Vegan chicken tofu from pressed tofu sheets (paper tofu)

This vegan chicken tofu is a traditional Chinese mock meat made from pressed tofu sheets. The process involves simmering paper tofu in a texture-altering alkaline solution before pressing it into a firm block. Once pressed and cooled, this versatile protein can be used in stir fries, braises, cold dishes, and more.

Jump to:

• What is paper tofu (pressed tofu sheets)?
• How alkaline treatment transforms tofu's texture
• How to transform paper tofu into vegan chicken tofu
• Vegan chicken tofu from pressed tofu sheets

What is paper tofu (pressed tofu sheets)?

Tofu is commonly perceived of as a pale block of tender pressed curds, but it can be processed into a wide array of shapes and textures. One is pressed tofu sheets, also called paper tofu, made by apply extreme pressure to compress the tofu into very thin, pliable sheets. They have a distinctive cross hatch pattern from the fabric they're pressed in and can be sliced into noodles for salads, stir fried, used in soups, or wrapped around other ingredients to be cooked in numerous ways.

Here in the UK you'll find it in the refrigerated section of Chinese grocers, typically alongside other tofu products. The common brand is Tofuking and the package is labelled "paper tofu." In the US, look for soy tofu sheets.

Given the waves of misinformation, exacerbated by presumed authorities (including from media websites, blogs, and influencers) who often conflate the two, it's unsurprising and forgiveable that folks don't understand the difference between these soy products. I think half the problem stems from use of the term "tofu skin" to refer to soy milk skin (yuba), a misnomer that obscures the fact it isn't a tofu product at all. The other half of the problem is self-styled experts who can't be arsed to do their homework. If you struggle to know whether or not you're buying yuba or paper tofu, check the ingredients. If there's a coagulant listed (e.g. magnesium chloride, as in the photo below) then you've got the correct product.

How alkaline treatment transforms tofu's texture

I've used semidried soy milk skin (yuba), available either frozen or ambient in Chinese supermarkets, to make a rolled faux chicken before (there's a recipe for this in Hannah Che's must-have cookbook The Vegan Chinese Kitchen). Recently, however, I came across the concept of using pressed tofu sheets in a similar way. Noteably, this recipe with paper tofu uses baking soda, a crucial (and very clever) step that makes a big difference in the texture.

You may have noticed a recent trend on English language social media (although this and similar methods are long known in other parts of the word) for lava or exploding tofu, made by marinating tofu in a brine that includes baking soda. The alkaline nature of baking soda changes the texture of tofu, reacting with the proteins to alter their structure so you end up with a softer, more elastic, meltier result.

The same thing happens when you use baking soda with pressed tofu sheets, where its primary purpose is to soften and gelatinise the compressed tofu sheets and help them bind together during pressing and cooking. The culmination of this process is a fused, cohesive block that doesn't fall apart when you slice it.

How to transform paper tofu into vegan chicken tofu

What you get is a very sturdy, somewhat bouncy, tofu-adjacent block that's suitable for all sorts of culinary uses. Here are a few ideas of how you can use this vegan chicken tofu:

• Hot Pot: Add slices or cubes to a bubbling hot pot.
• Cold salad: slice and mix with coriander (including and especially stems), soy sauce, minced garlic, black vinegar (e.g. Chinkiang), and chilli. Add some wood ear mushrooms and/or shredded carrot (cabbage too!) for additional texture.
• Thin slices in noodle soups like ramen, or to trick out your instant noodles
• Classic stir fries like kung pao chicken, pad gaprao, or as the protein in drunken noodles.