In today’s post, I’m going to teach you how to make frozen tofu. Tofu (or bean curd) comes in many different forms, and it’s really all about texture. You’d be surprised at how much tofu’s texture can change just by freezing it solid!
What Is Frozen Tofu?
Frozen tofu is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It is regular firm tofu, that is steamed and then frozen. Frozen raw tofu tends to crumble, so we cook it beforehand to shore it up for the freezing process.
Frozen tofu is popular in Northern China. In the days before central heating, homes were often heated with wood burning stoves, and anything left out in the kitchen could freeze on a particularly cold night.
Home cooks realized that when it came to tofu, freezing would change its structure and texture.
Why Freeze Tofu?
This is not the first time we at The Woks of Life have asked you to purposefully freeze an ingredient to change its structure by relying on the fact that water expands when it freezes. Just look at our quick 20 Minute Congee recipe. Washing and freezing rice grains breaks them up, causing them to cook down faster.
But why do this with tofu?
- It becomes less delicate and doesn’t fall apart as easily. This means you can put it into soups or hot pots, and it stays intact rather than falling apart.
- It takes on a firmer, almost sponge-like texture (similar to soy puffs), making it chewier and bouncier.
- With the large holes that form in the tofu, it absorbs sauces and flavors more readily than fresh firm tofu, which tends to only cling to flavor on its surface.
Like many soybean products, it is slightly chewy, but also fluffy and soft. If I had to compare it to something else, it would be wheat gluten, also known as seitan. But it’s gluten-free!
How to Use Frozen Tofu
You can braise frozen tofu like in our Braised Wheat Gluten (红烧烤麸), but people most often use it in soups and hot pots.
Just be careful, as frozen tofu can soak up a lot of hot liquid! When you’re eating it, make sure it’s cool enough before biting into it!
Recipe Instructions
Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch thick rectangles.
Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a heat-proof plate that will fit in your steamer.
Place the tofu in the steamer, cover, and steam for 20 minutes over medium high heat.
Let the tofu cool. Pat each piece dry with a clean towel, and place in a container lined with parchment paper in one layer.
Place another layer of parchment paper on top, and add another layer of tofu.
Freeze overnight. You’ll see that the tofu may have changed color, turning a little more yellow than white.
The next day, it’s ready to thaw and use!
How to Make Frozen Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 pound firm tofu (any tofu ranging from medium to very firm will work)
Instructions
- Cut the tofu into ½-inch thick rectangles. Arrange the tofu in a single layer on a heat-proof plate that will fit in your steamer. Place the tofu in the steamer, cover, and steam for 20 minutes over medium high heat.
- Let the tofu cool. Pat each piece dry with a clean towel, and place in a container lined with parchment paper in one layer. Place another layer of parchment paper on top, and add another layer of tofu. Freeze overnight.
- The next day, it’s ready to thaw and use!
I made it. Wasn’t a success. I wanted a chewy texture, but it fell completely apart in my soup. Sorry but it was a waste of good dofu.
Did you steam the cut pieces before freezing?
Hi Judy, I don’t have a steamer. Could I lightly fry these instead before freezing? Thank you.
No Steamer, no worries. You can “make” a steamer using what you have in the kitchen with these tips.
How long can you keep the frozen tofu for?
A few months if you want :-)
why do you first need to steam the tofu?
I am not a food scientist, but I believe the steaming cooks the tofu and set its structure.
For many years I have frozen tofu to use in vegetarian chili, simply substituting the frozen tofu for the meat that might otherwise be added. Do NOT steam the tofu before freezing it – you want it to crumble for this use. When served this chili, people invariably refuse to believe that there is no meat in the dish, only tofu!
Hahaha…an ideal deception :-)
Would frozen tofu be OK in most recipes that call for tofu, even stir-fried, or is it just for stews and soups?
Thanks
Hi Maddy, you should be able to, but I have to say, you shouldn’t use it for all tofu dishes. Like Mapo Tofu, it’s best with silken tofu.
If I don’t have a steamer, is there another way I could cook it before freezing?
Hi Caleb, here is a post for you: How to set up a steamer.
Would freezing tofu make it more likely to soak up flavorings before frying it? I love fried tofu but find it’s pretty bland. I’m looking for a way to get more flavor infused. Would the texture be too strange for this coming method?
Hi Melanie, no need to fry frozen tofu for it to soak up flavoring. The frozen tofu itself acts like a sponge, and you know how a sponge works! :-)
Thank You so very much! We love many of your dishes! Would love to know how you make your scallion pancakes?
Hi Mitchel, we have a few scallion pancake recipes: scallion flat bread; 9-layer scallion; shanghai scallion pancake.
Frozen tofu was my favourite in Shanghai when sharing a hotpot with my friends. That was my only and specific request during such meal! And now, I’ll be able to reproduce this and also to save tofu when almost out of date! One stone, two birds! Thank you so much for this very useful tip, Judy!!!! And very relevant note about burning your mouth if in a soup… did it several times (when will I learn not to rush eating a hotpot?… never!)
Great Nico, it’s always nice to hear from you.