The term smoked comes from the verb ahumar: to make something contact smoke. It is a technique that is applied to food to give it a distinctive flavor and to facilitate its preservation.
The concept of smoking, in this framework, can refer to this technique for smoking or be used as an adjective to describe the product being smoked. The result of the application of the technique, in this way, is also known as smoked.
Smoking can be carried out hot (subjecting food to a temperature between 60 ° and 75 °C) or cold (less than 30 ° C). In this second case, the process requires more hours.
According to DigoPaul, smoked foods can be kept longer as the procedure reduces their humidity level. Thus, smoking is similar to salting as a preservation technique.
It should be noted that it is possible to smoke a wide variety of food products, from cheeses, sausages and meats to organic products such as tofu, through different alcoholic beverages. For example: “I think I’m going to order smoked salmon with rice”, “Last night I tried a smoked ham that my uncle brought from Spain: it was delicious”, “The German manufacturer announced the launch of a new smoked beer with a low alcohol content”.
Finally, smoked can be a qualifier that indicates that a transparent object has a somewhat opaque tone despite not necessarily having been in contact with smoke: “These lenses have smoked lenses to protect the eyes from the sun’s reflection”, “I bought a smoked glass table for the living room ”.
Smoked tofu
The tofu is one of those foods that, despite having existed for a long time, has gained great popularity worldwide in recent decades thanks to you globalization. Although it is far from being exclusive to vegans and vegetarians, given that it can attract any diner in its infinite recipes, the former are probably the ones that consume it the most to substitute meat and create vegetable cheeses, for example.
If we focus specifically on smoked tofu, we can say that its flavor is very intense and it manages to improve certain recipes such as hamburgers and sauces without any extra effort. In many stores, whether or not they are specialized in foods of plant origin, it is possible to find smoked tofu, ready for use in the kitchen; However, preparing it at home is easy and practical so as not to depend on its commercial version.
Regarding the ingredients, we will need the following: tofu, 200 grams; white rice, 80 grams; thyme; parsley; basil; coriander; dill; olive oil, about a tablespoon and a half; salt and pepper.
The first step is to dry the tofu, for which it is recommended to wrap it in a piece of absorbent kitchen paper and leave it until the excess liquid is removed. Next, slice it in not very thin sheets and apply on both sides the olive oil, salt and pepper. Leave it in a container for later cooking.
For the preparation of the aromatic herbs we will have to wash and chop coriander, parsley, dill and thyme; Although it is not one hundred percent necessary, breaking the mixture with a mortar can enhance the flavor.
It is time for smoking, proper. To do this, we must cover a frying pan with aluminum foil, and cook the herbs and rice over low heat in it. When smoke begins to rise, place a wire rack over the pan to rest the tofu sheets on it. Ten minutes are enough for each side to cook, although its inevitable change of color is the best indication to know when to remove them.
