Alan Davidson

Tofu

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

tofu a white curd made from soya beans, originated in China as tou-fu (now dou fu). Tofu, the name commonly employed worldwide, is the Japanese adaptation of this. The product is also known as bean curd.

It has been said, with some justice, that tofu occupies a place in oriental cookery which corresponds to that of dairy products in other parts of the world. It exists in various forms which offer parallels to cheeses; and the similarity extends beyond appearance and use. The composition of tofu, a highly concentrated protein food, resembles that of cheese.