Tofu
A block of raw Japanese-style silken tofu | |
| Alternative names | Bean curd |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | China |
| Associated cuisine | |
| Main ingredients | Soy milk |
Tofu (Japanese: 豆腐, Hepburn: Tōfu, Korean: 두부; RR: dubu, Chinese: 豆腐; pinyin: dòufu) or bean curd is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness: silken, soft, firm, and extra (or super) firm. It originated in China and has been consumed in the country for over 2,000 years. Tofu is a traditional component of many East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines; in modern Western cooking, it is often used as a meat substitute.
Nutritionally, tofu is low in calories, while containing a relatively large amount of protein. It is a high and reliable source of iron, and can have a high calcium or magnesium content depending on the coagulants (e.g. calcium chloride, calcium sulphate, magnesium sulphate) used in manufacturing.
Cultivation of tofu, as a protein-rich food source, has one of the lowest needs for land use (1.3 m²/ 1000 kcal) and emits some of the lowest amount of greenhouse gas emissions (1.6 kg CO2/ 100 g protein).