Tofu Without a Grimace

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

From the New York Times comes the following.

Cheers, Al Pater.

Tofu Without a Grimace

By MARK BITTMAN

Published: March 17, 2004

IKE almost everyone I know, I think I should eat tofu more often. It

is cheap, easy to prepare and convenient, and its health benefits are

close to overwhelming: studies have indicated that a diet high in soy

protein, which is what tofu is, can reduce cholesterol and the risk

of heart disease, as well as certain cancers.

Like almost everyone else, I can't say I have too many tofu recipes

in my repertory. Too often tofu is bland and boring, and its benefits

cannot readily counteract this. So when a good tofu preparation comes

my way, I jump all over it.

I cannot claim responsibility for this one, which is classically

Vietnamese. A friend suggested it. Though it may be early to say so,

it is the great idea of the year.

The dish, like so many in Vietnam, is based on a slightly bitter

caramel sauce made from melted sugar. It is seasoned with fish sauce

(nuoc mam in Vietnamese, but better known by the Thai name, nam pla)

and a load of black pepper. You can use soy sauce as a substitute,

and the dish will be equally good, if slightly less authentic.

It is tricky only in the melting of the sugar without burning it. I

have found that adding a tablespoon of water at the beginning helps.

(Also, sugar is cheap. If it burns, start again. Just be sure to use

a nonstick pan to ease the cleanup.)

What is slightly atypical here is that the caramel is used as a

braising liquid for sliced onions and then as a cooking medium and a

glaze for the tofu. That may sound like a lot of steps, but in fact

it all happens in the same skillet, and rather quickly. I can think

of no tofu dish that gives more pleasure, even considering those

requiring much more work.

One shopping note: make sure you buy firm tofu. You really want it to

hold together when you turn it in the sauce, so it becomes glazed on

all sides. You won't mistake the results for meat, but you may find

yourself liking tofu enough to crave it from time to time.