What soybean curd means
Soybean curd is another name for tofu, also called bean curd. It is made in a similar way to cheese. Soya beans are soaked, ground with water and cooked, then strained to make soy milk. A coagulant, such as nigari, a natural salt from seawater, gypsum or an acid, is added to the hot soy milk, causing it to separate into curds and whey. The curds are then ladled into moulds and pressed to form blocks.
Tofu originated in China and is a staple of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and South East Asian cooking. It comes in many textures. Silken tofu is not pressed, so it is smooth, soft and custard-like, and is used in soups, desserts, dressings and blended sauces. Soft, firm and extra-firm tofu are pressed to different degrees and hold their shape for cooking. Tofu has a mild, slightly nutty flavour and readily absorbs the flavours of marinades, sauces and seasonings.
It is stir-fried, braised, deep-fried, grilled, baked, scrambled, steamed and added to soups and stews. Famous dishes include Sichuan mapo tofu, Japanese agedashi tofu and miso soup, and Korean soondubu jjigae. Many processed forms also exist, such as fried tofu puffs, smoked tofu, fermented tofu and dried tofu skin. You will see soybean curd in Asian recipes, vegetarian cooking and on menus.