Tofu, also known as bean curd, is a
food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into
solid white blocks of varying softness; it can be silken,
soft, firm,
extra firm or super firm. Beyond these broad textural categories, there are many varieties of tofu. It has a subtle flavour, so it can be used in savoury and
sweet dishes. It is often seasoned or marinated to suit the dish and its flavours, and due to its spongy texture, it absorbs flavours well.
Nutritionally, tofu is low in calories, while containing a relatively large amount of protein. It is high in iron and can have a high calcium or magnesium content depending on the coagulants (e.g. calcium chloride, calcium sulphate, magnesium sulphate) used in manufacturing.
Tofu first originated in China and has been consumed within China for over 2,000 years
dating back to the Han dynasty. It is also a traditional component of the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia, including in Indonesia, Japan, Korea,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Amount Per 100 grams:
Calories 76
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4.8 g 7%
Saturated fat 0.7 g 3%
Cholesterol 0
mg 0%
Sodium 7
mg 0%
Potassium 121 mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 1.9 g 0%
Dietary fiber 0.3 g 1%
Protein 8 g 16%
Vitamin C 0% Calcium 35%
Iron 30% Vitamin D 0%
Vitamin B6 0% Cobalamin 0%
Magnesium 7%
The tofu satay for £ 3.50 is also a nice
vegetarian appetizer.
It's known that
plant estrogens in soy products like tofu can help.
It is
vegan and based on tofu (soya bean curd ), miso (fermented soya paste ), mushrooms and garlic.