Many of us like the idea of tofu better than the reality, and few of us know how to cook with it. Chef Deborah Madison's This Can't Be Tofu addresses such qualms, offering 75 recipes for this healthful (high in protein and low in salt, fat, and calories) food. Madison knows that tofu can be delicious, and provides recipes for a wide range of dishes that glorify its fresh milky taste and yielding texture--or that use it to make other foods (like mayonnaise) better for us.
Whatever happened to fried rice, anyway? It's such a good idea and so easy to make. All kinds of goodies can go into it--a few toasted cashews, small bits of chicken or shrimp, all kinds of vegetables and, of course, tofu. I combine slivers of deep fried tofu with large pieces of regular tofu that have been sauteed until golden. White rice makes a very pretty background for all the different ingredients, but brown rice is nuttier tasting and better for you. Whichever you choose, start with cold, leftover rice.
1 bunch scallions, including half of the greens, thinly sliced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced into small squares
8 snow peas, trimmed and sliced into long strips
3 to 4 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
5 slices canned pineapple, chopped into large pieces
Soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped toasted peanuts or roasted cashews
Pour 1 cup boiling water over the fried tofu, if using, then slice thinly. Set aside.
Blot the fresh tofu with towels to wick up the surface moisture, then cut into cubes of any size you like and blot again. Brush 2 teaspoons peanut oil over a large nonstick skillet, add the tofu, and fry the tofu until golden. Turn it as it cooks so that all the surfaces are nicely colored. Season with salt and remove to a plate. Return the skillet to the heat, add the remaining oil, and turn the heat to high.
Add the scallions, bell peppers, and optional deep-fried tofu. Saute over high heat until the peppers are seared, after a few minutes. Add the snow peas, then crumble in the rice. Continue to saute until the rice is hot. Add the reserved tofu, half the cilantro and pineapple, and cook several minutes more. Sprinkle over 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste. Add the chopped nuts, toss once more, then serve with the remaining cilantro scattered over the top.
Fried Rice with Eggs Beat 2 eggs (or egg whites) with 1 tablespoon soy sauce. When the rice and vegetables are piping hot, pour the eggs over all and stir rapidly so that they coat the rice and are quickly cooked.
