The Art of Earth-Friendly Tofu
Fresh tofu in 6 simple steps
Soak the soybeans.
1
Blend and strain the soybeans into soy milk.
2
3
Cook the soy milk.
Form the tofu curds.
4
Press the tofu in your tofu mold.
5
Soak the tofu in cold water, and enjoy!
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Don’t let the steps scare you… Making tofu is super easy!
Inactive prep time: 6 to 12 hours
Cook time: ~1.5 hours
Inactive pressing time: 0.5 to 3 hours
What you need…
~17 cups water
2 cups dry soybeans *
Coagulant: 1 tbsp liquid nigari * or 4 tbsp lemon juice
3 Ingredients
2 cheesecloth squares (36”x36” recommended) *
Tofu mold *
Blender
Large stock pot
Colander (metal mesh recommended)
Slotted spoon or small sieve
Large mixing bowl
6 Kitchen supplies
Here’s how…
Soak the soybeans.
1
Rinse two cups of dry soybeans under cold water and add to a bowl.
Fill bowl with cold water, with a 1:3 ratio (approx.) of soybeans to water.
Cover bowl with a cloth and soak until beans split apart when squeezed between your fingers (between 6 to 12 hours).
Drain and rinse the soaked soybeans until water runs clear.
Note: If soaking for longer than 12 hours, place in the fridge to avoid fermentation.
Blend and strain the soybeans into soymilk.
2
Prepare the straining set up: Dampen one cheesecloth square and fold in half to create a rectangle, then fold in half again to form a square. Place this square over the colander; you can clothespin the cheesecloth to the colander to keep it in place.
Next, dampen the other cheesecloth and place (centered) on top. Take one corner, and fold it in such that the tip is a little past the center of the square. Repeat for all four corners, slightly overlapping each corner. You should end up with a double-layered, slightly smaller square than before, still bigger than the other cheesecloth. (see diagram below)
Set the colander with the two cheesecloths on the stock pot.
Blend the soaked soybeans and 8 cups of water in the blender until smooth. Blend in batches depending on the size of your blender.
Strain the soybean blend: Pour the mixture through the two folded cheesecloth squares, letting the raw blended soybean mix strain through the cheesecloth and colander below.
When the mixture has reached the edges of your stock pot / colander, gather all edges of the top 2-layered cheesecloth to form a “bag”, such that no mixture can escape from the sides. Twist the top of the bag before squeezing so that no mixture escapes when you squeeze.
Begin to squeeze / massage the bag as you continue to twist from the top.
Continue to squeeze until only very thick liquid is coming out; this is a mixture of soymilk + the fibrous pulp, called okara. Set the okara aside once complete – you can use it for other dishes!
Squeeze the remaining soy milk from the bottom folded 4-layer cheesecloth square in the same way as step 3.
Notes:
DO NOT DRINK THE SOY MILK AT THIS STAGE. Raw soy milk is not edible!
If some okara mix gets into your stock pot, that’s okay – the taste and texture of your tofu will not be significantly altered.
If you’d like to expedite the cooking process, start with step 3.1 below: Add 8 cups of water to your stock pot and begin to boil. Strain the soymilk into a separate bowl, and add to the hot water once strained.
Your cheesecloth is reusable! Clean with mild soap and water, hang to dry. To sanitize, boil.
Folding the Top 2-layer Cheesecloth
Folding the Bottom 4-layer Cheesecloth
Cook the soy milk.
3
Add 8 more cups of water to the stock pot and bring to a boil at medium-high heat, then lower temp to a simmer for 10-15 minutes (no lid), stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, prepare your coagulant:
Liquid nigari: Add 2 tsp of liquid nigari to 2/3 cup of warm water
Lemon juice: Add 2 tbsp of lemon juice (approx. ½ lemon) to ½ cup of warm water
Once the soymilk has simmered, remove from the heat. Let cool for ~1 minute.
Notes:
Stir the bottom of the stock pot occasionally, as a skin may form on the bottom. Foam forms at the surface, which can be skimmed off, but not required.
Keep an eye on the pot. When the mix begins to boil, it will foam up rapidly and can easily boil over.
The longer you simmer the soymilk, the less bean-y it will taste.
Still off the heat, add 1/3 of your coagulant to the soymilk and gently stir in a “Z” shape 3-4 times to spread the coagulant out evenly in the pot.
Add the second 1/3 of coagulant, gently stir in a “Z” shape 1 time. The soymilk will begin to curdle. Allow to sit for two minutes.
Add final 1/3 of coagulant, gently stir in a “Z” shape 1 time. Let sit for 8-10 minutes.
The soymilk is fully curdled when the liquid is completely clear (may appear slightly yellow) and distinct from the tofu curds; expect the process to take a few minutes.
In the meantime, prepare your tofu mold: Place your mold in a bowl or casserole dish (anything with tall sides) and line the mold with a damp cheesecloth.
Notes:
Do not over-stir the coagulant — over-stirring will disrupt the coagulation process! The “Z” shape is simply meant to spread the coagulant throughout the pot.
TROUBLESHOOTING: If your soymilk is not curdling after adding the last bit of coagulant (wait a few minutes), very gently stir to spread the coagulant throughout the pot. Put your pot back onto low heat and it should curdle within a couple minutes. Otherwise, slowly add small amount of additional coagulant mix.
Form the tofu curds.
4
Ladle the tofu curds into your cheesecloth-lined mold: Using a small sieve, scoop up some curds. Drain excess water by gently pressing the curds with a flat spatula before placing in the mold.
This is where you customize the firmness of your tofu! For firmer tofu, gather enough curds in your small sieve to cover the surface of the mesh. Press them firmly with the flat spatula to remove water before placing them into your mold. The more water you remove prior to placing the curds in your tofu mold, the firmer your tofu will be.
Once all the curds are in the mold, fold the cheesecloth overtop the tofu and place the lid of the mold on top.
Carefully pour out/discard excess liquid from the ladling process.
Place a heavy jar or can on the tofu mold lid (e.g., sauce can).
Compression times (for medium firm to extra firm):
Liquid nigari: 10 minutes to 3 hours
Lemon juice: 30 minutes to 3 hours
Press the tofu in your tofu mold.
5
Remove the formed tofu from the mold and place in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes.
Store in water in the fridge for maximum freshness; use within 3 days or freeze.
Note: The cold water will draw out any bitterness from the coagulants; soak length to taste.
Soak the tofu in cold water, and enjoy!
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