Walking through Asian grocery stores, one of the most overwhelming sections (other than, perhaps, the sauce aisle) is the selection of tofu products. There’s soft tofu and firm tofu in the familiar plastic boxes, but then there’s firm spiced tofu, tofu knots, fried fluffy soy puffs, fried dense soy puffs, tofu skin, and more. What does one do with all of these tofu products? Today, we’ll tackle your questions about “tofu skin.”
So what is tofu skin? It is the layer of film that forms on the top of soy milk when it is boiled. If you’ve ever noticed the layer of film that forms on top of dairy milk when heated, tofu skin is the vegan version of the same thing.
When shopping, you can look for its many Chinese names: 腐皮 (fu-pi), 腐衣 (fu-yi), and 腐竹 (fu-zhu). Or, you can search by the many English names: “tofu sheets,” “tofu sticks,” “bean curd sheets,” or “bean threads.” You can buy it in large fresh sheets, which can be thinly sliced, dried, or tied into knots. Of course, there are unique applications with each.
Fresh tofu skins are commonly used in cold Asian salads and quick stir-fries, because they’re already cooked and ready to eat. The large sheets of tofu skin that you find in the freezer section are usually applied as wrappers––like the beancurd rolls that are served as dim sum dishes (xian-zhu-juan, 鲜竹卷). As for the dried bean sticks, the applications are pretty much endless once they’ve been re-hydrated: in stir-fries, soups, braises, or salads.
Today, I wanted to introduce you to tofu skin with a basic dish: Stir-fried Bok Choy with Tofu Skin. If you’ve only ever had plain boxed tofu, you’re missing out by not trying other types! So far, our non-Chinese friends’ reactions to it have been rave reviews! There will be more recipes to follow, but this one is a great place to start!
NOTE: If you don’t have access to fresh tofu skins, you can also use the dry soybean stick/threads. If you’re using dried, soak in cold water until softened (this will take a few hours). After soaking, blanch the tofu skins in boiling water for a couple of minutes, drain, and they’re ready to cook with.
You’ll need:
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¾ pound bok choy, thoroughly washed and drained
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ pack of fresh tofu skin (bean thread), cut into bite-sized pieces (about 2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the ginger, and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the garlic.
After a few seconds, turn up the heat to high, and add the bok choy. Stir-fry everything together. When the bok choy has begun to wilt, stir in the salt, sugar, sesame oil, and white pepper.
Now add the water and fresh tofu skins. Do not stir! It’s important to keep the tofu skin on top of the bok choy so that it doesn’t touch the wok (or it will stick). Cover the wok with the lid, and steam for a minute.
Then open the lid, drizzle in the cornstarch mixture, and stir-fry gently to mix everything together.
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- ¾ pound bok choy, thoroughly washed and drained
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ pack of fresh tofu skin, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
- Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the ginger, and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the garlic.
- After a few seconds, turn up the heat to high, and add the bok choy. Stir-fry everything together. When the bok choy has begun to wilt, stir in the salt, sugar, sesame oil, and white pepper.
- Now add the water and fresh tofu skins. Do not stir! It’s important to keep the tofu skin on top of the bok choy so that it doesn’t touch the wok (or it will stick). Cover the wok with the lid, and steam for a minute.
- Then open the lid, drizzle in the cornstarch mixture, and stir-fry gently to mix everything together.
Martin Lo says
Hi Judy,
I have trouble stir frying the frozen thin fresh tofu skins, the big round sheet kind that you said are mostly used for making rolls. After cutting them into 1.5 inch pieces, when I try to stir fry them with vegetables like bak choy or garlic chives, the tofu skins quickly stick together and become lumps like scramble eggs if I add water. If I don’t add water, they still stick together, but remain dry. How do they cook tofu skins in restaurants so that the individual pieces don’t stick together? In your example, your tofu skin looks alot thicker than mine. Is it better to used the dried tofu skins, refresh them in water, then stir fry? I would have thought the fresh tofu skins will stir fry well. Thanks for your help.
Judy says
Hi Martin, the frozen thin fresh tofu skin is generally not used for stir fries. Did you see this comment in my post? “The large sheets of tofu skin that you find in the freezer section are usually applied as wrappers––like the beancurd rolls that are served as dim sum dishes (xian-zhu-juan, 鲜竹卷).” For stir -fry, you have to buy the kind that you find in the refrigerated tofu section.
Kirti Yadav says
Amazing dish! Never wondered that tofu skin can be cooked in such a simple manner
Judy says
So glad you like it, Kirti!
Heulwen Price says
Yay, a recipe for the dried beancurd sticks I bought on a whim! Tried it this evening with slight modifications (no bok choi, replaced it w/ sliced napa cabbage and baby spinach, added a few spring onions) and it was delicious on noodles and garnished w/ cold sesame beanshoots. :)
Judy says
Great modifications! Two thumbs up!
Caroline says
I used tofu sticks that was sitting in my pantry and the dish turned out great! It complemented the meat I was serving for dinner. The in-laws loved it and asked for the recipe. That’s always a good thing :)
Judy says
Indeed! :-)
Vegan Heaven says
This looks so delicious!! I love shopping at Asian grocery stores. It’s always so much fun to try new products. And I LOVE bok choy. Yummy! :-)
Judy says
Hope you will give this recipe a try, sina!
Amanda Vuu says
Yeah!!! I’ll have to give this a try!! I love tofu skins but have nitty cooked with them yet. Thanks for all the great info too!! I feel prepared to cook!!
Judy says
Yeahhh! That’s what we are here for :-)
Tom says
I have those little bowties of dried tofu. How long would you suggest soaking them before parboiling?
Judy says
Hi Tom, if there are no cooking instructions on the package, I would just soak them for a few hours. I usually soak the dried bean thread (they may also be referred to as bean sticks) for at least 3 hours until they are completely rehydrated.
Francie says
Finally! All my questions about all the different types of tofu will be answered!
Judy says
Yeahhhh!