Bean Curd Home Style vs Szechuan Style: Know the Difference

Bean curd is otherwise known as tofu. It is a favorite among the inhabitants of South East Asia. But how do they even come up with it? Simple – just coagulate soy milk. Once curdled, you can press the liquid and separate the whey. And voila, you have your bean curd or tofu. Now, what if someone comes to you and asks – do you prefer bean curd home style or Szechuan style?

In case you’re on the fence about the two styles, don’t worry. We are taking you through both of them in this article. By the end, you’ll definitely be certain about which one you’d go with. To know the clear winner of the two, we have to look at all the differences between them. So, let’s get the ball rolling.

Table of Contents

The Differences Between Bean Curd Home Style vs Szechuan Style

There are clear differences between the bean curd home style and the Szechuan style. So, we’ll start off with a table of comparison.

	Bean Curd Home Style	Bean Curd Szechuan Style
Tofu type	Firm	Medium-firm or silken
Preparation difficulty	Easy and quick	Time-consuming
Texture	Crunchy and firm	Saucy, soft, and tender
Flavor	Tangy, a bit spicy, and salty	Spicy and hot

Bean Curd Home Style vs Szechuan Style: Taste

When it comes down to the taste, bean curd home style is a bit salty but with a fresh flavor. The light flavor of tofu comes through stronger when you’re eating home-style bean curd as compared to Szechuan style. The home-style bean curd gives you a sense of tangy spiciness that lingers lightly.

As for bean curd Szechuan style, the taste is hot and tongue-numbing. So, if you’re the kind of person who prefers hot foodstuffs, then you might just enjoy the Szechuan style. You probably won’t get enough of this spicy variant.

Bean Curd Home Style vs Szechuan Style: Nutrition

Nutrition is vital when analyzing any foodstuff. That is why we had to check the nutritional information for both bean curd home style and Szechuan style. One serving of bean curd home style has 25g carbohydrates, 11g fat, 20g protein, and 260 calories.

On the other hand, Szechuan home-style bean curd has 14g carbohydrates, 10g fat, 17g protein, and 200 calories per serving. So, as you can clearly see, the bean curd home style has more calories than the latter. If you’re on a diet, the Szechuan style would be a better option to go with.

Bean Curd Home Style vs Szechuan Style: Health Benefits

Both bean curd home style and the Szechuan style have similar health benefits, including the following:

Reduces the chances of getting cardiovascular diseases.
Can potentially reduce the risk of cancers.
More likely to enhance and promote bone health.
Reduces the risk that comes with age-related brain diseases.
Can potentially reduce the chances of getting diabetes.
Can help to treat symptoms of menopause.

What Are the Uses of Bean Curd Home Style?

You can use bean curd home style for different purposes in your recipes. For instance, you can add it to

Creamy desserts like puddings.
Smoothies.
Stews.
Baking.
Grilled foodstuffs.

You can also eat bean curd home-style alongside brown rice or rice wine vinegar. The fact that it is easy and quick to make makes it a better choice to prepare when in a hurry.

What Are the Uses of the Bean Curd Szechuan Style?

Bean curd Szechuan style is particularly great for those who are on a diet and need lesser calories, as we have stated above. It also has the following uses:

Reducing bad cholesterol levels.
Has a low-fat content, which makes it ideal for those with diabetes.
Tones facial muscles and helps to improve the elasticity of the skin.

So, what can you add bean curd Szechuan style to? Here are some examples of where to add this brilliant-tasting tofu to:

Spicy soups.
Bean noodles.
Stir-fries.

Related Reading: 30 Healthy Tofu and Pesto Recipes

Which One Should You Choose? (Bean Curd Home Style vs Szechuan Style)

Now it has come down to making a choice between bean curd home style and Szechuan style. Having looked at all of the differences and similarities between the two variants, we can confidently give you a piece of advice on how to choose.

We are going to do so by giving you different reasons why you should choose either bean curd home style or Szechuan style.

Reasons to Choose Bean Curd Home Style

So, what are some of the reasons why you need to choose the bean curd home style?

A quicker option. In case you’re the kind of person that doesn’t fancy long procedures, then bean curd home style can be a better pick for you. It is fast and simple to prepare.
Crunchy and firm. Some individuals just prefer crunchier and firmer meals. If you fall under this category, then you will definitely enjoy bean curd home style.

Reasons to Choose Bean Curd Szechuan Style

Here are some of the reasons why you’d opt for bean curd Szechuan style instead:

Lesser calories. Say you’re on a diet or just prefer lesser calories, then the Szechuan style would be a better option for you. It has lesser calories than the home-style option.
Spicier. Do you enjoy spicier variants? Then Szechuan is the ideal pick for you. It is a lot spicier than the home-style option.
Softer/medium firm. Maybe softer is the way to go for you when it comes to your tofu. Then you can definitely go with the Szechuan style.

Conclusion

As you can see above, both the bean curd home style and the Szechuan style have their clear differences/advantages. You can now freely choose the one that favors your taste buds and health.

But for now, we’d strongly advise that you go for the Szechuan style. This is because it has lesser calories – hence, healthier.