Three Tasty Tofu Recipes

Since I went to Japan and came back several years later, I've found that certain Japanese foods have become a lot more popular here than they once were. Edamame (said "a dah mah may") is now a fairly common health food, and you see more and more tofu in big supermarkets.
Tofu can, despite its American reputation as a bland-but-good-for-you food, actually be pretty tasty when prepared right. Check out these traditional recipes for something new to try for dinner sometime!

Agedashidofu (揚げ出し豆腐）Fried tofu with a light sauce, shown to the right. One of my favorites and dead easy to make once you get the hang of it!

Hiyayakko (冷奴) Chilled tofu, perfect for hot summer days. Best made with "soft" tofu.

Mabodofu (麻婆豆腐)Actually Chinese, this spicy dish is pretty popular in Japan as well.

Important (and not obvious if you're new to the stuff): Tofu is stored in water, and when you're shopping for it you want to make sure the water in the pack is clear or only slightly colored. Cloudy water means the tofu's off.

Once you buy it, if you don't use it all immediately you'll need to drain it, put it in a new container, cover it with fresh water and change the water out once a day.

Image copyright "projectnada" of Yo!Sushi