America doesn't know tofu

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

America’s view of tofu as a bland “white block” meat substitute misses the diversity of Chinese soy products, which span dozens of distinct textures and flavors—some closer to bread, cheese, or pastry than to the typical supermarket brick. Commenters debate how to bring these varieties and techniques into Western markets, touching on the limits of current vegan cheeses, the merits of seitan and other meat alternatives, the role of Asian grocers versus mainstream chains, and how cultural politics and misconceptions about soy’s health effects have shaped tofu’s reputation.

Perception and Variety of Tofu

  • Several commenters are excited by the idea of the many distinct Chinese tofus (bready, cheese-like, melty, etc.).
  • Others note that North American Asian supermarkets already carry many tofu types, but there’s disagreement on how many and on quality.
  • Some say typical “20 kinds” in US Chinese markets are mostly firmness variants and comparatively low-quality; others insist big coastal chains stock far more, including most examples shown in the article.
  • Stinky tofu and fermented bean curd are discussed as strong-flavored, cheese-adjacent products, but stinky tofu is described as highly divisive, even in Asia.

Tofu, Cheese, and Vegan Substitutes

  • Thread explores tofu as a potential “true” vegan cheese alternative with melt and protein.
  • Some want vegan cheese to match dairy on flavor, melt, and macros; others think worrying about protein in cheese is unnecessary because vegans can get protein elsewhere.
  • A plant-based cheese maker explains technical barriers: rennet acts on casein (absent in plant milks); most current vegan cheeses are coconut-oil and nut based with limited protein and imperfect melting.
  • Precision-fermented vegan casein is mentioned as a future path, but not yet at scale.

Production, Import, and Availability

  • Debate over whether to import finished tofu vs. setting up US production using domestic soy.
  • Some highlight existing diverse US tofu producers and Asian-style tofu shops; others argue specialty regional Chinese tofus still lack local analogues.
  • One commenter criticizes the premise that “America doesn’t know tofu,” pointing to chain Asian groceries with large tofu sections.

Cultural and Political Baggage Around Soy

  • Discussion of US myths that soy/phytoestrogens “feminize” men; several say large datasets (including the “China Study”) show minimal effect.
  • Some argue anti-soy rhetoric is intertwined with stereotypes of Asians as weak; others say modern “soy boy” memes target Western vegans/tech types, not Asians, and arose recently alongside soy-based processed foods.
  • Historical notes: soy in North America was long used mainly as animal feed; lack of culinary adoption preceded modern memes.

Tofu as Meat Alternative vs. Standalone Food

  • Multiple commenters stress that in Chinese and Japanese contexts tofu is “just another food,” often cooked with meat (e.g., mapo tofu), not defined as a replacement.
  • In the US, tofu is heavily framed as a vegetarian/vegan meat substitute, which some see as hurting its broader adoption.
  • Others liken tofu to “the cheese of Chinese cuisine” in terms of variety, not substitution.

Cooking Techniques and Home Use

  • Many admit most Americans don’t know how to cook tofu well.
  • Shared tips: drain/press or freeze to remove water; fry much longer than instinct suggests; marinate deeply; bake to dry then re-marinate; coat with starch for a crust.
  • One dessert hack: blend silken tofu with melted chocolate into an Oreo crust for an easy mousse-like pie.

Other Protein-Rich Alternatives: Seitan, TVP, Tempeh

  • Several praise seitan as a superior meat analogue (texture, umami), widely used in East Asian Buddhist mock meats.
  • In the West, seitan and gluten-based products exist but are less prominent than soy, partly due to gluten-free trends.
  • Textured vegetable protein (TVP) gets positive mentions as cheap and effective in “meaty” dishes.
  • Tempeh is noted; some say it’s now widely available in US supermarkets, others recall it being rare in the past.

Media, Culture, and Vegetarianism

  • Some praise the magazine’s vivid writing; others initially misread a deliberately ungrammatical article title as an editorial failure, prompting discussion about cultural references and “context collapse.”
  • A linked moral-philosophy article about slavery and future views on meat consumption is cited as pushing at least one reader to go vegetarian.
  • Chinese cookbooks and YouTube channels are recommended for learning authentic tofu and vegetable-focused dishes.

Health and Regulatory Concerns

  • Brief side-thread about fears of future legal restrictions on animal farming/consumption; others ask for concrete examples and note current efforts focus more on farming and “sin taxes” (e.g., sugar) than on outright meat bans.
  • One commenter mentions personal intolerance to many plant foods and reliance on ruminant meats and eggs, expressing anxiety about such trends.