Tofu is one of the most celebrated and oldest foods on the planet. It’s consumption dates back over 2,000 years in Han dynasty China and it’s traditional in cuisines of Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam. The invention of tofu is often attributed to Prince Liu An, but documentation during this period makes it difficult to regard this as an absolute fact. The first American to officially mention tofu was Benjamin Franklin, who wrote about it in a letter to John Bartram.
Tofu is made by curdling soy milk and pressing the curds into solid blocks. Tofu comes in many different types, including silken, soft, firm, extra firm and super firm. These types of tofus can be made into a variety of dishes, for example silken tofu is commonly used in soups or broths, while firm tofu is served alongside noodles, rice, vegetables or meat. Tofu is high in protein and a great substitute for meat, however pressed tofu has a considerably higher protein percentage than unpressed. It’s one of the most popular meat substitutes worldwide, followed by tempeh (made from fermented soy beans) and seitan (made from wheat gluten).
Although tattoo collectors certainly show their love for meat through tattoos, a good number of collectors are rocking terrific tofu inspired ink. Take a peek at some of our favorite tofu inspired tattoos in the gallery below, then let us know your favorite way to prepare tofu in the comments section on social media.
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