Vegetarianism/Veganism

[Keyblade]

1 minute ago, Davkaus said:

Indeed, it's processed junk food, but most of it is also replacing processed junk food, so I don't really see it as a problem. Them not being meat certainly doesn't mean it's a good idea to start eating burgers every day. Eating that shite every day is a recipe for malnutrition

Yeah, it's good for a treat every once in a while without having the added bummer that you've just consumed an entire Angus beef burger. Basically, you aren't left out when everyone is pigging out on junk food.

Now all that's left is good pizza alternatives. I've seen spots that make pizza with Daiya cheese, but that stuff tastes kind of weird. Whenever they find a similar substitute for cheese as the Beyond burgers are for patties, then it's game over.

[Davkaus]

Just now, Keyblade said:

Yeah, it's good for a treat every once in a while without having the added bummer that you've just consumed an entire Angus beef burger. Basically, you aren't left out when everyone is pigging out on junk food.

Now all that's left is good pizza alternatives. I've seen spots that make pizza with Daiya cheese, but that stuff tastes kind of weird. Whenever they find a similar substitute for cheese as the Beyond burgers are for patties, then it's game over.

My favourite is Mozarizzella. It's harder to get hold of, I've not seen it in any supermarkets, but it's the stuff Pizza Express and Zizzi use, and it's damn good stuff.

I haven't managed to find a cheese substitute from the supermarket that hasn't ended up in the bin. Daiya is pretty bad. I have no idea how the plastic shite that Violife sell managed to become so popular. 

[Dodgyknees]

17 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

That's what you went for, and not feeling filled up by a good sausage?  

Im disappointed to be honest. My sausage was there waiting for him to use.

[mottaloo]

42 minutes ago, avfcDJ said:

Im disappointed to be honest. My sausage was there waiting for him to use.

Now look, i love a Kenny W gif as much as the next man but even i can't "do the needful" here 

[Stevo985]

1 hour ago, Keyblade said:

Only problem with Beyond is that their stuff seems to be just as processed as anything else you'd find in the freezer at the supermarket. Of course not being meat is an advantage of it's own, but the advantages kind of end there.

Agreed. But I don't think people should be under the illusion that it's anything else.

Vegan/veggie stuff doesn't mean something is pretending to be healthy

[darrenm]

The one food I'd happily live on for the rest of my life is a stir fry of vegetables with sweet and sour sauce, shallow fried smoked tofu and rice noodles.

[darrenm]

1 minute ago, darrenm said:

The one food I'd happily live on for the rest of my life is a stir fry of vegetables with sweet and sour sauce, shallow fried smoked tofu and rice noodles.

I take photos of my food

 

[Seat68]

7 hours ago, darrenm said:

I take photos of my food

 

I have some tofu in the cupboard and the experience of it in the past has been disappointing, how would you prepare and cook the tofu in this dish?

[darrenm]

1 hour ago, Seat68 said:

I have some tofu in the cupboard and the experience of it in the past has been disappointing, how would you prepare and cook the tofu in this dish?

Easiest way is just to cut into small pieces and shallow fry for 10 mins on medium heat to get the edges crispy.

If it's plain tofu in water then you'll need to wrap it in about 20 pieces of kitchen roll and press it hard between your hands to get as much of the water out as possible.

If you make a marinade then the longer you leave it (overnight) the more flavour it'll soak.

The picture above is after mixing it with cornflour so it gets a crispy outside when fried. Done right it gets very close to fried chicken.

Most of the time though I just get cauldron smoked tofu pieces and fry them as is for 10 mins.

[darrenm]

Oh and cook separate from the stir fry then place on top when on the plate.

[Seat68]

1 minute ago, darrenm said:

Oh and cook separate from the stir fry then place on top when on the plate.

Thank you. This helps. 

[Stevo985]

2 hours ago, Seat68 said:

Thank you. This helps. 

Make sure you get the right tofu as well. If it's "silken" then it's almost like cream cheese. It would be way too soft for something like that stir fry.

If I use it the way Darren has I would get extra firm tofu (I think you can get "super firm" as well), take it out of the packaging, stick it on a plate wrapped in kitchen towel and then put something heavy on it (like another plate) and leave it in the fridge over night. That will squeeze all the excess water out of it.

I think it's a bit trial and error with tofu. First time I tried it I **** it up and it was rank. But if you get it like Darren has there it's lovely.

[Seat68]

2 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

Make sure you get the right tofu as well. If it's "silken" then it's almost like cream cheese. It would be way too soft for something like that stir fry.

If I use it the way Darren has I would get extra firm tofu (I think you can get "super firm" as well), take it out of the packaging, stick it on a plate wrapped in kitchen towel and then put something heavy on it (like another plate) and leave it in the fridge over night. That will squeeze all the excess water out of it.

I think it's a bit trial and error with tofu. First time I tried it I **** it up and it was rank. But if you get it like Darren has there it's lovely.

The box I have is Silken Tofu Firm. Do you think this is suitable. If not any suggestions how I can use it?

[Wainy316]

Sundubu Jjigae is my favourite tofu dish (requires the silken stuff)

https://mykoreankitchen.com/sundubu-jjigae/

Meat or seafood optional but it does require an egg.

 

[Davkaus]

35 minutes ago, Seat68 said:

The box I have is Silken Tofu Firm. Do you think this is suitable. If not any suggestions how I can use it?

You don't want to stir fry silken tofu, it's too soft and has too much moisture, the stuff you stir fry is in the fridges, usually Cauldron or Tofoo in uk supermarkets. Even though it's firm, it's firm for silken tofu, and still very soft by any other standard

The only things I've really used silken tofu is the texture, I've used it to make cheesecakes, or added to a pasta sauce as a substitute to get the kind of richness and thickness of mascarpone

 

Edited November 27, 2020 by Davkaus

[Seat68]

3 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

You don't want to stir fry silken tofu, it's too soft and has too much moisture, the stuff you stir fry is in the fridges, usually Cauldron or Tofoo in uk supermarkets. Even though it's firm, it's firm for silken tofu, and still very soft by any other standard

The only things I've really used silken tofu is the texture, I've used it to make cheesecakes, or added to a pasta sauce as a substitute to get the kind of richness and thickness of mascarpone

 

Thanks for the suggestion. Will go down the pasta sauce route. 

[Stevo985]

1 hour ago, Seat68 said:

The box I have is Silken Tofu Firm. Do you think this is suitable. If not any suggestions how I can use it?

Yeah I don't think that will work for Stir Fry as Davkaus has said. Even firm Silken you'll find will break up and go mushy if you try and fry it.

If you properly compress it and refrigerate it you MIGHT get away with it (or it might just completely squash it!), but I'd suggest going for the pasta sauce or Wainy's recipe instead

[darrenm]

I think any tofu is fine for frying outside of a stir fry. You never want to put tofu directly into the wok. Just fry separately in a frying pan.

[choffer]

3 hours ago, darrenm said:

I think any tofu is fine for frying outside of a stir fry. You never want to put tofu directly into the wok. Just fry separately in a frying pan.

Cauldron’s marinated tofu is excellent for stir fries. And I’ve never done it in a separate pan. 

[darrenm]

This is how I make it. Don't judge me on the pre packed plastic. I do make it from scratch too.