Tag: press tofu

How to Press and Prep Tofu for Cooking

~ Karine K ~ 3 Comments

A lot of people wonder how to press and prep tofu for cooking. But first, let’s see why we need to do so. During the manufacturing of tofu, soybean milk is made to coagulate until it forms curds, then the mixture is pressed into blocks. During the manufacturing process, a lot of moisture is left in the product. So for recipes where the tofu needs to hold its shape, it is critical that you press it to remove enough water. That way, the tofu will hold its shape. Even firm and extra-firm tofu requires pressing to achieve successful results in most recipes. Please note that it is essential to press tofu when you are planning to fry it.

How to Press and Prep Tofu for Cooking:

  • Remove the tofu from the packaging and cut the block in equal fourths. Place the pieces in the folds of a clean kitchen towel on a cutting board (or plate).

Place tofu between clean kitchen towels

  • Place another cutting board (or plate) on top and top with something heavy. I like putting books. Wait at least 10 minutes, but ideally 30 minutes.

Put a weight on the tofu block, such as books.

  • Remove the weight, take the pieces out of the towel and stack them. Slice lengthwise into strips and then slice across to make cubes.

After 30 minutes, place the tofu on a cutting board and cut into planks or cubes.

Here you have tofu cubes ready to be cooked.

And if you like gadgets, check out this tofu press. I heard people achieving great results with them.