Recipe: Eggless Tofu Salad Sandwich and How to Freeze Tofu

EGGLESS TOFU SALAD SANDWICH

"For years I avoided egg salad made with tofu, thinking it would be bland and strange. When I began cooking seriously with soy, though, I discovered techniques for giving tofu dishes vibrant flavor and appealing texture. One of them is simply freezing tofu. Once it's defrosted, it takes on a whole new personality. I also decided to follow "truth in advertising." So, when I created this colorful, tangy egg-salad look-alike, I called it Eggless Tofu Salad. It is so delicious that you can serve it heaped on a bed of lettuce, as a salad, or stuffed into a hollowed out tomato, as well as in this satisfying sandwich."

8 ounces defrosted frozen firm tofu (see below)
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR SERVING:
8 slices whole-grain bread
Additional mayonnaise (optional)
8 red leaf lettuce leaves

In a medium bowl, crumble the tofu. Add the celery, red pepper, mayonnaise, lemon juice, prepared and dry mustards, and the turmeric. With a fork, mix until all the ingredients are well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to mellow, up to 24 hours. This salad keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

For the sandwiches, spread some mayonnaise, if desired, on 4 slices of the bread. Cover them with 2 leaves of red leaf lettuce. Heap half the "egg" salad on each slice of bread, pressing it slightly to compact it. Top with the remaining slice of bread.

Each of the four sandwiches contains 276 calories and 9 grams of fat

FREEZING TOFU:
Freezing makes tofu particularly receptive to marinades and sauces. To freeze tofu, take 16 ounces of firm or extra firm tofu, and cut horizontally into 2 slabs.

Wrap the two slabs of tofu each in plastic wrap and place them in the freezer. Look for the tofu to darken to yellow or even amber, after about 24 hours. It can be defrosted after 24 hours, but storing it longer improves it, up to about 1 week; it keeps for several months.

To defrost, set a block of frozen tofu in a large bowl. Pour 2-3 quarts of boiling water over the bean curd. Let it sit in the water until defrosted. As soon as tofu is defrosted, pour off the water and refill the bowl with cold water. Tear the tofu into 6 pieces. Gently press each piece to squeeze out the water. Crumble and tear the tofu into small pieces.

Source: Dana Jacobi for the American Institute for Cancer Research