JP7820103B2 - Powdered seasoning for tofu that is mixed with tofu to add flavor to the tofu. - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a powdered seasoning for tofu that is mixed with tofu to add flavor to the tofu.

Tofu is a low-calorie, healthy food that is also rich in nutrients. It can also be used in a variety of ways in cooking, such as eating it as is or crushing and mixing it into other dishes. With the recent trend toward healthier foods, there is a demand for new ways to eat tofu and variations in the way it is cooked.

Tofu is a food ingredient with a high moisture content, and when spices or seasonings are used to add flavor or richness, syneresis occurs, resulting in problems such as the need to drain the water or the inability to impart the desired flavor or richness. The object of the present invention is to provide a powdered seasoning that, when mixed with tofu to flavor it, can suppress syneresis and impart the desired flavor and richness to the tofu.

As a result of extensive research, the present inventors have found that the above-mentioned problems can be solved by using pregelatinized starch, and have thus completed the present invention.
[1]
This powdered seasoning for tofu is mixed with tofu to add flavor to the tofu, and is characterized by containing spices and/or seasonings and pregelatinized starch.
[2]
The powdered seasoning according to [1], wherein the pregelatinized starch contains pregelatinized starch derived from cassava, corn, or potato.
[3]
The powdered seasoning according to [1] or [2], wherein the spices and/or seasonings include roasted spices.
[4]
The powdered seasoning according to any one of [1] to [3], which is a powdered seasoning for non-heat cooking.
[5]
A tofu seasoning comprising tofu, spices and/or seasonings, and pregelatinized starch.
[6]
A food product comprising the tofu seasoning according to [5].

The present invention provides a powdered seasoning that, when mixed with tofu to flavor it, can suppress syneresis and impart the desired flavor and richness to tofu.

The powdered seasoning of the present invention is a powdered seasoning for tofu that is mixed with tofu to impart flavor to the tofu, and is characterized by containing spices and/or seasonings and pregelatinized starch.
The spices and seasonings used in the present invention are not particularly limited as long as they are commonly used in the art. For example, the spices may be at least one selected from the group consisting of coriander, thyme, cloves, allspice, rosemary, lemongrass, Italian parsley, oregano, chili pepper, pepper, Sichuan pepper, ginger, cumin, and garlic. The seasonings may also be at least one selected from the group consisting of amino acids such as glutamic acid, miso, soy sauce, sugar, salt, mirin, cooking sake, vinegar, ketchup, mayonnaise, medium-thick sauce, and oyster sauce. The spices and/or seasonings preferably include roasted spices. Here, "roasted spices" refer to spices heated with or without oil or water, and may also be pulverized into powder form by a conventional method after roasting. The roasting treatment is preferably carried out at a product temperature of 120°C or higher, more preferably 170°C or higher, and even more preferably 170°C or higher and approximately 230°C or lower. The roasting time can be, for example, 1 minute to 30 minutes, more preferably 4 minutes to 20 minutes. Examples of roasting spices include coriander, cloves, allspice, chili pepper, pepper, Sichuan pepper, ginger, cumin, and garlic, with coriander being preferred. The use of roasting spices can suppress the grassy smell of tofu.
The types and amounts of the spices and seasonings can be selected arbitrarily to obtain a desired flavor, etc. For example, chili pepper, pepper, ginger, garlic, etc. are used as spices, and salt, soy sauce, sugar, etc. are used as seasonings.

The pregelatinized starch used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is one commonly used in the art. Furthermore, processed starches obtained by further chemical treatments such as esterification, etherification, oxidation, and cross-linking in addition to the gelatinization treatment may also be used. For example, pregelatinized hydroxypropylated phosphate cross-linked starch, pregelatinized phosphate cross-linked starch, pregelatinized acetylated adipic acid cross-linked starch, pregelatinized acetylated phosphate cross-linked starch, pregelatinized acetylated oxidized starch, and pregelatinized hydroxypropyl starch may be used. Furthermore, the pregelatinized starch may be derived from cassava, corn, or potato. In the powdered seasoning of the present invention, one type of pregelatinized starch or a combination of two or more types may be used. The use of pregelatinized starch can suppress syneresis when mixed with tofu to impart flavor to the tofu.
The amount of pregelatinized starch to be added can be varied depending on the amount of tofu to be mixed and flavored, etc. Generally, it is 0.3 to 8.5 g, preferably 0.8 to 3.5 g, per 150 g of tofu to be mixed and flavored.

The powdered seasoning of the present invention may further contain any food ingredient or any additive commonly used in the art, as long as it does not impair the objectives of the present invention. Furthermore, the powdered seasoning of the present invention can be produced by any method commonly used in the art.

The powdered seasoning of the present invention is a powdered seasoning for tofu that is mixed with tofu to add flavor to the tofu. When mixing the powdered seasoning of the present invention with tofu, the tofu may be crumbled while mixing. The tofu seasoning obtained by mixing the powdered seasoning of the present invention with tofu may be eaten as is without cooking, or may be eaten with vegetables, meat, and/or seafood. In other words, the powdered seasoning of the present invention can be used as a powdered seasoning to be eaten without heating. Furthermore, foods containing the tofu seasoning, such as those topped on vegetables, meat, and/or seafood, are foods that match the recent trend toward healthier foods and can provide new variations in dishes with desired flavors and richness.

(Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2)
The raw materials listed in Table 1 below were appropriately mixed to prepare powdered seasonings of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2. The roasted coriander listed in Tables 1 to 4 was prepared by placing coriander seeds in an oven preheated to 210°C, heating for 20 minutes, allowing them to cool, and then pulverizing them. The product temperature before cooling (during heating) was 170°C.
150 g of tofu and 8 g of powdered seasoning were mixed while crumbling the tofu with a spoon. The resulting tofu seasoning was evaluated by a panel of five people for syneresis and flavor after 15 minutes of cooking, according to the following criteria. The results are shown in Table 1.
(separation)
◎: No water at the bottom after mixing ○: Water at the bottom after mixing, but not noticeable △: Water forms at the bottom after mixing ×: Water accumulates at the bottom after mixing (flavor/richness)
◎: The powder has no unpleasant texture to the tongue and has a rich flavor. 〇: The powder has a slight texture to the tongue, and the flavor is rich, but not as strong as "◎". △: The powder has an unpleasant texture to the tongue, but not to the extent that it feels strange. ×: The powder has an unpleasant texture to the tongue, and feels strange when eaten.

Example 5
Powdered seasonings were prepared by appropriately mixing the ingredients listed in Table 2 below. 150 g of tofu and 10 g of powdered seasoning were mixed while crumbling the tofu using a spoon. The resulting tofu seasonings were evaluated by a panel of five people in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 2.

Example 6
Powdered seasonings were prepared by appropriately mixing the ingredients listed in Table 3 below. 150 g of tofu and 10 g of powdered seasoning were mixed while crumbling the tofu using a spoon. The resulting tofu seasonings were evaluated by a panel of five people in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 3.

Example 7
Powdered seasonings were prepared by appropriately mixing the ingredients listed in Table 4 below. 150 g of tofu and 10 g of powdered seasoning were mixed while crumbling the tofu using a spoon. The resulting tofu seasonings were evaluated by a panel of five people in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 4.

The tofu seasonings obtained in Examples 1 to 7 were each placed on three lettuce leaves (75 g) and enjoyed as a delicious salad.

Claims (4)

This powdered seasoning for tofu is mixed with tofu to add flavor to the tofu, and is characterized in that it contains spices and/or seasonings and pregelatinized starch, the spices and/or seasonings contain roasted spices, and the pregelatinized starch is contained in an amount of 0.3 to 8.5 g per 150 g of tofu. The powdered seasoning according to claim 1, wherein the pregelatinized starch comprises pregelatinized starch derived from cassava, corn, or potato. A food product comprising tofu, spices and/or seasonings, and pregelatinized starch,
The tofu seasoning is characterized in that the spices and/or seasonings include roasted spices, and the tofu seasoning contains 0.3 to 8.5 g of the pregelatinized starch per 150 g of tofu. A food product comprising the tofu seasoning according to claim 3 .