Dried tofu, dried beancurd… Which name do you use?
I get confused sometime because we use the same names to refer to the different thin sheets of soybean product.
Dried tofu/beancurd is something I rarely see it on the menu at Chinese restaurants. They usually used fresh ones. It is more common in Thai restaurants since they use it for stir fries. Most people are familiar with the block type of dried tofu/beancurd. It is very firm, and kind of rubbery. However, they also come in sheet form. Dried tofu/beancurd sheets are thicker than the dehydrated beancurd sheets (do not mix them up). They have an elastic bounce to them. You would find these in a Chinese grocery store at the refrigerated section. This is the brand I found at my local Asian grocery store in Toronto.
Both dehydrated and dried tofu/beancurd sheets are usually labelled beancurd sheets on the packages. It is very, very confusing to anyone who is not familiar with either types of product. The easiest way to differentiate them is that one require rehydration before use, and the other, you can eat out of the package. For the dried tofu/beancurd sheets, make sure you read the ingredients list! Sometimes they have marinated versions, although rare, and contains wheat and soy sauce!
I recall my family used to have appetizers made with strips of dried beancurd sheets. There’s this one dish we had in Hong Kong that I remember so specifically, I often try to look for a similar one in Toronto. However, they just don’t make it the same here. So I decided to remake the one from my memory.
Here’s a tip:The dried beancurd comes as a giant sheet, like a large rubbery fabric. I like to unfold it and refold it to the length I need, and trim them down into smaller sheets with a pair of scissors. That way it is much easier to work with!
Dried Tofu Salad
Yield: 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 300g of dried beancurd sheets (found in the refrigerated section, NOT the dehydrated ones)
- 1 medium sized cucumber
- 2 organic chicken breasts or 1 large regular chicken breast (omit to make it vegan)
- Cilantro for garnish
Dressing Ingredients
- ¼ cup of tahini
- 1 tsp of sesame oil
- 1 tbsp of rice vinegar (I use Kikkoman’s Seasoned Rice Vinegar)
- 2 tbsp of tamari (I use San-J Organic Tamari)
- 1 tsp of sugar
- ½ tsp of salt
- 3-4 tbsp of hot water
INSTRUCTIONS
Preparation
- Steam the chicken breast until cooked. Set aside and let it cool completely.
- Meanwhile the chicken breasts are steaming, trim the dried beancurd sheets into 7-inch strips. I like to use a pair of scissors to trim out the large sheet into about 7-inch wide sheets, stack them up and cut them into strips with a knife.
- Cut the cucumber into 4-inch thin strips.
- When the chicken is cooled, with your hands or two forks, shred them.
- In a large salad mixing bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients except for hot water. When you have a thick dressing, add 1 tablespoon of hot water at a time to thin out the dressing. The final consistency should be thick but running.
- Add all the prepared dried beancurd sheet, chicken, and cucumber into the dressing. Toss until the dressing is evenly distributed throughout the ingredients.
- You can serve it immediately, but I would recommend refrigerating it for at least 1 hour. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
Notes: This salad keep very well in the fridge overnight, but would not keep it for more than 2 days.
