Tofu

I don't eat red meat and rarely eat chicken or fish. I would like to eat tofu, but the texture grosses me out. Can you recommend some other sources of soy protein? You don't have to be a diehard vegan to enjoy soy, which is a great source of protein and is heart-healthier than most animal proteins. Soy may even help prevent certain forms of cancer. As for alternatives to tofu (soybean curd), soy milk and soy nuts are good choices. With the rise of sushi bars and Asian-inspired cuisine, soybeans (also called edamame or sweet beans)

HONG KONG-- --A few weeks ago I visited with chef Mak Kip Fu, who oversees the kitchen at Tang Court in Hong Kong's Langham Hotel, one of the finest restaurants in all of Southeast China. Among the many dazzling examples of both Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine with which Fu tantalizes his diners, a recipe for fluffy shrimp croquettes caught my eye because its binding ingredient was not potato or bread crumbs, but a more indigenous substance: tofu. First, he pureed fresh shrimp and stirred it into the tofu, along with mushrooms and a scant few shavings of ham. After scooping up teaspoons of this mixture, he briefly steamed them and then dropped the croquettes into an oil-filled wok placed above a roaringly high flame for just a few moments of deep-frying.

Columbia tofu lovers' prayers were answered this month when a Taiwanese company set up shop in town.But in the rough-and-tumble worldof tofu trading, the company has its work cut out for it.Wen's Food Inc., thought by Maryland trade representan the Baltimore-Washington area.Company president I Wen, who operates a factory in Ping-tung, in southern Taiwan, said he also hopes to do a little retailing from the front of his factory on Red Branch Road near Route 108.In his steamy 2-week-old factory (the exhaust fans were being fixed)

If they could pull you aside and talk about the future, Edward Walker and Andrew Wilks would utter one simple word: tofu.The two businessmen from Silver Spring, Montgomery County, see big things coming for tofu, a protein-rich, custard-like food derived from soybeans.And they're coming to Carroll to try to make that vision a reality.Walker and Wilks, who run Litetrends Co. Inc., plan to produce "second-generation" tofu in Eldersburg.The company has developed a process that gives raw tofu a flavor, texture and consistency similar to that of meat.

The funny thing about tofu is that, despite its long history as a dietary staple (records of its use date back as far as the 10th century) and the news touting it as a nutritional powerhouse (it's packed with protein and disease-fighting phytochemicals), it is still a culinary laughingstock.But the joys of tofu are no joke. All it needs is some serious seasoning. Pair it with the rich spiciness of coconut-curry broth, the salty sweetness of miso or the nutty bite of tahini and ginger and you may just find yourself eating tofu for the pure pleasure of it.Tofu, like other protein sources, is a perishable item that must be handled with care.

It's tough being a vegan at most Baltimore restaurants. Often, you're relegated to a one- or two-item corner of the menu. Gregory Brown opened The Land of Kush at 840 N. Eutaw St., because, a vegan himself, he wanted a place where his culinary compatriots could eat without worry. The whole menu is theirs. But unlike a lot of omnivore establishments, he doesn't neglect his nontarget market — in this case, meat-eaters. Well, carnivores, think barbecued ribs, curried chicken, turkey and gravy, and sweet 'n' sour seitan.

Most vegetarian cookbooks seem like compendiums of side dishes. So sue me: I'm a confirmed carnivore. But lately, with so much in the news about the health benefits of soy foods, I decided to explore the wonders of tofu and tempeh. After some experimenting, I still felt they weren't the most intriguing foodstuffs. Sue me again: I'm not going to eat something just because it's good for me. Then along came Ken Charney's new The Bold Vegetarian Chef (John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2002, $29.95)

Q. I think too many people are experimenting with a potentially dangerous food item -- soy. I myself have experienced some odd symptoms that doctors could not figure out. I finally determined that the problems appear after eating soy products. At the time of my worst symptoms, I was eating up to three pounds of tofu a week. (I loved it for breakfast, warmed with a little soy sauce, plus various recipes for dinner.) I thought I had thyroid problems causing weight gain, hair loss, depression, water retention in hands and feet and breast swelling.

Creamy dips don't have to carry a heavy burden of fat - not when there are low-fat and fat-free alternatives to traditional dips laden with mayonnaise, sour cream and oil.Nonfat plain yogurt and low-fat ricotta cheese are long-standing staples for lightening up dips. Blending either of these products (or a mixture) with a puree of fresh vegetables or fruits gives light-hearted dips an entirely new dimension: gorgeous color.Another invaluable ingredient for lighter dips is soft (silken) tofu, a soy product with a delicate, pudding-like texture.