Many people have heard about this product, but, unfortunately, not everyone has tried it. The reason is banal – with, it would seem, such a variety and abundance of various food products in stores, this cheese is not available everywhere. First of all, this applies to those settlements that are located at a distance from large cities, where this cheese is no longer a curiosity.
And since everything new sooner or later, but spreads everywhere, then it will not be superfluous to know about this food product, especially since the beneficial properties of tofu cheese have been known since ancient times. Perhaps someone has already managed to fall in love with it, and often uses it for culinary purposes, but still does not know that it is a valuable food product, which means that its use not only delights taste buds, but also benefits the body.
What is this innovation and why did we not know about it before?

History of occurrence
Tofu cheese is a bean curd that is very high in protein and is made from soybeans, making it different from regular cheeses and having little to no flavor of its own. This can be attributed to the pluses, since for culinary purposes its use becomes universal.
Since tofu is made from soybeans, and this plant of the legume family is the birthplace of East Asia, we learned about this food product relatively recently. Only in the second half of the last century, Western countries had a chance to get to know this cheese better, and in such a short time to fall in love with it.
The exact origin of tofu cheese is unknown, and therefore there are several legends about this. One of them says. One day, the court chef decided to add nigari, a special substance that is obtained by evaporating sea water, into soybean puree. In this way, he wanted to give and improve the taste of the dish, but it curdled and turned into curd. It was liked, caught on and continues to be popular to this day. In addition, it was noticed that its use improves health, which means it prolongs life.
A lot of time has passed since then – after all, it was in the 2nd century BC in China, and tofu cheese not only did not lose its relevance as a food product, but also managed to overcome borders and conquer many countries, thanks to its beneficial properties. It is one of the staple foods in Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and Korea.

Cooking method
With development Technology has changed the additives used to make tofu a little, but overall, the process hasn’t changed much compared to how it was cooked before.
At that time, soybeans were soaked in cold water until they swelled. Then they were ground and received soy milk. It was boiled, with the addition of sea salt and gypsum, as a result of which it curdled. The resulting cottage cheese was sent under pressure, and as a result, a dietary product was obtained.
In modern production, soy milk or soy powder is also used. And curd it by filtering or heating with the addition of calcium sulfate, citric acid or magnesium chloride (nigari). Cottage cheese is pressed and stored in sealed packages with water, like many other types of cheese.

Beneficial features
We have learned a lot about this product, but does it deserve such attention? First of all, tofu has a huge amount of high-quality, easily digestible protein. And since it is a protein of plant origin, it is valued by vegetarians and fasting people. It is an excellent substitute for meat and various meat products.
With a fairly low number of calories (about 70 per 100 grams of product) and the absence of cholesterol, it contains the amino acids necessary to maintain good health. It contains calcium, iron, selenium, magnesium, folic and linoleic acids, choline, vitamins E, B. There are practically no carbohydrates (0.6) and a small amount of fat (4.2). Tofu cheese is perfectly absorbed by the body. It can be consumed by people who have allergic reactions to milk protein. It is noticed that the regular use of this cheese reduces the risk of developing malignant tumors and cardiovascular diseases. It is useful for people who are overweight, suffering from gastritis and diabetes.

Types of tofu cheese
Despite the classic recipe, tofu, like other types of cheese, may differ in density and production method.
Hard (dense) – it is also ordinary tofu cheese, has a dense texture similar to mozzarella cheese. Ideal for smoking as well as frying and deep-frying. To spice up, the composition may include various additives. In turn, such cheese is divided into two types:
– Asian – the consistency is less dense and contains a lot of water;
– western – the consistency is denser and contains little water.
Soft (silk) tofu – its consistency resembles a delicate pudding. Of all the types of tofu, it contains the most water. Mainly used for steaming, sauces, soups and in sweet dishes.
Stinky tofu is most popular in China, in Shanghai cuisine. Since it has a strong specific smell, this product is not for everybody.
We are usually used to seeing dense cheese with a neutral smell on the shelves. In fact, there are a lot of varieties of tofu. During production, nuts, paprika, various spices and spices can be added to it. From this it acquires taste and aroma. In Western countries, smoked tofu is very popular.

How to choose and store tofu cheese
Classic natural tofu contains only three ingredients:
1. water
2. soy (soybeans)
3. coagulant, i.e. clotting agent. It can be nigari, magnesium chloride or calcium sulfate.
When buying tofu by weight, smell it – the cheese should not smell sour. It should be stored in the refrigerator, in a container with water. The water is changed daily and is not suitable for human consumption.