Tofu canapes, a vegan treat

[Guest guest]

Last weekend, I checked out a new restaurant in Itaewon called Berlin. I asked

the owner what he recommended for an appetizer selection, and he suggested a

dish featuring tofu. Now, there's nothing wrong with tofu, but it's not exactly

the most exciting ingredient to ever grace the tables of a dining establishment,

let alone a hip new restaurant and lounge like Berlin. Seeing my doubtful

expression, the owner said, " Try it -- if you don't like it, it's on me. " That

seemed like a pretty good deal, so I agreed. To my surprise and delight, the

tofu appetizer was delicious! The combination of tofu, avocado, and alfalfa

sprouts was fresh and full of flavor. In addition to being delicious when

prepared correctly, those three ingredients all impart incredible health

benefits if you include them regularly in your diet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's start with some information on tofu. Tofu is one of the most nutritious

foods you can eat, and it's easy to include it in your diet. The process of

making tofu is similar to that of cheese, although the techniques do differ in

many ways. To make tofu, you first have to make soy milk, which is done by

soaking, grinding, boiling, and straining dried soybeans. The soy milk is then

coagulated and pressed, resulting in tofu curd. Tofu is very important in Asian

cooking, and it's prepared in many different ways in many different dishes. It

can be served raw, stewed, stir-fried, in soup, stuffed with fillings, and in

sauces. In China, tofu is served fresh with soy sauce or sesame seed oil. In

Korea, firm tofu is cubed, pan-fried, and seasoned with soy sauce and other

ingredients. It is also served in soups, side dishes, and main courses.

 

Tofu is low in calories and saturated fat, and it contains no cholesterol. A

serving of tofu (250 grams) has only 147 calories, and it contains the same

amount of protein as a 157 gram hamburger (which clocks in at approximately 440

calories.) Tofu also provides the same amount of calcium as 250ml of milk, if

the coagulant method used is acid. According to Henkel, J., as reported in the

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Consumer Magazine, May-June 2000 issue, the

scientific community does agree that foods rich in soy protein are of value for

a healthy heart. This scientific conclusion is backed by many controlled

clinical studies.

 

The American Heart Association review in their journal Circulation, January 2006

issue, stated that tofu is beneficial to cardiovascular health because of the

high content of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and its low

saturated fat content. The Harvard Health Letter, June 2007, vol. 32, explains

that several epidemiological studies concluded that soy can be preventive

against breast cancer in women who ate large amounts of soy during their

childhood.

 

Alright, enough about tofu. Let's move on to one of my favorite ingredients:

avocado. Believe it or not, avocado was once known for inducing sexual prowess.

Many people used to refuse to buy or eat avocados because they did not want to

smear their reputations. This idea was born when the early Spanish explorers

discovered that the Aztecs enjoyed the avocado and used it as an aphrodisiac.

Because of this, Western culture came to think of the fruit as tasteless and

barbaric. The avocado industry actually had to sponsor a massive public

relations campaign to uproot this myth. Once people got over their archaic

prejudices, avocados finally became popular with Westerners.

 

The nutritional value of avocados is impressive. One 141g avocado has 275

calories with a whopping 15 grams of fiber and 25 essential nutrients, including

potassium, vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, and folic acid. The American Heart

Association recommends a diet that is low to moderate in fat, and the fats that

are consumed should be the good, unsaturated kind. The avocado has mostly

heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, and that makes it a great choice for any

healthy diet.

 

Last but not least, alfalfa sprouts are widely known as an incredibly nutritious

food. Research shows that sprouts are high in antioxidants and are a good source

of phytoestrogens. According to Kurzer and Xu in the Annual Review of Nutrition,

1997, vol 17, pg. 353, studies in humans and cell culture systems suggest that

dietary phytoestrogens play a role in preventing menopausal symptoms,

osteoporosis, cancer, and heart disease. Alfalfa also contains saponins, which

are associated with reducing cholesterol. The nutritive value of alfalfa cannot

be beaten. With only 10 calories per cup, alfalfa contains vitamins A, B, C, E,

and K. Other nutrients, such as calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, and many more,

are also found in alfalfa sprouts. This is a definite power food if you want to

stay healthy and prevent all manner of ailments.

 

Note: there have been problems with outbreaks of food borne illness due to the

consumption of raw sprouts in the past few years, so you should be cautious when

buying alfalfa sprouts. To keep yourself and your family safe, buy the freshest

sprouts you can find and keep them refrigerated. The cold temperature will slow

down bacterial growth. Also, always wash any vegetable under cold running water

for about 30 seconds to get rid of pathogens and dirt. Growing alfalfa sprouts

is easy and allows you to avoid environmental toxins. Sprouts are extremely easy

to grow; they require only water.

 

 

Tofu canapes

 

 

4 teaspoons vinegar

 

1 tablespoon sake (Japanese rice wine)

 

1 teaspoon chili oil

 

1 tablespoon leeks, chopped

 

1/4 cup white radish, chopped

 

3 tablespoons soy sauce

 

2 tablespoons chili bean sauce (Toban Djan)

 

1 avocado (for a different taste, use 1 baked sweet potato)

 

1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts

 

Salt and pepper to taste

 

1/2 cup red or white onions, sliced

 

230 grams medium tofu, cut into 1.5 cm x 2.5 cm x 0.75 cm pieces

 

Put the first 7 ingredients in a food processor and blend well to make dressing.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Place onion slices on a plate. Top with tofu

squares. Place avocado or sweet potato slices on top of tofu. Put a teaspoonful

of dressing on top of tofu and sprinkle with alfalfa sprouts. Serves 4.

 

By Samia Mounts

 

 

Samia Mounts is a long-time nutritionist and gourmet aficionado. She works as

the Assistant Principal at Seoul American Elementary School.

 

samiamounts