It’s time for tofu to venture out of the vegetarian aisle and make its way into the mainstream. This much-maligned bean curd might not be much chop in the flavour stakes on its own, sure, but in the right hands, it can become a thing of beauty.
“Of course you don’t eat tofu by itself; you have to work with it, just like any other ingredient!” says cook and food photographer Luisa Brimble. “The beauty of tofu is that it’s so versatile. It can carry any flavour, and you can transform it into whatever you want – fried, steamed or just an amazing alternative to your usual protein.”
To create the recipes you’ll find here, Brimble has drawn on inspiration from Chinese and Filipino styles of cooking.
“The sesame-seed-crusted tofu balls were inspired by prawn toast; I thought, why not?” she says. “We’re aiming to add textures and make it carry flavours. The arroz caldo is all about the softness of the rice and the aromatics. By adding the extra crunch of fried tofu, it takes it to a whole new level.”
But don’t stop there. Brimble has plenty of other ideas up her sleeve.
