Receipe for Making Tofu at home but I don't know why would
anyone bother....
Materials and
Equipment
1 cup soybeans. (Soak overnight in 4 cups of water)
1 ½ teaspoon (8 mL) powdered nigari OR 2 teaspoons (10 mL) Epsom
salts dissolved and thoroughly mixed in 1 cup (250 mL) water.
These salts are precipitants of the soy protein. The nigari is the
traditional ingredient, and is an extract of seawater rich in
calcium and magnesium chlorides. It can be bought in Chinese
grocery stores and some health food stores.
Blender or food processor
Heavy cooking pot
Coarse Sieve
Strong, clean dish towel or heavy cotton material
Two other pots or bowls
Wooden spoon
Pressing device -- can be made from a 2 quart plastic ice cream
carton. Poke bottom and side full of holes with a strong fork (poke
from inside out). Cut down lid to fit inside container.
Method
Drain soaked soybeans, add 2 2/3 cups (665 mL) water and blend two
cups at a time on high speed for about 30 seconds.
Bring 5 cups (1.2 L) water to a boil in a large saucepan. Brush the
rim of the saucepan with cooking oil to prevent boil over.
Stir the soy puree into the boiling water and continue to heat on
high heat, stirring often. When puree suddenly boils up take pot
off heat immediately.
Line the sieve with the straining cloth and place over clean pot or
bowl. Pour hot puree through the press cloth and sieve. Quickly
rinse the cooking pot and rebrush rim with oil.
Twist and press the cloth to squeeze as much milk as possible from
the grits. Open cloth and gently shake grits and press again. Empty
grits into 2 cups warm water in saucepan, stir and return to press
cloth, squeezing out the additional milk.
Pour soy milk into the heavy pot and quickly bring to a boil,
stirring constantly. Cook on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off
heat.
Add 1/3 cup (80 mL) of the precipitant solution while stirring
vigorously 5 or 6 times. Stop stirring and sprinkle 1/3 cup more
precipitant solution onto the milk. Stir a bit more. Cover pot and
wait for curds to form (about 3 minutes).
Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup (80 mL) precipitant over surface of the
milk. Carefully and very slowly stir the top ½ inch of curdling
milk for 15 to 20 seconds. Cover pot and wait 3 minutes (6 minutes
if using Epsom salts). White aggregates of curds should now be
present in pale yellow whey.
Rinse straining cloth clean and use it to line your pressing box.
Single layer of cloth, rest hangs over the top. Place pressing box
and straining cloth in sieve and pour in the curds and whey. Drain.
Fold edges of cloth over top of the curds.
Place pressing box in convenient container to catch whey. Put lid
on top of folded cloth. Place small bowl 2/3 filled with water on
top of lid and weight it down with a clean brick or similar weight.
Leave 15 - 20 minutes by which time whey should have stopped
dripping.
Remove weight and carefully place the pressed curds (still in the
cloth) in cold water in a large bowl. Remove cloth carefully
without letting pressed curds out of the water.
Leave curd cake under water until firm (2 to 5 minutes). You now
have tofu. Cut and drain. It can be used right away, or stored in
the refrigerator in water. Change the water every day, and the tofu
can be kept up to 10 days
