Explore tofu’s
versatility

These are the recipes for dishes prepared by Kean and Marcy Uyehara of Aloha Tofu on "Hawaii's Kitchen" this week. The program airs at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday and is rebroadcast at the same time the following Saturday on KHON/FOX2. Of course, the Uyeharas specify Aloha Brand tofu for their recipes.

Jay's tofu seafood burgers

2 20-ounce containers firm tofu
1/3-1/2 pound fresh ahi, chopped
1/2 pound fresh shrimp, peeled, cleaned and chopped
2-4 tablespoons oyster sauce
4-6 green onion stalks, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
Flour
Oil

Wrap tofu in cheesecloth and place in a colander in the sink to drain until almost all the liquid is gone, about 1/2 hour to an hour.

Combine tofu, ahi, shrimp, oyster sauce, green onions and water chestnuts. Salt and pepper to taste. Add just enough flour so mixture can be formed into patties.

Pan fry patties in hot oil until golden brown, maybe 5-10 minutes, and drain on paper towels.

Pineapple tofu shake

5 ounces soft tofu
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup cold milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups ice cubes

Put all ingredients into a blender. Puree for about 5 seconds, then liquefy until ice is crushed and mixture is well blended.

Tofu loaf

1 20-ounce container firm tofu
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon iriko dashi (Japanese fish stock base)
2 eggs
1-2 carrots, chopped
1 package kamaboko, diced
3-4 green onion stalks, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, drained and diced
4-5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water until soft, then sliced

Drain tofu as in Jay's tofu seafood burgers, above.

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and blend well. Pat mixture into a greased 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Korean style tofu

1 20-ounce container firm tofu
Flour
Oil
n Sauce:
1/4 cup shoyu
1/4 cup sugar
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
1-2 chili peppers, seeded and sliced
3-4 green onion stalks, chopped

Slice tofu into about 6 pieces. Place between 2 cutting boards in sink with a weight on top. Allow to drain until most of the liquid is gone, about 1/2 hour to an hour.

Flour the drained tofu and fry till golden brown in hot oil. Set aside to drain on paper towels.

Place all sauce ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour sauce on tofu when ready to serve.

Nutritional information unavailable.