Personally, I have never met anyone who gets excited about Chilled Silken Tofu. I have seen some of the many versions of this recipe around for years. I originally spotted the recipe in Kylie Kwong’s book Simple Chinese Cooking and thought, how interesting an idea- but cold plain tofu? It was hard for me to put my head around what this would taste like. In all honesty, it scared me a little bit. I am most definitely NOT squeamish about things in general, but as I said, as intrigued as I was, it freaked me out.
Yet, somehow, this recipe kept coming across my path, especially around cooks that I admired and respected. So when the Universe keeps putting things in front of me, I start to take notice.
As I said there are many versions of this recipe, it’s basically made of a sauce that has sesame oil, ginger, some vinegar, a hit of sweet to cut the salty, and a pinch of heat. Plus a heap of scallions to top it all off. I tell you this in case you don’t have all these ingredients handy. Lime juice can be substituted for the Black Vinegar, and maple syrup can be used instead of white sugar. So don’t be afraid to make this work for you.
One terrific trick I learned along the way is how to neatly remove the tofu from the package. If you have used silken tofu before you know that is is molded to the packaging, unlike firmer tofu which floats in a water bath. In order to get a neat block out of the package I snipped off the corners before removing the film. Then, after patting it dry, I flipped it over and it slipped out with ease.
What I really want to tell you about is what it actually tastes like. When I took the first bite I was delightedly surprised! The sauce is full of flavor and it was a gorgeous contrast to the cool, creamy tofu. It was custardy and delicate. It was not overly salty, but rather a miraculous balance of taste and texture. The truth is that I couldn’t stop eating it.
This dish is great to think about for when you need a snack and you are in the need of some healthy protein. This wouldn’t be terrible if you paired it with some rice to make more of a meal. If the thought of chilled silken tofu is not your thing, you can also steam it first and it is equally delicious.
Here’s to trying new things! Enjoy!
Snip the corners of the bottom of the tofu package. Remove the covering film and then flip onto paper towels. Pat dry and set aside on the towels to continue to drain while you make the sauce. Combine the remaining ingredients, minus the scallions, into a bowl and give it a good whisk to thoroughly combine. Invert the tofu into a shallow bowl and then cut into thin slices. Gently fan the slice out, then pour the dressing over the top. Finish with a generous sprinkling of scallions. Eat immediately and enjoy!
Ingredients
Instructions