Should tofu be blanched in cold water

After blanching tofu, it generally does not need to be cooled with water. It can be directly drained and used for cooking. Blanching can remove the bean odor and maintain a tender and smooth texture, while too cold water may cause sudden temperature changes and affect the texture.

Blanching is a key step in tofu pretreatment. Short term blanching with boiling water can solidify surface proteins and reduce the risk of breakage during subsequent cooking. The tender tofu and northern tofu commonly used in Chinese cuisine can be blanched to enhance their toughness, especially suitable for shaping methods such as braising and frying. If you want to make cold tofu or pursue a firmer texture, you can cool it naturally after blanching. Too much cold water will cause the outer layer of tofu to shrink too quickly, forming honeycomb inside and affecting its flavor absorption ability.

In special circumstances, if rapid cooling is needed to prevent residual heat from continuing to cook tofu, it can be briefly cooled with cold water but immediately removed. In Japanese cuisine, when making cold tofu, ice water is sometimes used to rapidly cool it, but it requires the use of denser texture cotton tofu. In home cooking, if tofu has been blanched until fully cooked, excessive cold water may cause nutrient loss, among which calcium and B vitamins are easily soluble in water.

For daily processing of tofu, it is recommended to choose the blanching method according to the needs of the dish. Cold dishes can be blanched and naturally cooled, while hot dishes can be drained directly. Keep the water in the blanched tofu and add it to the soup to enhance its freshness. Note that refrigerated tofu should be warmed up to room temperature before blanching to avoid excessive temperature difference and cracking. When paired with seafood or leafy greens, tofu with cold water is more likely to absorb the flavor of the soup.