Tofu (Chinese: 豆腐; pinyin: dòufu; Wade–Giles: tou4-fu), also known as bean curd in English, is a food prepared by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness; it can be silken, soft, firm, extra firm or super firm. Beyond these broad textural categories, there are many varieties of tofu. It has a subtle flavor, so it can be used in savory and sweet dishes. It is often seasoned or marinated to suit the dish and its flavors, and due to its spongy texture, it absorbs flavors well. It is a traditional component of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines, and has been consumed in China for over 2,000 years. In modern western cooking, it is most often treated as a meat substitute. Nutritionally, tofu is low in calories, while containing a relatively large amount of protein. It is high in iron...