Making tofu at home is essentially a two-step process: you first make fresh soy milk from dried soybeans, then add a coagulant to curdle the milk, and finally press the curds into a block. The entire process takes about 1.5 to 2 hours, excluding the time it takes to soak the beans.
Ingredients & Equipment
- Dry Soybeans: 1 cup (organic non-GMO, if possible). This yields about 3 cups soaked.
- Water: 3 cups for blending, plus 5 to 6 cups for cooking.
- Coagulant: 2 to 3 teaspoons of lemon juice, vinegar.
- Equipment: Blender, large heavy-bottomed pot, nut-milk bag or cheesecloth/muslin, sieve, and a DIY tofu press (or a container with holes poked in the bottom and a heavy object like a can or weight on top).
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Soak and Blend the Soybeans
- Rinse the soybeans and soak them in a large bowl of water for at least 8 hours (or overnight). They will double in size.
- Drain and rinse the soaked beans.
- In a blender, combine the beans with 3 cups of fresh water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
2. Extract and Cook the Soy Milk
- Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add 4-5 cups of water. Once it comes to a simmer, slowly pour in the blended soybean mixture.
- Stir constantly to prevent the bottom from burning. When it begins to rapidly foam and expand, remove it from the heat immediately.
- Pour the hot mixture through a sieve lined with a nut-milk bag or cheesecloth placed over a second pot. Squeeze and wring the cloth tightly to extract all the soy milk. (The leftover pulp, called okara, can be saved for baking).
- Return the strained soy milk to the heat, bring it to a gentle boil, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
3. Coagulate and Press
- Turn off the heat. If using lemon juice, mix 3-4 tablespoons with a cup of water, then gently but thoroughly stir this into the hot soy milk.
- Cover the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 10-15 minutes. You will see it separate into chunky white curds and clear, yellowish whey.
- Ladle the curds into a cheesecloth-lined tofu press (or a colander/perforated plastic container lined with a cloth).
- Fold the cloth over the top, place a flat surface (like a cutting board) over the curds, and set a heavy object (such as cans or a pot of water) on top.
- Press for 15 minutes for soft tofu, or 30-60 minutes for extra-firm tofu.
ENJOY KID … .
REMEMBER TO IDENTIFY SUPER RED OR BLACK IF YOU WRONGFULLY MAKE IT … .