From sleek, silken tofu with delicate toppings to piping-hot fried satchels in a robust sauce, tofu provides a versatile canvas for the intricate flavors and textures that Asian and vegetarian cooks have long enjoyed. America has embraced tofu as a healthy, affordable ingredient. And while it has been welcomed into sophisticated mainstream dining, tofu is often hidden in Western guises and in limited applications. In her third intrepid cookbook, celebrated food writer and teacher ANDREA NGUYEN aims to elevate this time-honored staple to a new place of prominence on every table.
Asian Tofu’s nearly 100 recipes explore authentic,ancient fare and modern twists that capture the culinary spirit of East, Southeast, and South Asia. There are spectacular favorites from Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and India, as well as delicious dishes from Taipei, San Francisco, Santa Monica, and New York. Andrea demystifies tofu and interprets traditional Asian cuisine for cooks, sharing compelling personal stories and dispatches from some of the world’s best tofu artisans along the way.
For those who want to take their skills to the next level, the tofu tutorial clearly outlines tofu-making technique, encouraging readers to experiment with the unparalleled flavors of homemade varieties. But time-pressed cooks needn’t fear: while a few recipes, such as Silken Tofu and Seasoned Soy Milk Hot Pot, are truly best with homemade tofu, most are terrific with store-bought products. Some traditional dishes combine tofu with meat in brilliant partnerships, such as Spicy Tofu with Beef and Sichuan Peppercorn and Tofu with Kimchi and Pork Belly, but this collection is predominantly vegetarian and vegan, including the pristinely flavored Spiced Tofu and Coconut in Banana Leaf and vibrant Spicy Lemongrass Tofu Salad. And innovations such as Okara Doughnuts reveal tofu’s more playful side.
For health- and eco-conscious eaters and home chefs who are inspired to make the journey from bean to curd, Asian Tofu is the perfect guide.
Asian Tofu
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Book Description
Best Value
Editorial Reviews
Review
"The most gratifying part about cooking from Asian Tofu is that all the recipes work the way they’re written."
— Boston Globe
"This book should be a priority for anyone with the slightest interest in Asian cuisines."
— Anne Mendelson, Taste & Travel
“Flavorful meditations on soy.”
—Christine Mulhke, New York Times, Summer Cookbook roundup, 5/31/12
"If you're the kind of person who has only one, or two, or three ways to prepare tofu — or is just plain mystified by the whole world of bean curd — Asian Tofu is a godsend."
—T. Susan Chang, National Public Radio, 2012's Best Summer Cookbooks, 5/23/12
"Beautiful, knowledgeable and thorough, this is the best book on tofu to make its way to my bookshelves. Highly recommended."
—Carolyn J. Phillips, Zester Daily, 5/22/12
"Andrea Nguyen’s new cookbook, Asian Tofu (Ten Speed Press, $30), might sound like a succinct, single-subject treatise. However, the book—her third—is actually a robust tome, almost like a biography of the soybean, from how it’s used in multiple Asian cuisines to how it’s relevant in contemporary American food culture."
—Priscilla Mayfield, Orange Coast Magazine, 5/10/12
"This fresh, imaginative take on tofu includes an easy, practical lesson on making your own (we tried it, and it works like a charm), as well as a wide assortment of recipes for both traditional and imaginative foods. . . . Nguyen makes it appealingly clear that tofu is to be prized for itself and not for its utility as a meat substitute."
—Kitchen Arts and Letters bookstore, Spring 2012 newsletter
"A whole cookbook devoted to tofu? Yes, please. Andrea Nguyen's newly released Asian Tofu is a gorgeous guide to all things bean curd."
—Caroline Russock, Serious Eats, "Cook the Book" feature, April 2012
"Asian Tofu gives soybeans some much needed love. Punctuated with gorgeous images, the cookbook breaks down everything you need to know about tofu, from making it yourself to the various styles and uses in different cuisines. Goodbye, drab associations. Hello, full-flavored revelation."
—Tasting Table National, "Soy Genius", 3/28/12
"Nguyen presents tofu recipes through a dazzling array of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and other cuisines that are approachable and easy for the home cook."
—Garrett McCord, Huffington Post, "The Soy Sensation," 3/28/12
“A fantastic fresh take on an ingredient that is, frankly, overlooked far too frequently.”
—Eater National, 3/2/12
“A keeper. . . If you're still reading this with the same "I must make that!" enthusiasm we felt as we flipped through Asian Tofu, then yes, this is a must-have book.”
—LA Weekly's Squid Ink blog, Cookbook of the Week, 3/1/12
“Serious tofu lovers (and that includes me) will be amazed by the recipes and lore in Andrea Nguyen’s masterful new book. Those more skeptical will become immediate converts to one of the world’s most elemental, versatile, and delicious foods.”
—James Oseland, editor-in-chief of Saveur and author of Cradle of Flavor
“Andrea Nguyen’s exquisite book restores tofu to its proper place—one based on deep craft, elegance, and imagination. Here is tofu in its Asian context where it is deeply appreciated for its goodness, not the promises for health we Westerners have endowed it with. An altogether gorgeous work, Asian Tofu not only answers whatever questions you might have about tofu, but is graced with the author’s adventures on the tofu trail.”
—Deborah Madison, author of This Can’t Be Tofu! and Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
“Andrea Nguyen has done it again, taking another subject that crosses many cultural lines—and can be a touch intimidating—and demystifying it, making one immediately want to try these techniques and recipes. The Homemade Tofu Tutorial at the beginning is inspiring and worth the price of admission alone.”
—David Kinch, chef-owner of Manresa restaurant
“This book is worth buying just for the glorious Tofu Chicken Meatballs in Lemongrass Broth. But it is full of other tofu wonders from up and down the East Asian coast such as Soft Tofu and Seafood Hotpot and Savory Tofu Pudding. It will find much use on my shelf.”
—Madhur Jaffrey, actress, cookbook author, and TV journalist
— Boston Globe
"This book should be a priority for anyone with the slightest interest in Asian cuisines."
— Anne Mendelson, Taste & Travel
“Flavorful meditations on soy.”
—Christine Mulhke, New York Times, Summer Cookbook roundup, 5/31/12
"If you're the kind of person who has only one, or two, or three ways to prepare tofu — or is just plain mystified by the whole world of bean curd — Asian Tofu is a godsend."
—T. Susan Chang, National Public Radio, 2012's Best Summer Cookbooks, 5/23/12
"Beautiful, knowledgeable and thorough, this is the best book on tofu to make its way to my bookshelves. Highly recommended."
—Carolyn J. Phillips, Zester Daily, 5/22/12
"Andrea Nguyen’s new cookbook, Asian Tofu (Ten Speed Press, $30), might sound like a succinct, single-subject treatise. However, the book—her third—is actually a robust tome, almost like a biography of the soybean, from how it’s used in multiple Asian cuisines to how it’s relevant in contemporary American food culture."
—Priscilla Mayfield, Orange Coast Magazine, 5/10/12
"This fresh, imaginative take on tofu includes an easy, practical lesson on making your own (we tried it, and it works like a charm), as well as a wide assortment of recipes for both traditional and imaginative foods. . . . Nguyen makes it appealingly clear that tofu is to be prized for itself and not for its utility as a meat substitute."
—Kitchen Arts and Letters bookstore, Spring 2012 newsletter
"A whole cookbook devoted to tofu? Yes, please. Andrea Nguyen's newly released Asian Tofu is a gorgeous guide to all things bean curd."
—Caroline Russock, Serious Eats, "Cook the Book" feature, April 2012
"Asian Tofu gives soybeans some much needed love. Punctuated with gorgeous images, the cookbook breaks down everything you need to know about tofu, from making it yourself to the various styles and uses in different cuisines. Goodbye, drab associations. Hello, full-flavored revelation."
—Tasting Table National, "Soy Genius", 3/28/12
"Nguyen presents tofu recipes through a dazzling array of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and other cuisines that are approachable and easy for the home cook."
—Garrett McCord, Huffington Post, "The Soy Sensation," 3/28/12
“A fantastic fresh take on an ingredient that is, frankly, overlooked far too frequently.”
—Eater National, 3/2/12
“A keeper. . . If you're still reading this with the same "I must make that!" enthusiasm we felt as we flipped through Asian Tofu, then yes, this is a must-have book.”
—LA Weekly's Squid Ink blog, Cookbook of the Week, 3/1/12
“Serious tofu lovers (and that includes me) will be amazed by the recipes and lore in Andrea Nguyen’s masterful new book. Those more skeptical will become immediate converts to one of the world’s most elemental, versatile, and delicious foods.”
—James Oseland, editor-in-chief of Saveur and author of Cradle of Flavor
“Andrea Nguyen’s exquisite book restores tofu to its proper place—one based on deep craft, elegance, and imagination. Here is tofu in its Asian context where it is deeply appreciated for its goodness, not the promises for health we Westerners have endowed it with. An altogether gorgeous work, Asian Tofu not only answers whatever questions you might have about tofu, but is graced with the author’s adventures on the tofu trail.”
—Deborah Madison, author of This Can’t Be Tofu! and Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
“Andrea Nguyen has done it again, taking another subject that crosses many cultural lines—and can be a touch intimidating—and demystifying it, making one immediately want to try these techniques and recipes. The Homemade Tofu Tutorial at the beginning is inspiring and worth the price of admission alone.”
—David Kinch, chef-owner of Manresa restaurant
“This book is worth buying just for the glorious Tofu Chicken Meatballs in Lemongrass Broth. But it is full of other tofu wonders from up and down the East Asian coast such as Soft Tofu and Seafood Hotpot and Savory Tofu Pudding. It will find much use on my shelf.”
—Madhur Jaffrey, actress, cookbook author, and TV journalist
About the Author
Andrea Nguyen is one of the country’s leading voices on Asian cuisine and the author of the acclaimed Asian Dumplings and the James Beard– and IACP-nominated Into the Vietnamese Kitchen. She has written for Saveur magazine, where she is also a contributing editor, the Los Angeles Times, and many more publications. She is also the creator of the Asian Market Shopper app. Her engaging and knowledgeable writing on cuisine and culture has attracted a loyal and well-deserved readership that actively follows her blog, www.vietworldkitchen.com. Andrea lives in Santa Cruz, California.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I heard Andrea Nguyen interviewed on the radio last weekend and immediately afterward bought this book. Her recipe for tofu is straightforward, precise, and full of useful information to ensure that anyone can replicate her results. I had tried to make tofu before using recipes I had read in magazines, but none was successful, even after several tries. The recipe for firm tofu in this book (the first I tried) was a knock-out success on the first go, and so was the silken tofu. Living in a small town in New Zealand where fresh tofu is simply not available, this book has completely revolutionised our cooking, and I can see that I will now be adding a few batches of tofu to my weekly routine.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By Graciela G.
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've had this book for about a week and I've already made block tofu as well as tofu pudding. Both were a success and incredibly easy to make the first time around. All the utensils/cookware/gadgets you need are probably already in your kitchen (large pot, strainer, slotted spoon, blender, etc). You don't even need a thermometer and obsess over hitting the right temperature. So there's no need to buy another thing for your kitchen just to make tofu. The only thing I didn't have was the tofu mold but I fashioned one from a half gallon carton with holes punched on the bottom. I used a jar filled with water as my "weight" for firm block tofu. So that took care of that problem (though now I might buy a proper mold since I'm never buying the supermarket stuff again!).
The instructions are very easy to follow and detailed. The author provides a list of ingredients you will need along with the various options you can use for coagulants. I used food-grade gypsum, which I bought on Amazon, but you can even use Epsom salts. You will need to get dry soybeans, which I haven't seen at my local market so I ordered 4 pounds of organic soybeans online at a reasonable price. I'm sure you can find some at an asian grocery store if you have one available to you.
Now, it's true that there are thousands of instructions on the web to make tofu. But I like that this book goes deeper into some history about tofu. Every chapter opens with the author recounting her travels to a certain place and how tofu is used by various peoples and what it means to them. So it's not just a how-to for tofu making, it also offers good stories and information. I found myself cuddling up to the book and reading it for the sake of just reading it. I especially liked reading about artisans making tofu and families migrating to the US who had to make their own if they wanted to have any tofu.
As far as the recipes go, I have no idea how authentic they are, but the ones I cooked from are delicious! Some are vegetarian, some are not. I, myself, am vegetarian and I think the dishes with meat can easily be adapted with seitan or some other mock meat. If you eat meat, then it might shock you to find meat in a tofu book. Fear not. As the author points out, Asian cuisine doesn't delegate tofu to vegetarian fare, but rather, meat and tofu are used together and play off each other's tastes. So the recipes are great for just about anyone. The instructions for the recipes are also easy to follow and there aren't ingredients that are hard to find.
Overall, a great guide for making tofu, awesome recipes to kick up tofu from bland to ka-pow!, and just plain fun.
The instructions are very easy to follow and detailed. The author provides a list of ingredients you will need along with the various options you can use for coagulants. I used food-grade gypsum, which I bought on Amazon, but you can even use Epsom salts. You will need to get dry soybeans, which I haven't seen at my local market so I ordered 4 pounds of organic soybeans online at a reasonable price. I'm sure you can find some at an asian grocery store if you have one available to you.
Now, it's true that there are thousands of instructions on the web to make tofu. But I like that this book goes deeper into some history about tofu. Every chapter opens with the author recounting her travels to a certain place and how tofu is used by various peoples and what it means to them. So it's not just a how-to for tofu making, it also offers good stories and information. I found myself cuddling up to the book and reading it for the sake of just reading it. I especially liked reading about artisans making tofu and families migrating to the US who had to make their own if they wanted to have any tofu.
As far as the recipes go, I have no idea how authentic they are, but the ones I cooked from are delicious! Some are vegetarian, some are not. I, myself, am vegetarian and I think the dishes with meat can easily be adapted with seitan or some other mock meat. If you eat meat, then it might shock you to find meat in a tofu book. Fear not. As the author points out, Asian cuisine doesn't delegate tofu to vegetarian fare, but rather, meat and tofu are used together and play off each other's tastes. So the recipes are great for just about anyone. The instructions for the recipes are also easy to follow and there aren't ingredients that are hard to find.
Overall, a great guide for making tofu, awesome recipes to kick up tofu from bland to ka-pow!, and just plain fun.
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition with Audio/Video|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've started making tofu. My first attempts were flops. After experimenting, I progressed to the point where my fresh firm tofu is a thousands times better than the store bought tofu and much cheaper. I!ve been using white vinegar instead of the more expensive nigari. I've noticed no difference between tofu made with white vinegar and nigari. None of the sour vinegar taste that you might expect. I think the cookbook is one of my best.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
another great book from Andrea.
This is my second of Andrea's cookbooks and both have been great. My first was Asian Dumplings and everything I have made for either book has been great. Read more
Published 11 days ago by larry sukut
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but drawn out
I love Andrea Nguyen's cookbooks, her Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More is easily the best book I've ever read on that subject. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Michigoon
3.0 out of 5 stars
Asian Tofu
This book certainly gave lots of information on tofu. The receipes were varied but mostly asian.
I think this would interest someone who was looking for asian receipes
I think this would interest someone who was looking for asian receipes
Published 1 month ago by Trina C
5.0 out of 5 stars
good book
It's interesting how Andrea Nguyen has taken the subject of tofu and applied it to so many differing cuisines. Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Korean, Cambodian. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mary Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Asian Tofu for everyone!
Andrea Nguyen has another great book with Asian Tofu. The recipes are well written, easy to follow, and delicious to boot. Read more
Published 1 month ago by FighterHayabusa
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book great flavour
The best book about tofu that i have ever bought it. It really works for me great flavor and the pictures are very helpfull, this is one of my favourites books Do I recommend... Read more
Published 1 month ago by ceci
2.0 out of 5 stars
Videos Don't Work
I bought this version of the book so I could see the instructional videos.
But after download to my device, I find all the video content say "Not compatible with device... Read more
But after download to my device, I find all the video content say "Not compatible with device... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Nicholas Micchelli
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting read
I like tofu, but now I'm fascinated by it thanks to this book. As with all of Andrea Nguyen's cookbooks, you can (and should) open it up and read it front to back. Read more
Published 1 month ago by JennGB
4.0 out of 5 stars
A real primer on tofu!
I wanted this book because as a recent convert to vegetarianism I found too many western style tofu books concentrated on western style dishes and also how to make tofu look and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Chrisinhouston
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than a cookbook
A beautiful book, paring tofu with vegetables and meats (even sweets!) in a variety of regional cuisines from all over Asia. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Diane Putnam
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