Follow these steps to make your own delightfully fresh tofu using only organic soybeans, water and vinegar.
Fresh tofu is readily available in the Chinatowns of major cities in North America and in most supermarkets, but it is easily made at home with only three ingredients. It’s not a quick recipe, but it’s also not labor intensive as most of the time is spent waiting.By using homemade soy milk in your homemade tofu recipe, you will also be able to use the byproducts of tofu production. These include the whey and okara. According to The Book of Tofu, Volume II, the tofu whey is used in tofu shops in Asia as soap because the soy lecithin left in the whey cuts through grease. The whey doesn’t keep well, though, only a day or two at most.
Supplies
Large pot, enough to hold 1 quart (1 litre) of soy milk with plenty of room
Homemade tofu press
Fine mesh strainer
Measuring cup or ladle
Ingredients
1 quart (1 litre) of homemade soy milk
2-3 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar
Directions
Make your homemade soy milk, strain out the okara and put the smooth soy milk back into a clean pot.
If the soy milk has cooled significantly, turn the burner on to medium-high heat and heat it until just before it boils. Turn off the heat immediately. Get out the apple cider vinegar and prepare your tofu press.
Once your tofu press is set up, your soymilk will be cool, but still piping hot. According to The Book of Tofu, Volume II, the ideal temperature that the soy milk coagulates with vinegar is 80-90C (176F -194F).
Pour in the two tablespoons of vinegar, continuously stirring the soy milk. As you stir, you will notice the mixture becoming thicker. Once it has started to thicken, about thirty seconds to a minute after adding the vinegar, put a lid on the pot and let it rest for 15 minutes. Once the time is up, check the mixture. Look for the soy milk to have separated into curds and whey. The tofu will be small white bead-like clumps, surrounded by a clear mixture. If you don’t see this on your first check, add in two more tablespoons of vinegar, stir, and set for another 10 minutes. Scoop out some of the extra whey by pressing a mesh strainer down into the pot to push down the curds and scoop out the whey that gathers in the dip created by the strainer. To set your tofu, ladle the curds into your tofu press that is draining over a pot. Smooth the mixture in the press to create a flat surface and fold over the edges of the cheesecloth to cover the tofu. Place the lid over this cheesecloth and then the weight on top of that. Using the cheesecloth ensures that the extra moisture in the tofu is absorbed and drained away.
Setting the Homemade Tofu
The length of time you set the tofu depends on how firm you’d like it. For a silken tofu, place a light weight (less than a pound or half a kilo) on the lid and let the tofu set for only 10-15 minutes. For an extra firm tofu, place a heavy weight (2-3 pounds or 1-2 kilos) on the lid and let the tofu set for 30 minutes or more. For anything in between, use your judgment and test out what weight/length of time works for you.
