I've discovered making homemade tofu is a labor of love. Tofu is another staple food of Korean cuisine and also in many other Asian cuisines. Tofu is loaded with protein, around 10g per 1/2 cup serving and its mild flavor makes it a perfect item to add to any dish.
There is a vast difference in taste between store bought tofu and homemade tofu. I find the homemade tofu to be smoother and of course much fresher in taste. Once you have made the soy milk, turning soy milk into curds to be pressed into tofu is quite easy.
Homemade Tofu (Dubu)
Ingredients
Instructions
Making soy milk
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Rinse the soy beans well. Soak them overnight in 4 cups of filtered water. They will plump up and double in size.
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Place about 2 cups of the soaked soy beans and water into your blender and puree. Repeat this process until all the beans have been pureed. You will need to use up to an additional 7-8 cups of water.
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Place cheese cloth over colander and place the colander over a large bowl. Pour the liquid soybean puree into the cheese cloth and squeeze out the liquid. You will have soy milk in your bowl and okara in your cheese cloth. Save the okara to use later in other recipes; you can freeze it if you don't plan on using it right away.
Making tofu
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Pour your soy milk (about 10 cups) into a large pot and bring it to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes so the temperature reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Skim the foam off the top a couple of times and stir frequently to prevent burning.
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While your soy milk is simmering, prepare the coagulant: dissolve 2 tsp of nigari in 1 cup of very hot water. Using less coagulant makes softer tofu and using more makes firmer tofu.
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Pour the coagulant mixture into the pot and stir gently a couple of times. Let it simmer a few minutes. Soy milk will turn into curds and the liquid should become clear. If creamy colored liquid remains, add another 2 tsp of nigari dissolved in 1 cup of hot water. Turn off the heat and keep the mixture on the stove to keep it warm.
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Place your tofu mold in a clean sink and line it with a clean cheese cloth. Pour the curds into the cheese cloth lined colander; clear liquid will run down the drain. Bring the corners of the cheese cloth together, lift out of the colander, and place in the tofu mold.
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Drape the cheese cloth over the curds and place the lid on the tofu mold. Place an object weighing about 5 lbs on top to press the water out of the curds for about 30 minutes. For a very firm and dry tofu, use a heavier weight for a longer time.
Note
- Equipment: good blender, tofu mold (you can make tofu without this), cheese cloth (or a very clean sheet cut into a 2 foot square), large bowls, heavy cooking pot, an object that weighs 5 lbs, and a stainless steel colander.
- Boiling the soybeans after they are soaked, before extracting the soy milk, may speed up the process. Gypsum as the coagulant adds more calcium to the tofu.
- How to mold the curds without a tofu mold: http://www.brendajwiley.com/making_tofu.html#coagulant
