Having recently developed a taste for tofu I decide to have a go at making my own. From scratch. From soy beans. There are pages and pages of information on the internet on making soy milk and then making the tofu from the soy milk, most with complex instructions. I was slightly filled with trepidation but determined, and was pleasantly surprised. Making the tofu was actually very easy. It got a large number of utensils and pots and pans dirty, but was not difficult, it does require a little organisation and planning but the actual hands on cooking time was only about 30 mins, if that. Maybe I was very lucky and next time it will go wrong.
Tofu is basically soy milk cheese, making it is a two stage process, make the soy milk, then make tofu from the milk. Having made paneer before I was fairly confident the second stage of the process would not be too hard.
So here is the Fuss Free Flavours Fuss Free 6 stage guide to homemade tofu.
1) Soak soy beans
2) Grind soy beans in food processor
3) Boil bean pulp to make the soy milk
4) Strain milk
5) Add a coagulant to cause soy milk to separate to curds and whey
6) Strain and press curds to make tofu
Your yield of tofu will be roughly equal to the initial weight of soy beans used.
Easy Homemade Tofu – Ingredients
Soy beans
Lemon
Water (1 pint per 2oz of beans)
Equipment
Two large pans
Food Processor
Sieve
Cheese cloth
Ladle
Wooden Spoons
Sugar thermometer – optional
Small plate
Weights (Use can of beans, bottles of water)
Stage 1 – Soak the Beans
Rinse the soy beans well and soak in cold water for between 8 and 24 hours. If you do not like a beany tofu roll beans between the palms of your hands to remove skins, these will float to the surface of the soaking water and can be skimmed off. Rinse well.
Stage 2 – Grind the Beans
Add beans to the food processor, cover with water and whizz until they form a creamy white pulp. Transfer to a large pan or stock pot.
Stage 3 – Boil bean pulp to make the soy milk
Add the reminder of the water to the bean pulp and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes. The mix will really foam up, but providing the pot is large enough should not boil over.
Stage 4 – Strain Soy Milk
Strain the milk through a cheese cloth lined sieve into another large pot, keep the soy bean pulp or okara, it is highly nutritious and can be used in many ways.
Stage 5 – Add a coagulant to cause soy milk to separate to curds and whey
The Japanese traditionally use Nigari (a seasalt derivative) coagulate the tofu, Epsom salts will work; I used lemon juice, the juice of half a lemon to 3 pints of soy milk seemed to work well for me (having experimented white wine vinegar also works, initally add 1 tablespoon to the milk – then add more if needed) . Add to the milk when it is at around 75C. If you add the coagulant immediately after straining the simmered milk it will probably be around the right temperature. Sprinkle the lemon juice in and gently stir once, put the lid on the pan and leave the soy milk to separate for 10 mins. It will suddenly start to separate with clumps of curds sitting in a clear whey.
Stage 6 – Strain and press curds to make tofu
Once you have a pan of curds and whey gently ladle the curds into a cheesecloth lined mould – I used a nylon sieve – let all the whey drain out and cover the block of curds with the cloth place a saucer on top and weigh down with a couple of cans of beans or a bottle of water to squeeze more of the whey out. For a firmer tofu press for longer with a heavier weight.
When the tofu has stopped dripping and is solid you are done! Peel off the cloth and admire your fresh tofu. Either use straight away or store in the fridge in water for a few days before using. Store your fresh tofu as you would a diary product – it will spoil if you store it too long, but mine did not last too long before I ate it.
Recipes to use your tofu in include:
Asparagus with Fried Tofu and Charred Caper Dressing
Crispy Chilli Soy Tofu
Or cube it and add to Reviviscent Skinny Miso Soup
Sophie
Intriguing – this sounds like fun to try out!
I wonder if you can buy the industrial coagulent that most brands use – I know it is this bit that gives tofu its high calcium content. Seems a shame to miss out on this part, especially for vegans and other folk who don’t drink much milk.
It looks very tasty (a little bit like mozarella!)
Hippolyra
Hi Sophie!
I think the industrial coagulent is calcuim sulphate – or gypsum used for making plaster of Paris and costs about £3 a kg (not food grade!), but I really am not going to make it that often from scratch as it gets so much stuff dirty.
I now really want to get soy milk maker as I am blown away at how good okara is in baking and I love tofu. Do make some and have a play with the okara in breads, cakes and biscuits.
I need to do some experimenting with other types of bean curd – I have found recipes for chickpea and sesame curd!
A weekend of kitchen chemistry is planned.
H
Amanda
Wow–well done!
Hippolyra
Thanks Amanda.
I have to say I am tofu addicted now!
Tessa
Ok, I tried it too! http://portobellokitchen.blogspot.com/2008/06/homemade-tofu.html
A fun way to spend a Sunday. Do you know if I can still use the okara for muffins etc as I didn’t cook the beans before grinding them so it would be raw okara?
4change09
I added lemon juice and the soymilk did seperate into kurd and whey but very fine curds so it is not coagulating properly and impossible to strain..I use a machine to make the soy milk.
What do you think is the problem.
Thanks
Hippolyra
Gerard, I have no idea why it didn’t work as lemon juice has worked for me in the past. If it does not coagulate properly then add a splash of vinegar. Did you leave it to stand for 10 mins after adding the lemon?
4change09
Hi there
Yes I left it for ten minutes….it did coagulate but in very fine form which was too small to use as it would slip through the cheese cloth.
I am making home made soy milk with my soyabella machine.
Thanks
Gerard
4change09
Hi Hippolyra
As mentioned previously I could not make tofu from my soy milk..tried all sorts of coagulants.
The problem turned out to be my RO water..because there are no minerals left there is nothing to bind with. I now add minerals to the water when I make the soy milk in the machine…this does the trick the curd binds with the minerals and I can make tofu.
Sprised no one else has had this problem!
Regards
G