Food - Drink
The Flavorful Poaching Technique That Gives Tofu An Incredible Texture
By NATASHA BAILEY
Tofu is condensed soy milk that's been pressed and stabilized with nigari, a seawater extract, creating a soft and squishy product with a lot of water stored inside. Due to all that water, it can be very difficult to make crispy tofu that isn't soggy, and if you don't feel like going through the trouble, try this delicious tofu preparation instead.
Poaching chopped tofu by boiling it in thoroughly salted water can help draw out excess moisture via osmosis, seasoning the tofu all the way through and giving it a firmer texture that is more substantial. You can serve the poached tofu hot or cold, and cookbook author Hannah Che recommends dressing it with basil and garlic.
While some tofu is soft and silky throughout, often labeled as "silken," others are extra firm with "cottony" curds. After poaching, you could end up with a bowl of silky-textured tofu or one that is perfect to crumble on top of a dish or serve as a base for other ingredients, though silken tofu is extremely delicate and should be handled with care.