Whether you are ambitious enough to make your own tofu, want to know how to spot best tofu offerings or looking for a few recipes that use tofu to enrich your weekly menu, Asian Tofu (Ten Speed Press, February 2012) by Andrea Nguyen covers it all.
Sweets is not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of tofu at least it was not until I layed my eyes on following recipe from Asian Tofu.
Cashew and Cardamom Fudge, Soy Paneer Kaju Barfi
Makes 36 small pieces
8 ounces super-firm tofu
31/2 ounces unsalted raw cashew pieces or whole nuts
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
11/2 tablespoons chopped raw pistachios
1 Line an 8-inch-square pan with parchment paper to cover the bottom and one side. Set aside.
2 Wipe the tofu dry, then finely shred it using the smallest hole on the grater. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Put the cashews in a small or full-size food processor and grind to a texture resembling breadcrumbs or fine cornmeal. Add to the grated tofu and toss to combine.
3 To cook the fudge mixture, use a medium pan, such as 2-quart sauté pan. It’s easier to evenly cook the ingredients in that kind of shallow pan. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk. Add the tofu and cashew mixture. Over medium heat, stir the ingredients together. Cook the mixture for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally at the beginning as things heat up, and then frequently, and, eventually, constantly. Prevent scorching by scraping the bottom and sides as you stir. The mixture should not boil, but just thicken at a moderate speed. The mixture will transform into a rough mass resembling very thick, rough oatmeal. When stirring results in the mixture pulling away from the sides or slightly lifting off the bottom of the pan, it’s done.
4 Remove from the heat and stir in the cardamom, then transfer the fudge to the lined baking pan. Spread it out evenly, then pat it flat. Sprinkle on the pistachio nuts and gently press into the mixture. Set aside to completely cool. Because this fudge is on the soft side, cover and chill for a few hours or overnight to make it easier to cut; if you’re in a hurry, freeze until cold, about 15 minutes. The resting time also develops flavor.
5 Use the parchment paper on the side of the pan to help you remove the fudge. Place it on a cutting board and cut it into 36 small squares for bite-size portions. Or, aim for 16 to 20 large ones. Take liberties with shapes; triangles are easy to achieve, and diamonds are lovely and traditional.
Serve at room temperature or chilled. This fudge keeps well, covered, for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze it for up to 1 month but it loses a touch of its oomph. I often eat the fudge as I cut it.
(* Reprinted with permission from Asian Tofu: Discover the Best, Make Your Own, and Cook It at Home by Andrea Nguyen, copyright © 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc, Photo credit: Maren Caruso © 2012)