Tofu is prone to crumbling when cooking, and is there any way to avoid it
A. Blanch with salt water first
B. Fry directly in hot oil
Correct answer: Blanch with salted water first
Answer Analysis:
Tofu is a nutritious and popular ingredient, but during cooking, it breaks easily, affecting the taste and aesthetics of the dish. To avoid this problem, blanch the tofu in salted water first. This simple technique is effective in maintaining the integrity of the tofu while also enhancing its taste.
First, bring the water to a boil, add an appropriate amount of salt, and stir to dissolve the salt completely. The addition of salt not only increases the boiling point of water, but also increases the density of water, thereby reducing the density difference between tofu and water, making tofu more stable.
Then, gently place the cut tofu cubes in boiling salted water and blanch for 1-2 minutes. This process causes the surface of the tofu to shrink rapidly, forming a protective film that prevents the tofu from easily crumbling during subsequent cooking. At the same time, a short period of high-temperature treatment can also remove the beany smell in the tofu and improve the taste.
Next, remove the blanched tofu and cool it quickly with cold water to prevent the tofu from becoming soft due to the residual heat. The cooled tofu can be used directly in various cooking methods, such as braised tofu, stewed, stir-fried, etc.
By blanching the tofu in brine, the tofu retains its shape better during cooking and has a firmer and smoother texture. This is a simple technique that is worth trying to apply in home cooking, and I believe it will add a lot of color to your tofu dishes.