Did you know tofu has a history spanning over two millennia in China, shaping culinary traditions to this day?
Translating to “bean curd” in English, this East Asian staple has weaved itself into many culinary practices in the Western world.
As we gear up to celebrate World Tofu Day on 26 July, co-owners of The Edgy Vedge, Sian Weinzweig and Christina Ravdas, share their insights on what sets tofu apart as a unique and extraordinary ingredient.
“There are different types of tofu; you have your silken, firm and extra firm," Ravdas said. "Silken is used more for sauces and desserts, like cheesecakes, puddings … it’s almost like a custard. We use it in our rum cake that we have on special as it adds moisture and denseness, whereas the extra firm gives you a meatier consistency.”
Tofu, a staple in vegan and vegetarian diets, is produced by soaking dried soybeans and converting them into soy milk. This milk is then curdled, mirroring the process used to make mozzarella cheese. According to Cleveland Clinic, tofu is a great alternative to meat, providing a complete protein profile with all nine essential amino acids required for a nutritious human diet.
“There’s a stigma on tofu and people don’t realise how malleable it is and everything that you can do with it,” Weinzweig said.
Some of the ways The Edgy Vedge prepares tofu are by making tofu fish (or, as they call it, "tofish") and chips, tofu chorizo and tofu feta ("tofeta"). It is also often used in the restaurant's desserts.
Making these diverse dishes requires a special type of science. The Edgy Vedge freezes the tofu, then thaws it before marinating and cooking it.
“It changes the texture, giving it a fish-like consistency, perfect for our tofish and chips," Ravdas said, "whereas if you freeze it, thaw it, freeze it and thaw it back to back, it brings you closer to a chicken-like texture. It’s wild."
When tofu is frozen, ice crystals form within it. As these crystals melt, they leave behind tiny pores that readily soak up marinades, resulting in a transformed texture.
“Hands down, it has to be the tofish and chips," Ravdas said about her favourite tofu dish. "The tofu chorizo is a close second. We make a puree with dates and chilis to give it that smoked taste and then we sauté it with lentils to bulk it out, leaving you with a slightly sweet, smoky and savoury chorizo filling that we use on our tacos, salad and crunch wrap supreme."
Weinzweig, who has been vegan for about four years, says that tofu has shown to be beneficial to the environment, hence the growing interest in tofu and veganism.
“We’re not saying never eat meat again, but even just reducing it and maybe just cut[ting] it out one day of the week has a massive effect," Weinzweig said.
Ravdas is vegetarian and says her goal is to show people that they can have a plant-based meal that tastes great and walk away feeling satisfied. She says The Edgy Vedge aims to be inventive, and tofu serves as the ideal ingredient to inspire their chefs' creativity.
“Tofu is such a blank canvas, and it relies on your technique and how you treat it," she said.
"We live to blow people’s minds by being creative and making it delicious all while being vegan."
This article was published in the July/August 2024 print edition of Camana bay Times.
