515 Crew

ok so my wife and i bought some tofu. cecil clued me in on how to prepare it for cooking and he told me what oil to use but i forgot to ask about actual details on the cooking: times, best oil, amounts of oil, etc. now i could have probably just called cecil but honestly, the dudes a dick so fuck him.

anyway, give me some suggestions on cooking details, oil, sauce, etc. we bought some bbq sauce to use with it cause ed used to bring bbq tofu to Da Bassment cookouts and that shit was dope.

also, any suggestions on places in des moines to buy cheap tofu and that type of food? i dont want to end up spending tons on supplies.

not much to it, man. as long as you've got it drained properly you can just cook it to taste. i usually add a little bit (maybe 3 tablespoons) of sesame oil and "fry" it to golden on both sides. if you have a crock pot, cube it up and throw that shit in with the bbq sauce.

try to buy yr tofu at asian markets--its usually way cheaper there

best way to cook tofu is to deep fry it in bacon grease.

Big Fat Retard wrote:best way to cook tofu is to deep fry it in bacon grease.

I want to try that.

double dragon has some real good lemon grass tofu in the back fridges. use is within a few days or itll go bad. its already prepared so you just gotta cook it with your food. this stuff helps to make a MEAN pad thai. ill go with if ya let me know when. i love that place, it smells like my ban noi's house

frying it is definitely the best... most meat eaters I know hate it when it's not fried and then try the latter and love it. don't use too much oil... bread it... you can find some great recipes on the net! duh... I like mine best with some sweet chili sauce or in pad thai

Just curious, but why? Most tofu is very heavily processed (especially the cheap kinds) and just an all-around shitty food. If you're looking at cutting meat out of your diet I'd take beans, lentils and seitan over tofu or anything soy-related.

El Rhino wrote: If you're looking at cutting meat out of your diet I'd take beans, lentils and seitan over tofu or anything soy-related.

definitely. i don't really ever make tofu at home, it's more of a thing i have when i go out to somewhere that doesn't have seitan. hit up double dragon cuz i think they still sell mock duck (seitan) in a can and that shit is pretty bomb.

seitan is my fav, but tempeh is pretty good. its fermented soybeans and generally easier to digest in my experience. stay away from tofu.

El Rhino wrote:Just curious, but why? Most tofu is very heavily processed (especially the cheap kinds) and just an all-around shitty food. If you're looking at cutting meat out of your diet I'd take beans, lentils and seitan over tofu or anything soy-related.

just trying stuff. it was a buck or so when my wife was out getting groceries and we wanted to try our hand at making it ourselves, mainly cause ed had made bbq tofu and i wanted that again. its definitely not going to be any sort of major staple of my diet by any means. as far as cutting meat out, after having an extended weekend on a strictly veggie/vegan diet in chicago, i found out its just not for me. we have decided to cut out red meat for the most part but we're going to continue to eat fish and chicken. i forgot all about lentils, my dad has a good recipe for lentil soup so i'll have to get that from him. all im really trying to do is learn new ways to eat that are good for me. im in the experimental stage.

oh yeah, seitan was ok but i dont think im much of a fan of it.

tofu is a pretty decent substitute for chicken. but obvs not fried chicken.

If you go to the Eastside Hy-Vee today they are having a Facebook special. Rotisserie chickens for $3. Just tell the check out person to ring up code 55555.
I'm serious.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pro ... 966&ref=ts

Bullet Tooth wrote: i forgot all about lentils, my dad has a good recipe for lentil soup so i'll have to get that from him. all im really trying to do is learn new ways to eat that are good for me. im in the experimental stage.

I have a lentil stew recipe that I love.


I just didn't/don't want to hear "I'm eating tofu/soy because it's a healthier alternative to meat"

seitan is obviously the best substitute... texture is way better for cooking "meat" dishes.

El Rhino wrote:

Bullet Tooth wrote: i forgot all about lentils, my dad has a good recipe for lentil soup so i'll have to get that from him. all im really trying to do is learn new ways to eat that are good for me. im in the experimental stage.

I have a lentil stew recipe that I love.


I just didn't/don't want to hear "I'm eating tofu/soy because it's a healthier alternative to meat"

thats not going to happen, whether it is or not (which i dont know). ive been eating a lot of raw veggies and i simply cant stand them anymore so ive been trying to find tasty ways to eat my veggies. im also looking into buying a juicer.

ps. fake milk is garbage. gimme AE 1% forevahhhh!

pps. blue sky organic root beer is garbage. their ginger ale is even worse.

ppps. vegan hot wings were the bomb as was hummus at the chicago diner. where the fuck can i find good hummus? the garlic flavored stuff i had in chicago was great, the fareway stuff here is garbage.

pppps. sweet potato fries dipped in vegan thousand island dressing is so good.

JillJillJill wrote:seitan is obviously the best substitute... texture is way better for cooking "meat" dishes.

im not looking for a meat substitute. if i want meat, i'll just eat it. we've been eating a lot of marinated salmon and chicken with zuchini, mushrooms and onions sauteed in extra virgin olive oil, garlic and italian seasoning.

i just remembered, i need to go to a good thai restaurant. i ate some sort of eggplant concoction from a thai place in chicago and i loved it. want more. suggestions on good places? cool basil is all right but i have a feeling theres better places.

Make your own hummus. All you need is a food processor, chick peas (also known as garbanzo beans), olive oil, tahini, garlic and maybe a dab of lemon juice. I make it a lot, it's something I never really buy pre-made. You can also buy sun-dried tomatoes and basil or pesto and throw it in there too for a nice flavor.

El Rhino wrote:

Bullet Tooth wrote: i forgot all about lentils, my dad has a good recipe for lentil soup so i'll have to get that from him. all im really trying to do is learn new ways to eat that are good for me. im in the experimental stage.

I have a lentil stew recipe that I love.


I just didn't/don't want to hear "I'm eating tofu/soy because it's a healthier alternative to meat"

no kidding. i gained 50lbs eating that garbage.

El Rhino wrote:Make your own hummus. All you need is a food processor, chick peas (also known as garbanzo beans), olive oil, tahini, garlic and maybe a dab of lemon juice. I make it a lot, it's something I never really buy pre-made. You can also buy sun-dried tomatoes and basil or pesto and throw it in there too for a nice flavor.

just even amounts of all the ingredients?

oh I know zach... there's a really really awesome thai place in altoona actually. hole in the wall kind of place but they have amazing food... and really awesome fried tofu by the way. place is called jasmine's. I think it's better than cool basil though ed may disagree with me.

Tofu is gross whether you eat meat or not. If I wanted to eat squishy rectangles, I will eat jello.

Bullet Tooth wrote:

El Rhino wrote:Make your own hummus. All you need is a food processor, chick peas (also known as garbanzo beans), olive oil, tahini, garlic and maybe a dab of lemon juice. I make it a lot, it's something I never really buy pre-made. You can also buy sun-dried tomatoes and basil or pesto and throw it in there too for a nice flavor.

just even amounts of all the ingredients?

heres a easy one. its kinda hard to fuck up hummus


http://mideastfood.about.com/od/appetiz ... tahini.htm

Ingredients:
•1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
•1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
•3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
•1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
•2 cloves garlic, crushed
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•2 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation:
Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.
Variations
For a spicier hummus, add a sliced red chile or a dash of cayenne pepper.
Storing Hummus
Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. Add a little olive oil if it appears to be too dry.

Bullet Tooth wrote:
just even amounts of all the ingredients?

What Joseph posted looks to be pretty close to what I make.



Anyone tried the lentil hummus? I forgot what it's called but it's basically the same thing as hummus but with lentils and some other spices. Verdict: Not so good.

i like to add onion in mine, and if your prone to gas don't use the water from the beans.