Tofu sounds exotic. Or maybe you think it's totally unappetizing; mushy, bland and tasteless. But it's really one of the simplest foods in the world...and one of the most easy to use.

The Key to Using Tofu Successfully

The beauty of tofu is that it can be prepared in hundreds of different ways. Including dessert. Killer chocolate death pie, anyone?

The key thing to remember is this: tofu is tasteless, but it has a knack for absorbing other flavors and tasting like something else entirely. For example, vegetarians and vegans love tofu because it acts as a substitute for meat or fish. I've had tofu "shrimp" that not only looked like the real thing, but tasted exactly like it too. Honest!

Tofu sucks up the flavor of a marinade, sauce or seasonings and infuses it directly into your meal. Best of all, you can eat it raw, which makes it a fantastic addition to salads. Or it can be cooked.

Quick Tip: Tofu doesn't hold up well to long-term heat, so you're better off stir-frying it quickly.You can use it in soup dishes; just pop it in towards the end of the cooking cycle.

Tastes Great & Good for You Too

Tofu isn't just a food chameleon; it's also healthy for you.

• There's no cholesterol
• It's virtually fat free
• And it's high in protein

Tofu has several levels of firmness, each one suitable for different uses. When buying tofu, the firmness is clearly marked on the package.

• Firm: Good for stir-fry, soups and even grilling.
• Soft and Silken: Great for sauces, dressings, dips, whips and spreads. Silken in particular, can imitate pudding or custard, and is perfect for drinking—such as in a fruit shake.

So Is Tofu Really Worthwhile?

Yes! Let's face it — tofu has been in the diets of many Asian cultures for thousands of years, so it's time to give it a try. In the last 15 years, tofu has gained popularity all over the world. It hasn't hit your local McDonald's yet, but you never know.

Quick Tip: The key to good tofu is refrigeration, as poor chilling leads to a quickly spoiled product with an icky sour taste.

The absolute easiest way to take your first stab of cooking tofu in a meal is in a stir-fry. Add it as an extra item into your normal stir-fry, just for the heck of it, or simply use it as a replacement for something else. Italian cooking lends itself very nicely to using tofu, and the best meal I've had using tofu was an eggplant parmigiana.

So there you have it. There's nothing to be afraid of when it comes to tofu. Sure tofu might look strange. It feels a bit odd to the touch, and by itself it's not going to be very tasty. But combine it with some killer sauces and other tasty ingredients and it can be great.

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