Tofu is a Chinese ingredient that we inherit along with other ingredients from other parts of the world.

Tofu is very similar to cheese in many ways. There are several types of tofu; silky, soft, firm, extra firm, pressed marinated in soy sauce, cubed fried- just to give you some examples.

In Thailand tofu is made fresh daily. Raw soybeans are soaked then milled with water to get soy milk. A coagulated agent is added to curd the tofu. The curds are gathered in cheesecloth and weighed down by a heavy stone to remove excess water. The soft silky tofu is not pressed but left to gel in a container.

Silky tofu, firm tofu and extra firm tofu come bathed in water in a plastic tub. Drain the water before using. Keep all fresh tofu covered with water in a refrigerator. Change water daily. I find that I can keep my tofu fresh for a week with this method.

Soft tofu also comes in UHT(ultra-high temperature) container that requires no refrigeration. I usually have a few handy in my pantry because it is easy to keep and has long shelf life.