Scrambled Tofu

Ingredients

1 12-ounce box silken tofu
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tsp olive oil or butter for the pan
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

I've discovered the secret to soft, puffy scrambled tofu that come out every bit as tender and smooth as real scrambled eggs: Silken tofu. There's a second secret at work here as well: A double cooking process—boiling followed by frying—firms up the tofu just enough to prevent it from disintegrating into crumbs as it gets fried. Instead, it fluffs up into the most convincing scrambled egg impersonation yet. The tofu can be boiled up to several days ahead of time and stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. It can go directly from the refrigerator into the hot frying pan.

Cut open the box of tofu, and slide its contents into a medium-sized saucepan. Add water to cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then drain in a fine-mesh strainer. Transfer to a plate, and use a dinner knife to cut the tofu into pieces the size of large cottage cheese curds.

Place an 8-inch crêpe or omelet pan over medium heat and wait several minutes. Spray it lightly with nonstick spray, and add a little olive oil or butter. Wait about 10 seconds, then swirl to coat the pan.

Add the tofu pieces and a large pinch of salt and a light sprinkling of pepper, and sauté over medium heat for about 8 minutes, or until the tofu is light golden brown. Transfer to a plate and serve right away.