I prefer firm tofu usually, but the authentic Chinese places often use what I think is silken in their Ma Po Tofu (one of my favorite authentic Chinese dishes) and while it does break apart easily, the texture is really interesting, especially if the Ma Po also has some ground pork in it, the contracting textures are very nice.
Firm tofu also deep fries well. That texture is great too. I also like to marinate tofu chunks in a mixture of Thai mushroom soy and chili garlic sauce with a bit of black pepper. Marinate for a couple days, stirring gently then let that sit at room temp for a while and eat right out of the container I marinated it in as a snack. I always slice the tofu and lay in between layers of a kitchen towel with a cutting board over top weighted with cookbooks (they are literally just weights, I haven't cracked open an actual cookbook in some time!) to squeeze out moisture, allowing the tofu to soak up sauces and flavors better.
I haven't gotten in to making miso soup from scratch. I certainly admire those that do. I'm using dashi granules and light or "white" (actually more like yellow) miso, but have got the ratios down perfectly for us. I like salt, but you are right, it's real easy to get it too salty using both.
I like a pinch of wakimi (broken up in a mortar and pestle so they are small), chili garlic sauce and green onions in my miso soup...and, totally not traditional...a few fresh grinds of black pepper.
I have not, but just looked it up and it may take me years, but it's now on my list! I'm not afraid of deep frying! Do you deep fry or make and eat them fresh? Where do you find lumpia wrappers?
Making the fresh spring rolls can be time consuming and tedious but are a real treat, especially with the right sauce. Rice wrappers can be a bit tricky, I'm still getting the hang of it to wrap the perfect tightness without tearing. Laying them on parchment or wax paper while rolling the rest helps keep them from sticking to whatever you lay them on until ready to cut and serve them all. I fill a pie plate with warm water, run the wrappers one at a time through the water and right on to the clean counter or cutting board and roll immediately.
I buy the wraps at a local Asian store, I like the square wraps, but a lot of people use the same wraps they use to make potstickers. I very lightly, and I mean barely, brown the ground pork. Also, I wilt the veg. in a hot pan with a little sesame or peanut oil, roll them up, to seal the loose tag end, a dab of beaten egg whites works great, freeze them and either deep fry, or pan fry in a 1/4'' of either veg or peanut oil, whatever I have on hand.
For the veg. I use shredded cabbage, a few grated white onions, and Julianne sliced carrots.
One of these make it super easy.
This sauce is a must.
The stuff is kill'er.
Also, soy sauce with a splash of rice wine vinegar, some sugar, and diced Fresno chilis, or the dried chili that you put on pizza works in a pinch.
I also really like that hot Asian mustard, pretty much anything you would dip potstickers into would work great, but you HAVE TO buy a small bottle of the Mae Ploy sauce, it's a must have for Lumpia, any Asian store will have it, a lot of supermarkets carry it as well.
Try them, I know that you will love'um, and people go nuts over them.
They are fun to make as well, my wife and I sit at the table with a cocktail with some tunes ripping.
