Tasty tofu creations

The white, smooth texture of tofu makes it a rare and intriguing food. Its versatility has made it popular in Western and Japanese cuisine, where it is suited to breakfast, lunch, or dinner as an appetiser, main dish or dessert.
Tofu is made from soy beans, which are highly nutritious but difficult to digest. Once made into tofu, the body can easily absorb around 90 per cent of the soy beans' proteins, vitamins and minerals.
The basic tofu-making process requires soy beans to be soaked in water for a long period of time and then strained to collect the soy milk. An additive derived from seawater called nigari is then added to the milk to harden it. Although it may seem like a simple process, meticulous care and observation is needed in order to create flavourful tofu with its nutrients still intact. Common with most foods, tofu cannot keep for long and loses its nutrients over time.
With obesity rates gradually rising in Australia, tofu has been introduced during recent years as a healthier food option. Its flavour and level of nutrition has added to its appeal and it is now appreciated worldwide.

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RECIPE:
Pan-seared Tofu Steak with Soy & Butter Sauce

1. Cut 200g of the tofu into a rectangular piece and sprinkle with salt and white pepper.
2. Dust the tofu in the rice flour and fry in an oiled and heated pan until golden. Be aware that even at this stage the tofu may still be soft and easy to break apart.
3. Heat the oven to 180℃ and grill the fried tofu in an oven-proof tray for around five minutes.
4. Prepare the vegetables. Cut off the top end of the broccolini and lightly boil in a pot of water with a dash of olive oil and salt. Slice the alinghi mushrooms down to about 3mm and then brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill the mushrooms till golden. Cut the semi-dried tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.
5. Now prepare the sauce. On medium heat, melt the butter in a pan. Add the chopped shallots, garlic and capers. Thoroughly cook until almost over-done, then add the soy sauce. Bring down to low heat and slowly add water (mixing with a whisk) to emulsify the sauce. To avoid burning the parsley, sprinkle it on towards the end.
6. Place the grilled tofu on a plate and pour the sauce over it. Arrange the prepared vegetables around the tofu. Add a dash of herbs or garlic chips to complete.

Cooking Tip
Before sprinkling herbs or garlic chips, lightly pour some olive oil and some salt on the tofu.

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