RECIPES

Make your own tofu!

 

Homemade tofu is a million times better than anything you can buy at the supermarket.  Try it out. It’s easy, and delicious.
  • 4 ½ cups dry soybeans
  • 4 cups of water + 10 cups of water + 1cup of water
  • 1 tsp gypsum (available at most health food and brewing stores)
  • Some sort of press/mold lined with cheesecloth (I used a strainer with a bowl on top)

Soak your soybeans overnight in lots of water (twice as much water as beans).
In the morning, strain it off.  Blend the soybeans with 4 cups of water.
Put the blended beans in a pot and add 10 additional cups of water.  Bring the soy mixture to a boil, stirring the whole time.  A frothy head should appear at the top of the pot (sort of like beer).  Once this happens, turn the heat off, and strain out the mixture through cheesecloth.

You will be left with solids (in the strainer) and liquid in the bowl. For the purpose of making tofu, you dont need the solids (also known as Okara)… but keep them on hand for a number of other uses in other recipes.

Put the liquid into a pot and simmer for 10 minutes.  In a separate bowl, mix together 3 teaspoons of gypsum with a cup of water.  Slowly add it to the soy milk while stirring constantly. Once it has all been added, stop stirring and let the soy milk sit for 20 minutes.  At this point the soy will have started to coagulate and firm up slightly. You can either pour into the mold you are going to use, or ladle it in.  Set something heavy on top and let it sit for 2-3 hour or overnight depending on the consistency of tofu you prefer (the longer it sits, the more firm the tofu).  Remove the tofu and use however you see fit.

In the video I cooked Tofu with cabbage and coriander. For this, you will need:

  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, minced
  • 2 small shallots, minced
  • 1 cup of cubed tofu
  • 1/4 cabbage, chopped into small strips
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon each of crushed peppercorns and coriander seed
  • 2 Tablespoons oil or butter

Saute the garlic, shallots and ginger in the oil on low heat until they have softened, about three minutes.  Add the honey, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. let simmer for 2 minutes, then turn the heat to high and add the cabbage and tofu.  Fry for a minute, before adding 1/3 of a cup of water and letting it all meld together.
If the liquid has all evaporated, add a touch more soy sauce and vinegar.  Serve hot with steamed rice.