Food Talk
Tasters’ choice

Pushpesh Pant on tofu, which makes for a great curry ingredient and is equally good as a dry
stir-fry dish

TOFU occupies the same hallowed place in Chinese cuisine as paneer does in the Punjabi vegetarian repast. In one word, it is ubiquitous. It is a favourite of the cooks, domestic as well as commercial, because it is nutritious, easy to cook and the number of delicacies you can prepare with it is only restricted by your imagination.

It has no distinct overpowering taste of its own and absorbs very well the flavours you wish it to showcase subtly. Makes for a great curry ingredient and is equally good as a dry stir-fry dish — as a starter or main course. It is excellent to provide substance in a soup. Doctors approve it without any reservation for their patients requiring a high protein diet as it is completely harmless as compared to red or even white meat. No cholesterol or unsaturated fats.

Legend has it that tofu was accidentally discovered when the daughter-in-law of a stern old women stole a jug of milk she had been denied and hid it. The soya milk curdled before she could consume it in stealth. Another story accounts for the birth of tofu by chronicling the antics of the spoilt brat Liu Bang, the pampered grandson of an emperor circa third century BC, who mixed some salt in a pot of soya milk to torment his maid. Before the pig-tailed naughty kid could yell ‘Eureka’ in high-pitched Mandarin, some imperial chef was busy fashioning a myriad delicacies to please his jaded palate.

Well, the origins should not distract us for long as the proof, as usual, is in the eating. During a visit to Hong Kong, we discovered that tofu comes in many shapes and textures with corresponding difference in taste. There is the pock-marked tofu peppered properly and the silken one that is indistinguishable for the uninitiated from creamy bean curd. (Incidentally, Baba Ling serves a heavenly fried bean curd at his outlet in Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, draped in a seductive translucent attire of crisp batter tempting the diner to take the sinful first bite waiting to ooze out the stuff, but that is another story).

It is not only the Chinese who favour it, the Japanese and the Koreans too take great delight in it. Till recently, tofu was not easily available in India but now it is making inroads and it will not be long before desi paneer has serious competition. A friend toyed with tofu to dish out saag tofu last week and we must confess we did not really miss the cottage cheese.

Tofu 500 gm

Vegetable oil 150 gm

A pinch of asafoetida

Cloves four

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Palak (boiled and pureed

in blender) 1 kg

Dried ginger powder 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1 tsp

Red chilli powder

Green chillies two

Coriander powder 1 tsp

Ginger (scraped and grated

or thinly sliced) 1 inch

Garam masala 1 tsp

Fresh coriander leaves one large bunch

Baby corn sliced (for garnish) one

Salt to taste

Cut the tofu into two-inch chunks (fry lightly, if preferred). Remove and set aside. Heat the remaining oil and put in it the asafoetida, cloves and cumin. Wait till the spices crackle. Next add the palak and cook for about five minutes. Put in the remaining spices. When the moisture evaporates a little, add the tofu. Stir well and heat thoroughly. Add the garnish and serve with rice or roti. No one can stop you from the regulation dollop of home made butter or generous spoonful of cream that you may be addicted to with palak paneer.

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