“Tofu, which originated in China and is also known as soybean curd or bean curd, is made from curdled soy milk, an iron-rich liquid extracted from ground, cooked soybeans. The resulting curds are drained and pressed into a block, sort of like the cheese-making process. The firmness of the tofu depends on how much whey is extracted, but it’s usually always at least somewhat custard-like and a shade of pale white.

“Tofu has a bland, nutty-like flavor that gives it a chameleon-like capability to take on the flavor of the food with which it’s cooked,” according to “The New Food Lovers’s Companion,” the fifth edition of the classic food bible. “Its texture is smooth and creamy, yet it’s firm enough to slice.” It’s kinda spongy too.”

Chowhound