Tofu

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Tofu

 

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Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1 cup dry organic soybeans

15 cups purified water

1 1/2 teaspoons nigari (or other coagulant) or 3

tablespoons undiluted vinegar

 

Yield: About 1 pound * Prep Time: About 1 1/2 hours

 

In Japan it is common practice to shop daily for fresh tofu, just as Parisians

make a trip each day to the baker for bread. Once you have tasted fresh tofu,

you will understand why. Its delicate, pure taste is so appealing that many

enjoy fresh tofu served quite simply chilled with a light soba-style dipping

sauce alongside. In addition to a better taste, making your own tofu allows you

to control the texture of the tofu you make to fit precisely with the needs of

particular recipes. The only drawback to making tofu from scratch is the time

involved-count on at least 1 1/2 hours the first time you make it. If, however,

you find yourself eating tofu on a regular basis, it is well worth the

investment to experiment, at least once, with making your own; the process

becomes demystified and less of a challenge once you know how it works.

 

Making tofu is similar to making dairy cheese. Just as rennet is used to curdle

milk for cheese, a coagulant is added to soy milk which causes it to curdle.

Nigari (or bittern), a salt evaporated from sea water, is the most traditional

coagulant. Nigari, sold in most natural foods markets, has a pale, almost

translucent quality with a pinkish tinge and, like many sea salts, it dries in

small chunks. Nigari should be stored in an airtight container as even in the

driest climates it will eventually begin to liquefy if exposed to moisture in

the air. Epsom salt, calcium chloride, calcium sulfate, or magnesium chloride

(all available at most pharmacies) may also be used as coagulants. The process

also works with undiluted vinegar or lemon juice, though their flavor can be

overly dominant and they may produce a tofu with a slightly grainy texture.

 

Besides the coagulant, the only unusual item needed to make tofu is a mold in

which the tofu can drain (a 'forming box " ). You can easily make a satisfactory

tofu mold out of a 1-quart, square- or rectangular-shaped plastic storage

container, Punch or drill 1/4-inch holes spaced about 3/4 inch apart over the

bottom and sides of the container. You must also fashion a flat lid to fit

snugly inside the container to within 1/8 inch of the perimeter of the mold.

Once the tofu is draining, the lid is weighted down as a means of achieving tofu

of desired firmness. You will also need a blender, a 6- to 8-quart pot, and a

second large pot or very large bowl, a large strainer, cheesecloth, and

sufficient purified or clean spring water.

 

1. Pick over the beans to remove any debris, then rinse the beans and place them

in a bowl with enough cold water to cover. Set aside to soak for at least 8

hours, preferably overnight. Drain and rinse the beans before proceeding.

 

2. The beans will have expanded to about 3 1/2 cups. Place about 1 cup of the

soaked beans in the blender and add 1 1/2 cups water. Grind the beans until they

are a very fine, even texture. Pour this mixture into a large pot and grind the

remaining beans in the same way. Then rinse the blender bowl with an additional

cup of water and add this to the pot as well. You will have used about 6 1/4

cups of purified water to this point.

 

3. Cook the beans over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture reaches a

boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the bean mixture for 20 minutes, stirring

often. (This cooking step is essential as soybeans contain an enzyme called

trypsin which, unless properly cooked, interferes with the body's assimilation

of the protein contained in the beans.)

 

4. As the beans cook, wet a triple thickness of cheesecloth that is big enough

to line your strainer and tofu mold. Place the cheesecloth in the strainer and

set the strainer over the second pot or large bowl which should be placed in the

sink.

 

5. Pour the cooked beans through the cheesecloth allowing the liquid to drain

into the second pot. Rinse the emptied cooking pot out with an additional cup of

water and pour this through the strainer.

 

6. Gradually pour the 5 1/2 cups cold water into the pot, through the ground

sovbean pulp that remains in the strainer. Once this pulp is cool enough to

handle, twist the cheesecloth around it and begin squeezing to extract as much

liquid as possible. The liquid that has been strained out of the pulp is soy

milk The pulp that remains in the cheesecloth is called " okara " (see note,

below).

 

7. Heat the soy milk to a boil, stirring often. Meanwhile, dissolve the nigari

in the remaining cup of water. (If using vinegar or lemon juice, do not dissolve

it.) Once the soy milk boils, remove it from the heat and gently stir in about

1/3 of the nigari mixture. Allow the soy milk to rest for a minute, then gently

stir in mother 1/3 of the nigari. Cover the pot and allow it to rest,

undisturbed, for 5 minutes. If, at this point, the soy milk appears curdled,

with a dear and yellowish whey distinctly separated from the curds, no more

coagulant is needed. If the soy milk still appears milky, gently add the

remaining nigari so that the curds separate from the whey.

 

8. Transfer the okara from the cheesecloth to a storage container and rinse the

cloth well. Line the tofu mold with the cheesecloth and place the mold over a

large bowl in the sink Ladle the curds gently into the mold, allowing the whey

to drain into the bowl. Once all curds are in the mold, gently squeeze the

cheesecloth to extract excess whey, then allow the curds to settle back into the

shape of the mold. Fold a smooth layer of cheesecloth over the top of the curds

and place the lid on top. Place a 2- to 3-pound weight on top of the lid and

allow the curds-which are transforming into tofu-to drain for 30 minutes to 11/2

hours Dr until it is the desired firmness. For a slightly more even-textured

tofu, carefully lift the cheesecloth from the mold partway through the pressing.

Place the block of tofu on the work space and gently peel off the cheesecloth.

Flip the tofu over and return it to the cheesecloth-lined mold to finish

pressing. Use the tofu immediately, or refrigerate it, covered with purified

water, in a plastic container for several days. Change the water daily.

 

Variation

 

1. You can prepare seasoned tofu by adding flavors to the curds before they are

molded. If you wish to experiment with this, try the flavor combinations in the

tofu " sausage " recipe (page 166).

 

Cook's Notes: The soybeans must soak at least 8 hours before beginning the

procedure of preparing the tofu. Also, once prepared, the tofu must drain for at

least 30 minutes, depending on the firmness desired, before being used in a

recipe.

 

Okara is the pulp that is left once soy milk is strained from ground, cooked

soybeans. It contains some of the soybean's protein and most of the fiber. Okara

has a very mild, slightly beany flavor and can be used in a number of ways as

you cook. Okara can be added to Seitan Cutlets (page 48) (add 1/2 cup) for added

fiber, or it may be stirred into chili or soups along with the beans. It also

holds moisture in baked goods, adding up to 1/2 cup to many standard muffin or

fruit breads. You may also use okara as the base for a spread, adding

ingredients such as miso, garlic, minced scallions, spices, and so on.

 

 

Source:

" ISBN 0-89594-738-2 "

 

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 0 Calories; 0g Fat (0.0% calories from

fat); 0g Protein; 0g Carbohydrate; 0g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 0mg

Sodium. Exchanges: .

 

 

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0