Tofu is one of my favourite foods, especially because it’s so versatile. It’s great as a replacement for meat, and (despite what the internet might make you think), it’s been around for a long time, so there are a lot of options for recipes. I thought I’d discuss the environmental impact of tofu versus meat, and a few of the recipes I make with tofu.
Tofu, like all foods, has an impact on the environment. It is regularly criticised because it is made from soya, which is often sourced from the amazon (but not exclusively) and is a cause of deforestation. Soya is mostly farmed to feed to livestock, but if the world was to swap from meat to tofu, then the production of soya would still be an issue, the source would just change. However, despite tofu having it’s problems, a plant based diet is still much better for the environment than an animal product based one, as ‘livestock products directly account for nearly two-thirds of food greenhouse gas emissions while providing less than a third of food energy’. And, if soya was only used for human consumption, then at least it would come straight to us instead of going through cows.
So, with that in mind, here are some recipes! I tend to use tofu as a replacement for chicken, so most of these recipes are suitable for chicken too.
Curry Paste Tofu
This is an excellent dinner option, and as I always have leftovers, an excellent lunch the next day. It’s really simple, and requires 3 ingredients – tofu, curry paste (of your choice, I use tikka masala paste) and yogurt (natural yogurt, vegan or not). Firstly, press your tofu if you need to, then chop up or tear it. Then, add about 3 table spoons of your curry paste to a bowl – this may change depending on how spicy you want your tofu. Add your tofu and coat it in the paste, then add enough yogurt to cover it. Mix, then leave this to marinate for at least a couple of hours, and then transfer to an oven proof dish. Heat your grill to a medium heat and put the tofu underneath to cook. You basically have to do this by eye, so when you see bits catching and going black, take the tofu out and shake it around a bit before putting it back in. Once it’s cooked, I serve it with rice and green veg. Just keep it in the fridge after this if you want it for lunches.
Soy sauce, mustard and honey tofu
Pretty explanatory really. Prepare your tofu and tear it into chunks, then set aside. Combine 1 tbsp mustard, 2 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp soy sauce and 1 chopped clove of garlic in a bowl and add the tofu. Marinate for a few hours, then toss in some sesame seeds and either pan fry or bake until crispy. You can change the amount of each ingredient depending on your taste. I tend to serve as part of a stir fry with veg and noodles.
Chilli and Lime tofu
Again, pretty self explanatory. Tear your tofu and set aside. Then chop up a fresh chilli, and add as much as you can handle to a bowl. Then, add the juice of half a lime, half a teaspoon of cumin seeds and some salt and pepper. Add your tofu, marinate for a few hours, and then fry or bake until crispy. This is something I tend to do for wraps, or with rice, and it works really well for lunch.
I hope that you enjoy these recipes, particularly if you haven’t had tofu before, and if you give them a go then please let me know!
Sources:
- https://www.theguardian.com/environment/green-living-blog/2010/feb/15/ask-leo-tofu-bad-for-environment
- https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/tofu-impact-environment_uk_5e43f90fc5b61b84d3430fb5?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGSxVPSe9eMc7-nukftRvLOglva21tMcpfRpEBY3vNFY7Ec41S7I-8xJ5fMISWoCaS1kohPVszE-EUXqJQB3Ifo0813bAUxv7ZKcDDQphhlfGZluNHfAz79JyYcK8faJ9Jkk-gxJxle61iNrnSdw3urL8u_SRrIpiKrRUNNJXH21
Waste Makes Waste 