Tofu!

[digitS']

Not counting the overnight soaking and clean up, the following takes about 1 hour. Having a "kitchen assistant" is helpful.

Rinsing the soybeans actually removes about half of the skins which is probably helpful but not of necessary importance. About 3 cups of soybeans:

The next morning, half of the beans go into the food processor at a time:

The processing takes a minute or 2 until the consistency is nearly the same as pancake dough:

The cotton dish towel is gathered about the soybeans and squeezing takes out the juice and water. DW always turns over the job to me at this point because I do such a "good" job with this task. I have to pay attention not to tear the fabric:

The liquid goes into a deep pot and stirring is constant over medium high heat.

As a full boil is reached, the heat is turned down to medium and a water mixed with vinegar is slowly added, a ladle at a time. The water mix is about 2 cups/4 tablespoons of rice vinegar:

As the water & vinegar mix is added, curds begins to form. Scorching and foaming is no longer likely. Not all the water & vinegar mix needs to be added - too much and the tofu will be too sour. How much is necessary is determined by the clarity of the liquid. As curds develop, the liquid is no longer "milky."

The curds are placed back in a clean dishtowel to drain:

Steve's digits

 

[Ariel301]

So it's basically like making a simple cheese out of beans instead of milk. Interesting!

I'm not a tofu fan at all, but it's neat that you can make it at home so easily.

 

[lesa]

You made homemade tofu!!! How cool is that? I can't wait to plant my soybeans!!!! Did it taste any different than "store bought?"

 

[ninnymary]

Digits...Is there anything that you can't do? I mean...come on...you grow tons of delicious beautiful vegetables....know so much about gardening...and now tofu? Just put the rest of us to shame!

I'm still struggling to grow zuchini! :/

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

Digits...Is there anything that you can't do? I mean...come on...you grow tons of delicious beautiful vegetables....know so much about gardening...and now tofu? Just put the rest of us to shame!

I'm still struggling to grow zuchini! :/

Mary

You're funny!

 

[digitS']

It is a bit of bother but, certainly, doable by anyone.

The flavor of homemade tofu is different than any store-bought tofu that I have had. It is probably the freshness. But, I've never made tofu from my own soybeans before so this had an added ingredient of fun. Along there about when it reaches a full boil, the fragrance of the soybeans change to something very similar to roasted peanuts.

That is the flavor of the tofu. It isn't pronounced but tasty. Store-bought is bland to the point of being tasteless, to me.

Tomorrow, we will have tofu with mushrooms. Starting off with sauteed onions going on with the mushrooms and splash in some vinegar and soy sauce. Some chicken broth with cornstarch will thicken this and it will be spooned over rice.

With onions, mushrooms, vinegar, and soy sauce . . . There is LOTS of flavor here! The good tofu and a good rice add just a little but it all makes a nice dish.

Steve

 

[obsessed]

Wow steve very informative and I especially enjoy your photos. Now if I could get my soybeans to grow.

 

[boggybranch]

I have trouble getting past the "toe" part.....It ALWAYS makes me, immediately, think of toe-jam.

 

[thistlebloom]

(snik!) You guys are crackin me up today!

 

[digitS']

Okay . . . considering this crowd . . . .

This might be the clincher:

After you have "squeeze-dried" the processed soybeans:

You can cook them at a low temperature in the oven:

And, feed them to your backyard flock:

out of focus because this is a memory of a warmer time

S'