im finding tofu really hard to get used to, its so soft and spongy...why does it become like rubber when its?!

You've got that nasty white flabby supermarket stuff.

PLEASE don't eat that stuff, it' s horrible!

Go to a good chinese or thai supermarket, find a china town with GOOD supplies. They should have FRESH tofu- like when it's really fresh, it's still hot, like bread. It pulls apart like bread and it smells peautty and fresh , it's soooogood.

I buy it fresh- it's not in a square white tub of water or falbby and soft and jellified. It's moist and dray at the same time- just like fresh bread.
I also am addicted to baked tofu- it's made by afc, and it's very dense, thick and chewy , a bit like steak or mushrooms when baked- the tofu is pressed down hard and marinaded with spices when they make it, so you get a thinner ( about an inch thick) slab of deep chewy rich tofu.
It's not soft and spongey at all- it's just the best.

And I HATE that watery soft flabby stuff

I never deep frry it either. Although I've had it this way in Malaysia and China, and it's good, soft, crunchy on the outside, it isn't my favourite preparation.
You should REALLY invest in a good China/Thai supermarket, and stock up.
I buy six packs at once.
http://www.afctradingwholesale.com/en/Ba…

Potato dumplings - gnocchi. Veg ravioli (can be fried afterwards if you just want the crispiness), Polish Pierogi. Lots of starchy things i know, but mushrooms and truffles work really well with them, lots of herbs, and GOOD extra V. olive oil will do you no harm. Don,t be afraid of fats - just make sure that you have the right ones.

get extra-firm, and press it in a cheesecloth for a few hours.... and then marinade it with your favorite marinade and grill it

you can also take silken tofu an make a amazing ranch dressing you can dip food into, or use on salads

http://mypursuitof.blogspot.com/2008/02/…

If you hate tofu, you don't really need to eat it. Some people like the texture, some don't. I can stand it some ways- for example, when it's in soba noodles, and it's been chopped up in little pieces and stir-fried in peanut oil.

I LOVE tempheh, I suggest trying to find that. Tempeh bacon, tempeh chili, tempeh sloppy joes, hot-sauce glazed tempeh, baked tempeh- you can do a ton with it. It's chewy, and has an almost nutty flavor- the flavor can also be reduced a lot by steaming it 10 minutes, then let it cool and prepare it.

Get a good vegetarian/vegan cookbook, and it'd be helpful if we knew what diet you were on and then we could make more specific suggestions.

i rarely fry my tofu, and when i do i pan fry it, i don't deep fry it. unless i am throwing it into the blender, i press my tofu (wrap it in a dishcloth and press it under a heavy object... i usually put a plate on top as well and balance some cans of beans). i'll then marinade it and bake it. have you tried textured vegetable protein (TVP)? it's a decent substitute for ground meat. you season it yourself, but it retains some of it's ...odd flavor. it's not bad, my omni husband can't taste it, he just notices a texture difference (well, and i'm eating it).

freezing tofu will affect it's texture, apparently giving it a more meaty texture. there are quite a few recipes for that.

being in a small town in germany i get a lot of my vegan products from vegan essentials. they have a decent selection and are the best prices i've found. i check amazon.com here and there, but they don't deliver most food stuffs to my address.

one of my favorite online sources for recipes is vegweb.

http://www.veganessentials.com/
http://vegweb.com/