Vocabulary - tofu

#8697

tofu [group]

tofu /ˈtoʊfuː/ uncountable noun food japanese food tofu

Borrowed through Japanese from Chinese doufu; now the standard everyday English word.

a soft white food made from curdled soya-bean milk pressed into blocks

She stir-fried the tofu with vegetables.

bean curd /ˈbiːn ˌkɝd/ uncountable noun food tofu

A literal translation (calque) of Chinese doufu. It means exactly the same thing as tofu but sounds older and more descriptive; still common on menus and in British English.

tofu; a soft food made from curdled soya-bean milk

The menu listed a spicy bean curd dish.

#8685

tofu puffs

tofu puffs /ˈtoʊfuː ˌpʌfs/ plural noun tofu

Hollow and airy inside, so they absorb sauces and soup. The flat Japanese version is aburaage.

cubes of tofu deep-fried until puffed, golden, and spongy inside (Chinese 油豆腐, you doufu)

Tofu puffs soak up broth beautifully in hotpot.

#8684

tofu skin

tofu skin /ˈtoʊfuː ˌskɪn/ uncountable noun tofu

Also called yuba (from Japanese) or bean curd sheet; sold fresh, in dried sheets, or in sticks.

the thin film that forms on heated soy milk, skimmed off and dried (Chinese 豆皮 / 腐皮, doupi)

Fresh tofu skin is wrapped around fillings and steamed.

#8683

dried tofu

dried tofu /ˈdraɪd ˈtoʊfuː/ uncountable noun tofu

Much denser and chewier than regular tofu; often braised in soy sauce and five-spice. Also written 豆干.

firm tofu pressed and dried into a dense, chewy slab, often seasoned (Chinese 豆乾, dougan)

She sliced the dried tofu and tossed it with soy sauce and chili.

#8682

firm tofu

firm tofu /ˈfɝm ˈtoʊfuː/ uncountable noun tofu

The most common type for cooking; mainland usage also calls a denser grade 老豆腐 (lao doufu).

tofu pressed to remove water, giving a dense, sliceable texture (Chinese 板豆腐, ban doufu)

Firm tofu holds its shape when stir-fried or grilled.

#8681

silken tofu

silken tofu /ˈsɪlkən ˈtoʊfuː/ uncountable noun tofu

Not pressed, so it is fragile and jiggly. Also called soft tofu; Japanese kinugoshi.

a very soft, custard-like tofu with high water content (Chinese 嫩豆腐, nen doufu)

Silken tofu blends smoothly into soups and desserts.

#8680

tofu pudding

tofu pudding /ˈtoʊfuː ˌpʊdɪŋ/ uncountable noun tofu

Also called douhua or "tofu brain". Usually sweet (syrup, taro, beans), but savory versions exist.

a soft, silky tofu dessert eaten warm or cold with sweet syrup or toppings (Chinese 豆花, douhua)

We had warm tofu pudding with ginger syrup.