tofu dish with veg, soup like Hot and Sour even the classic Mapo Tofu which has tofu, veggies, some meat in most places and it is in a mildly spicy sauce, this give you an opportunity to taste, see if it something you could enjoy at home and the try some of the suggested meal entrees, for me I use it in Chinese, India and other vegetarian dishes, and done right it is quite nice.
Extra Firm is the way to go. I still cannot eat anything less than firm because the texture bothers me.





Fried is the easiest to enjoy but if you're trying to go healthy then try grilling it with a rub. I make a good jerk tofu.
Don't tell them what's in it until they have finished eating it, then you'll know the answer
In stir-fry or pad thai. I like Nasoya- Light Firm
If you want to cook with it - like making stir fry - get the extra firm.





One common trick is to marinate the tofu before cooking. To do this, take the tofu out of the package, and slice horizontally into slabs. Lay the slabs on some paper toweling or a clean towel, cover with more toweling or towel and place inside a pan (to catch the liquid. Place a flat pan on top of the tofu, and put a few heavy cans on top. This will gently press most of the extra liquid out of the tofu. Leave for about 20-30 minutes. Prepare a marinade as you would for a slab of meat. Take your tofu slabs and let them sit submerged in the marinade for 5-10 minutes - not too long or they'll get soggy, and break apart when you cook them.





Cook the tofu in a stir fry, or briefly sear in a pan, like cooking a slab of fine tuna or salmon. You can also use your seared tofu in a sandwich replacing luncheon meat. Good with sprouts, maybe some mayo, or just experiment.





You can also drink tofu. Just follow any smoothie recipe that uses yogurt, but replace the yogurt with extra soft (or silken) tofu. Silken tofu is also good in soup, like miso soup or hot%26amp;sour. Just slice into small cubes and add directly to the soup.





If you're a fan of Alton Brown's show, Good Eats, he did a whole episode about tofu with a number of recipes. You can probably find the recipes on Food Network's website, if not the whole episode.
This tofu recipe is completely gorgeous. A former roommate introduced me to some basics with tofu, and over the past few years, I've settled on this ratio of spices and other breading ingredients. The crust on the tofu sticks is tasty and the texture is really wonderful. Serve with a relish or a dip of some sort (I love this with plain yogurt mixed with eggplant brinjal). I usually make this with a cumin-scented rice dish and a garlicky broccoli side.';








* 1 (16 ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed


* 2 cups vegetable broth


* 3 tablespoons vegetable oil


* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour


* 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast


* 1 teaspoon salt


* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


* 1 teaspoon sage


* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper





Cut pressed tofu into 1/2-inch thick slices; then cut again into 1/2-inch wide sticks. Place tofu in a bowl, and pour broth over the top. Set aside to soak.


In a separate bowl, stir together flour, yeast, salt, pepper, sage, and cayenne.


Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.


Remove tofu sticks from broth, and squeeze most (but not all) of the liquid from them. Roll sticks in breading. (You may have to roll sticks twice to end up with a fairly dry outer layer of breading.) Place tofu in hot oil; fry until crisp and browned on all sides. Add more oil if necessary.