Does searing cause more or less oil to be absorbed than frying?

Question

Let's assume that I have two identical pans, with equal amounts of oil in each, and two practically identical slices of tofu (or whatever else, but I'm referring to items that would be more spongiform like tempeh, seitan, etc). Further, I would like a crisply browned, non-oily filet to come off the pan.

In this experiment, the independent variable is that one is heated to medium (a generally specified temperature for frying tofu), and one is nice and heated up for searing;

• If I apply the tofu to both pans and let each one stay on the heat for as long as it takes to brown equally, will one absorb more oil than the other?

For further detail;

• Does the moisture level impact oil-aversion?
• If so, will a wetter block cause less oil absorption?
• Would a dusting of flour or quick rub of salt benefit one or the other method?

Asked by mfg

Answer

Higher temperatures, as a rule, mean less absorption of oil because the force of the steam trying to escape from the food pushes against the oil. Here is a link to a scholarly article discussing the mechanics of fat absorption in the production of french fries (complete with a table of results and diagrams). Interestingly, the author says that potatoes deep fried at more than ten degrees Celsius below the recommended temperature of 180-185C leads to 40% higher fat uptake. I expect pan-frying leads to a much lower total uptake of fat, but I am sure the principle is the same.

(For a fun explanation of the mechanics, here's Alton Brown in part II of the "Man Food" episode of Good Eats. Enjoy.)

Now, your question was aimed at tofu (or some spongy equivalent), and you asked about the effects of flour vs no flour. I could not find any articles with data on those exact elements of your question, but I suspect the answers will all derive from the same underlying principles. In other words, as a rule, cooking at low or medium heat means that the spongy and/or dredged product will tend to absorb more fat than at high heat.

So, then, why do the recipes you have seen typically call for cooking tofu on "medium" heat? My guess is that the recipe authors found that high heat makes the outside brown too much by the time the inside is "done" to the authors' preferences -- and perhaps a little extra oil in the tofu makes it taste better. I am not sure, however, because most of the recipes I've seen call for searing a crust onto the tofu using medium-high heat.

Answered by Bruce Goldstein

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How to prevent tofu from falling apart on the grill?

Question

Whenever I've tried to grill tofu (on a propane home grill), it falls apart and into the grill. Is there anything I can do beforehand to prevent the tofu from disintegrating, and get it to behave more like a hunk of meat?

Asked by KatieK

Answer

Standard tips for browning/frying/grilling tofu;

• Ensure that you press the tofu sufficiently to remove its own moisture, marinate if desired
• Lightly dust with flour
• Brush oil on the grilling surface

The same advice applies for pan frying. I prefer to work at a high temperature, others have had very good results using only medium. Use a very thin, flat metal spatula to turn. Specific to the case of grilling, be mindful of the gap the tofu will stretch across on the grate; it may be crumbling because it isn't strong enough or thick enough to sustain wide gaps.

Additionally you can pre-bake the tofu to dry it out further. I have heard tell that salting lightly with finely ground sea salt helps prevent sticking but have no experience with this, and have had good results without the added sodium.

Typically the moisture in the surface of the bean curd is causing the sticking. Prevent or inhibit this and you should be good.

Answered by mfg

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Does dry frying tofu really cause tofu to better soak up a marinade?

Question

Does dry frying tofu really cause tofu to better soak up a marinade?

Source: http://melissaraydavis.hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Cook_Tofu_Like_the_Pros

Answer

Pretty much anything that removes a substantial amount of water from tofu will help it soak up marinades and sauces. Both are essentially flavorful water, and if the tofu is already full of water, the flavor has to very, very slowly diffuse into the tofu, while if the tofu has been dried out somewhat, the sauce or marinade can simply soak directly in. Dry frying is one method for getting a lot of water out; baking is also pretty effective.

Pressing the tofu is also a good idea: place slices between two flat things with a decent amount of weight on top, tilt it so the water can drain, and leave it for a bit. It's an easy way to get some water out of it; it'll make any subsequent cooking step easier by reducing the amount of time the tofu boils and steams as the water escapes. And it does make some room for flavor to work its way in, though of course not nearly as much as mostly drying out the tofu by baking or dry-frying.

As for your request for empirical evidence... just try it. It's an extremely obvious difference.

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Science of dry frying

Question

Does dry frying tofu really cause tofu to better soak up a marinade?

Source: http://melissaraydavis.hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Cook_Tofu_Like_the_Pros

Answer

Pretty much anything that removes a substantial amount of water from tofu will help it soak up marinades and sauces. Both are essentially flavorful water, and if the tofu is already full of water, the flavor has to very, very slowly diffuse into the tofu, while if the tofu has been dried out somewhat, the sauce or marinade can simply soak directly in. Dry frying is one method for getting a lot of water out; baking is also pretty effective.

Pressing the tofu is also a good idea: place slices between two flat things with a decent amount of weight on top, tilt it so the water can drain, and leave it for a bit. It's an easy way to get some water out of it; it'll make any subsequent cooking step easier by reducing the amount of time the tofu boils and steams as the water escapes. And it does make some room for flavor to work its way in, though of course not nearly as much as mostly drying out the tofu by baking or dry-frying.

As for your request for empirical evidence... just try it. It's an extremely obvious difference.

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Microwaving frozen tofu before marinating

Question

I froze some tofu in order to get extra water out of it before marinating and cooking. I'd kind of like to get a start on the marinating process, but it's taking a while to thaw at room temperature - is it ok for me to put it in the microwave, or will this ruin the texture?

Answer

According to this page http://www.ehow.com/how_6514671_change-texture-tofu.html http://www.ehow.com/how_6514671_change-texture-tofu.html freezing and micro waving will change the texture.

But it seems the author actually prefers the texture change...

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What sauce / spices can make a tofu steak taste like a beef steak

Question

I had an unbelievably good tofu steak in a restaurant in Tokyo many years ago. I have never been able to reproduce it.

It tasted uncannily like a beef steak.

What sauce / spices could I use to mimic the steak flavour?

Answer

I don't know anything about cooking tofu, so this is purely addressing the beef flavor part. If you want to make something bland taste more like beef, one the largest issues is going to be adding umami flavor. It is present to some degrees in meats, cheeses, mushrooms, soy sauce, and tomatoes. I'd start with a sauce containing several of these items, and then add some complementary flavors (peppers, citrus, sugar, etc).

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What to do with tofu?

Question

Last night I made a delicious vegetarian stromboli and was left with a lot of excess crumbled extra-firm tofu. It was the first time I have ever cooked with tofu, and as such I have no idea with what to do with the (uncooked) leftovers. What techniques/flavors can I utilize to make it delicious?

Answer

I usually don't buy crumbled tofu, but since you have that, I would suggest making tofu burgers. Add another hearty ingredient, like lightly roasted finely chopped walnuts, or baked eggplant cubes. Combine with chopped onions, garlic, grated carrots, and breadcrumbs. Bind with beaten egg. Season with your choice of herbs or spices, such as thyme, oregano, basil. Form into patties, fry lightly in olive oil and sprinkle with tamari (or soy sauce) until both sides are browned. Bake until fully cooked in the oven at 375 degrees. Serve on a bun just like a beef patty.

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How do I prepare tofu so comes out like at Noodles & co

Question

I really enjoy the texture of the tofu in the pad thai with tofu dish at Noodles and Company. In particular, it comes out much firmer than it does when I make tofu at home by cubing it and cooking it in a pan with vegetable oil. How do I prepare the tofu so it comes out in a similar way?

Answer

My girlfriend and I cook a lot of tofu - we have also found that "firm" and "extra-firm" tofu is highly variable and that the quality makes a big difference in the actual firmness, density and cooking results.

Here in SF though we did have good luck with the random brand of tofu available at our local produce market (in the Outer Sunset) we have now switched to almost exclusively cooking with tofu from http://www.tofuyu.com/ who are a local tofu maker and whose plain tofu cooks up amazingly well - gets great color, stays firm and in short is far better than anything else we've tried.

While not every part of the country is as lucky as the Bay Area to have multiple artisanal tofu makers competing to make fantastic tofu you should experiment with the various brands of tofu you can find - look for the one that gets the best results for your in your preparations.

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How best to pan-fry tofu?

Question

I love fried tofu, but I don't want to have a deep fryer in my home (I'll use it too much!).

I've tried a few different techniques for pan-frying tofu, but it always comes out unsatisfying - too dry, too thin, too wet; I'll admit, I'm not a genius when it comes to tofu, but I'd imagine there is some way to prepare it that will give me decent results consistently.

Note: I do have a large wok, but I generally fry my tofu in a frying pan. I've had poor results in my wok.

Answer

For pan frying you probably want to start with a firm tofu. It's a good idea to press the tofu to remove excess water: wrap the tofu in a cloth and place it between two cutting boards, weighting the top cutting board with a heavy book or other similar object. Wait at least twenty minutes (you can prepare the rest of the vegetables/onions for the stir fry at this point.

Once the tofu has been pressed, cut it into the desired pieces. It's a good idea to fry it at medium-high heat in only oil first, then add sauces (soy sauce, vinegar, whatever) only after the tofu begins to brown slightly.

Note: the above won't simulate deep-fried tofu. For deep fried tofu, you may want to use a softer tofu, still press it before using, and coat the cubes in corn starch before frying. Of course you probably know you can deep-fry at home with just a large pot of oil.

For a different texture you can freeze the tofu before frying.

Although not fried, I would also recommend that you try baked (marinaded) tofu to see if you like that texture/flavor better. You would still want to press the tofu, then slice it rather thinly. You can reapply the marinade during baking for more flavor.

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Camping with tofu

Question

I'm about to take an extended camping trip, and I'd love to be able to make some decent tofu. (I'm mostly vegetarian, and I'm definitely going to be craving protein.) My usual methods at home are baking and pan-frying in cast iron; I like the browned outside and tougher texture. I'm going to be cooking on a propane stove, so baking is obviously out, and heating cast iron would run through the propane pretty fast. My best thought is to go all out pressing the tofu, using something absorbent at the end to make sure the outside is as dry as I can get it. Is there anything else I could do to get nice, browned tofu using a minimum of fuel?

Edit: I'm asking about doing it without campfires. I may have one now and then, but it's a solo trip (not as much bang for your buck with the wood) and there won't be fire pits everywhere.

Answer

• Do you have one of those wire racks that hold food in tight but give access to both sides through a grid? I think folks use them for fish sometimes. Anyhow, brush your tofu with oil, put it in one of those racks, and then give it direct heat over the stove or campfire.

• Same idea, but just use tongs and do one slab at a time. It will brown and heat through quite quickly.

• Actually, you can do the same thing you do at home in cast iron in an aluminum camping skillet. Just get it real hot, add oil, make sure the tofu is dry, and don't crowd the pan and you'll still be able to get that crust that you love. (As do I).

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How can I make my icecream soft as it is too hard to carve straight from the fridge?

Question

I have made my recipe with many changes and the most successful effort was the addition of a Instant Pudding mix. All others were much too hard to carve and serious effort was needed to just get the spoon or scoop into the frozen delight help please. All recipes made were made dairy free using soy and tofu bases.

The responses to this question have been very helpful and have given me new directions to explore. I believe now the product I want to create is achievable. Thank you everyone.

Answer

Well, that's basically where ice machines come into the game. Often ice recipes tell you to stir the ice during the freezing process every 5 to 10 minutes or so, so the ice will stay softer. That's what ice machines are taking care of: While freezing the ice they constantly stir the mass, so in the end you will get the perfect soft ice. Anyway if you then place this ice in the freezer, it will become hard nevertheless, since finally it's all a question of temperature.

So you might either go invest in an ice machine or get the ice out of the freezer (and into the fridge) some 15 to 30 minutes before serving it.

There's definitely no other way around it.

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