Tōfu

Bean Curd

Appears in

Published 1985

About

Dried soybeans are crushed and boiled, and the snowy liquid that results is solidified into puddinglike blocks that are usually referred to as bean curd cakes in English. Depending upon such variables as the coagulating agent, the lining and type of mold, time, and pressure, a number of rather different-looking products can result:

Kinugoshi (“silk-strained”) bean curd is very soft, delicate, and smooth. It’s fragile, like custard, and has, when freshly made, a delightfully nutty aftertaste. It’s the bean curd of choice for the tempura recipe and the terrine.