Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Is there any point in pressing tofu if the first thing I'm going to do with it is cut it up and fry it? Frying removes the water anyway, right?

Yes. Frying only dries out the sides of the tofu, so if you want a non-mushy center, pressing it first is the way to go.

I guess it depends on how you like your tofu. I never press it, usually just give it a squeeze over the sink. I usually find frying it dries it enough, but it's been established on another thread that I may have a higher tolerance for squishy tofu than a lot of folks. So I guess, experiment and figure out where your mushy tolerance lies.

I buy a local-ish/regional kind of tofu that is vacuum sealed in clear packaging, it is awesome. It actually does not need to be pressed and is ready to use. In my own opinion, the vacuum sealed tofu's taste and texture is so much better than the kind of tofu you buy that typically requires pressing and that comes packed in water.

I like it pressed if it's going to absorb a bunch of flavors from a marinade or sauce. If it's going into something where it's just going to taste like tofu (or it's being blended into a batter or sauce), then I'll just drain and squeeze over the sink.

You've gotta keep in mind that the water in the tofu is gonna make oil splatter everywhere, too. For your fingers' sake I'd definitely press it. Plus, as others stated it will be less mushy on the inside.

I pretty much always press mine unless I'm in a huge hurry. I guess it's a waste of time to press if if you're throwing it in a soup but I still press it as I assemble the ingredients because...you know...I can. And I believe if it's pressed the flavors are going to leech into the tofu easier, even in a soup sitch.

I like my fried tofu unpressed and my baked tofu pressed like crazy. I usually poke tiny holes in firmer tofus post-pressing so the marinade can seep through it.

I love agedashi tofu, (deep fried Japanese silken tofu), so the plain taste and texture of fried tofu is almost always appealing to me.