Email to Phil      

Recipe Categories: philocrates's HOME PAGEBREAKFAST CAKE CANDY CASSEROLES Central_PA_recipes Cheese CHILI CONDIMENTS_SPICES_andSO_FORTH COOKIES Copycats CROCKPOT DESSERTS DIABETIC EGGS ETHNIC FISHandSEAFOOD Frostings_Fillings_Icings_more FRUIT Heirloom Hint HistoricalFood Holiday_Specials HotandorSpicy Ice_Cream__More JAMSandJELLIES Jello MARINADES MEATS Microwave Mocktails PADutch PASTA PAStateGrange PASTRIES PICKLESandRELISHES PIE PIZZA PorkandHam Potatoes POULTRY ResturantsNOTCopycat RICE SALADandDRESSING SANDWICHES SAUCES SOUPSandSTEWS STUFFINGandDRESSING Titantic_Recipes VEGETABLES Wings

Tofu

List of Ingredients




Make three to four batches of "extra strength" soymilk . Once the soy milk is made, the major part of
the work for making tofu is done!
2. Pour all the batches into a pot and simmer soymilk for 5to 10
minutes. Cool down to about 170 to 180 degree F.
3. Prepare coagulant – dissolve either one teaspoon Nigari
(natural magnesium chloride) or two teaspoons natural calcium
sulfate in one cup of warm water. Less coagulant produces softer
tofu, More produces harder tofu.
4. Pour the prepared coagulant solution slowly into the soymilk
while gently stirring the soymilk. Stop stirring once 3/4 of coagulant
solution is added. Wait 2-3 minutes. Now, gently stir the forming
curds and sprinkle the last 1/4 of coagulant solution into any milky
areas. If there is no milky area left, you do not need to add the rest of
coagulant solution. If there is still some milky area after adding all
coagulant solution, mix some more to use.
5. Once all soymilk is separating into small white curds of tofu and
an amber liquid (whey). Transfer coagulated dispersion into a tofu
mold lined with cheesecloth. Any container has many small holes in it
to allow left over whey to drain can serve as a tofu mold. A lid is
placed on the forming container. A small weight of 3 to 5 pounds is
placed on the lid of the container and allowed to sit for 20 minutes or
so. A pot of water can serve as the weight.
6. Empty the resulting block of tofu into a tub of cold water and
allow it to sit for another hour then store the tofu in refrigerator and
change soaking water daily.

You can eat the fresh tofu while it is still warm. The freshly made
warm tofu taste so much better than those from the store! If you use
new crop soybean, the tofu tastes even better. It is very satisfying to
see tofu coming into shape from soymilk. Most every one tried it
enjoys the process.

I read somewhere that the whey makes a wonderful natural hair rinse
for soft and shiny hair, or can be used as a warm liquid for cleaning
up today's dishes! Another use for the whey - this is a secret that is
revealed for the first time! The whey can be used as coagulant next
time you make tofu. The best is to run the whey through cheesecloth
to make sure there is no tofu curds in it. Save about 1/2 gallon whey
in a sealed jar. Leave the jar in room temperature for about two
weeks or so for it to develop in its own culture. Use about 1/2 to 2/3
of whey to make tofu the next time, and add same amount of new
whey into the jar. If you do not use it more than one week, store it in
the refrigerator. When you use whey to make tofu, you need to add a
lot, about 1/5 to 1/4 of the soymilk you are to make into tofu. When
the soymilk is ready for coagulant to be added, pour whey into it
while slowly stirring the soymilk, just like you would with other
coagulant. Add more or less as you watch the results. You may need
some practice to use the whey as the coagulant. Our advice is to first
learn to make tofu with the well known coagulant - natural calcium
sulfate or magnesium chloride. Once you really familiar with tofu
making process, you can try the whey method.

About Tofu Coagulant - natural calcium sulfate and magnesium
chloride are the most common tofu coagulant used.

Recipe