Types of Tofu: From Silken Tofu to Yuba, How to Prepare and Make It
Tofu is curdled soy milk, and the types differ in how much water the producer presses out: silken tofu stays unpressed and creamy, while firm and extra-firm tofu hold together in frying. For crispy tofu, press a firm block, turn the cubes in starch and fry them in hot oil.
Types of tofu at a glance
Every type begins with soy milk and a coagulant such as nigari or calcium sulfate. After that the producer decides whether to press, smoke or deep-fry the curds.
| Type | Texture | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Silken tofu | smooth as pudding, unpressed | soups, cold tofu, desserts, creams |
| Soft tofu (soft, medium) | tender, lightly pressed | mapo tofu, stews, braises |
| Firm tofu | sliceable, slightly grainy | pan-frying, wok, marinating |
| Extra-firm tofu | compact, little water | crispy frying, grill, oven |
| Smoked tofu | firm, smoky seasoned | cold in salad, pan-fried in stir-fries |
| Aburaage | thin, fried pouches, hollow inside | inari sushi, kitsune udon, miso soup |
| Atsuage and tofu puffs | fried outside, soft or spongy inside | curries, laksa, braises |
| Yuba (tofu skin) | thin skin, fresh or dried | soups, rolls, braises |
Silken, firm and smoked tofu
Silken tofu sets right in the package and keeps its water. You find tips for getting it out of the package under Silken tofu. For firm tofu, in Japanese momen dōfu (木綿豆腐, cotton tofu), the producer ladles the curds into cloth-lined molds and presses them. The cloth leaves a fine pattern on the surface. Extra-firm tofu is pressed harder, and you can fry it without pressing first.
You know smoked tofu from the German refrigerated shelf. Producers smoke firm tofu over wood smoke and often season it with soy sauce and herbs. You eat it cold in slices or fry it as cubes.
Fried tofu
Aburaage (油揚げ) are thin tofu slices that Japanese producers deep-fry twice until they puff up and turn hollow inside. Pour hot water over them before cooking, and they lose excess oil. Simmered in sweet soy broth, you stuff them with sushi rice into Inari sushi or lay them on Kitsune udon. Atsuage is thick tofu, fried outside and soft inside. At an Asian grocery store you also find Chinese tofu puffs, small fried cubes that soak up the sauce in curries.
Yuba
Yuba (湯葉) is the skin that forms on heated soy milk. Producers lift it off with chopsticks and sell it fresh, as dried sheets or twisted into sticks. In Chinese the sheets are called fǔpí (腐皮), the sticks fǔzhú (腐竹). Soak dried sheets for 10 minutes; sticks need a few hours in cold water.
Preparing tofu: pressing, marinating, frying
Pressing
Firm tofu holds a lot of water. If you press it out, it turns crispier in the pan and takes up more marinade.
- Drain the block and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towel.
- Put it on a board, set a second board on top and weigh it down with about a kilo, for example a filled pot.
- Press for 15 to 30 minutes, changing the towel halfway.
Don't press silken and soft tofu; they fall apart under the weight.
Marinating
Tofu tastes neutral and needs seasoning. For a basic marinade, stir 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, a grated garlic clove and a thumbnail-sized piece of ginger. Put the pressed slices in for at least 30 minutes, gladly overnight in the refrigerator. The flavor penetrates only a few millimeters, so thin slices taste stronger than thick blocks.
Frying until crispy
- Cut the pressed tofu into cubes of about 2 cm (¾ in) and pat dry.
- Toss the cubes in a bowl with 1 to 2 tbsp cornstarch and a pinch of salt until every side is thinly coated.
- Heat 3 tbsp neutral oil in a nonstick or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat.
- Lay the cubes in with space between them and fry each side for 2 to 3 minutes without constantly moving them. In all you need 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add the sauce only at the end and toss briefly, or the crust softens.
Recipes for this are Crispy fried tofu, Tofu sticks with sesame and the Indonesian Tahu goreng. If you freeze firm tofu, it gets a fibrous, spongy structure after thawing and soaks up even more marinade.
Making tofu yourself
For a block of about 300 to 400 grams you need:
- 2 liters unsweetened soy milk with a high bean content, without thickeners
- 2 level teaspoons nigari (magnesium chloride, about 8 grams), dissolved in 150 ml warm water
- a tofu press or a strainer, a thin cotton cloth and a weight
- Heat the soy milk to 75 to 80 °C (167 to 176 °F), stirring, and take it off the heat.
- Stir in two thirds of the nigari solution with a few calm strokes.
- Drizzle the rest over the surface, cover the pot and leave for 15 minutes. The milk separates into white curds and yellowish whey.
- Line the mold with the cloth, ladle the curds in and fold the cloth over.
- Weigh down with about a kilo and press for 15 to 30 minutes. The longer you press, the firmer the tofu.
- Release the block from the cloth in cold water and let it cool.
If the milk stays liquid, there was too little coagulant in the pot or the soy drink contains too few beans. Instead of nigari you can use calcium sulfate. Lemon juice works in a pinch, but then the tofu tastes slightly sour.
Common mistakes
- Wrong type: Silken tofu falls apart in the pan, and firm tofu feels tough in cold hiyayakko. Choose the type by the table above.
- Not pressed: Wet tofu spatters in the oil and steams in its own water instead of browning.
- Crowded pan: The cubes cool the oil and stay pale.
- Turned too soon: The crust tears and sticks to the bottom of the pan. Let each side brown undisturbed.
- No seasoning: Unseasoned, tofu tastes bland. Marinate it or put it in a strong sauce as in Mapo tofu.
Buying and storing
You find silken tofu, firm tofu and smoked tofu on the refrigerated shelf of almost every supermarket and in health food stores. Aburaage, atsuage, tofu puffs and yuba are at an Asian grocery store and online, often frozen or dried. Put opened tofu in a container with fresh water, refrigerate it and change the water daily. That way it keeps three to four days. If it smells sour or feels slimy, throw it away. You can freeze firm tofu and aburaage.
Tofu is made of soybeans and contains the allergen soy. For soft cubes in broth, try the Miso soup with tofu. If you're looking for an alternative with more bite, read on at Tempeh and Seitan.