With almost 70 years behind them, Sunrise Soya Food’s products are both authentically Chinese and undeniably Canadian, making them perfect for my adventure into cooking with tofu.
So, with a cart full of ingredients (including an eyebrow-raising amount of tofu), I set about seeing just what this humble ingredient can do.
General Tso's Tofu
General Tso chicken is an iconic takeout dish, so this tofu adaptation had big shoes to fill. After pressing the extra-firm tofu, I broke it up by hand, tossed it in cornflour and panfried it until golden.
The tofu is then smothered in a mouthwatering sauce of spices, brown sugar, hoisin, soy and vinegar. Served on top of rice, the tofu was crisp, tender and delicious. It also made great leftovers.
Tofu Scramble On Avocado Toast
For this dish, medium-firm tofu is fluffed with a fork to resemble scrambled eggs before being added to a pan with sautéed tomato, garlic and spring onions.
There was enough scramble to feed four people from just one pack of tofu, making this one cost-effective way to satisfy a crowd. Served on toast with a generous spread of smashed avocado, the tofu scramble was also super filling.
Tofu Bolognese
A true test of tofu is comfort food, and spaghetti bolognese is one of my favourites. Before adding the crumbled firm tofu to the pan, I sautéed a paste of garlic, onion, celery and carrot, which added an extra layer of flavour to this meat-free bolognese.
This recipe was much cheaper to make compared to my ground-beef version and was just as tasty. It also made a ton of sauce, which is ideal for meal prep or feeding a crowd.
Baja-Style Fish Tacos
I can’t express how impressed I am with this tofu "fish" tacos recipe. First, extra-firm tofu is marinated in lemon juice and dulse powder, and then a sheet of nori is laid on each piece before it’s dunked in seasoned beer batter and fried.
Where the original recipe used rectangular slices, I went with triangles. This, plus the marinade, meant that each fillet looked and tasted as if it had come from the sea.
Tofu Tourtière Hand Pies
In place of the ground beef traditionally used for this classic Quebecois recipe, I used Soyganic Extra-Firm Tofu. I grated it to get the right texture, and then I cooked the tofu with onion, spices, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.
My tourtière hand pies were a little smaller than those in the original recipe, but they were still delicious — especially when dunked in ketchup. Nothing beats a flavour-packed pastry, after all.
Vegan "Egg" Salad Sandwich
Soft tofu replaces the boiled eggs in this plant-based "egg" salad sandwich. Following this recipe, I cubed the tofu and then gently folded it with vegan mayo, celery, chives and spices.
Soft, or silken, tofu is very delicate, so a light touch is all you need. With fresh lettuce, dijon mustard and sourdough bread, this sandwich was a dead ringer for the original and really hit the spot.
Strawberry & Coconut Dairy-Free Cheesecake
This pretty recipe uses soft tofu, fresh strawberries, soaked cashews and avocado to create a sweet, creamy and rich dessert. I couldn’t find a ripe avocado anywhere so I’ll just have to make another batch soon (poor me).
Admittedly, it wouldn’t fool a connoisseur, but it did deliver on decadence as every cheesecake should. With a velvety texture from the soft tofu and naturally pink from the strawberries, this treat tasted just as good as it looks.
Cooking these seven tofu recipes opened my eyes to the seemingly endless ways tofu can be part of any meal. I was blown away by the creativity of the "fish" tacos, comforted by the hearty and warm tofu bolognese and delighted by the colour and creaminess of the "cheesecake."
With a huge range of tofu products, Sunrise Soya Foods really came through for me. I found their tofu super easy to work with and every recipe turned out beautifully.
Whether you’re an aficionado or just tofu-curious, I recommend giving them a try.
To find out more about Sunrise Soya Foods' range of tofu products, check out their website or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
Although products were provided for free in this review, the author's opinions are genuine and do not reflect the views of Narcity Media.
