Make Your Own Tofu

Published on Thursday, April 3, 2008, by CHOW Food Team / Edit Post

Make Your Own Tofu

A homemade version of the vegetarian centerpiece

Make Your Own Tofu cont.

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Make the Soy Milk

  • 1.Pour the dried beans onto a rimmed baking sheet and pick through them, removing and discarding any broken beans or stones. Place the beans in a large nonreactive bowl and cover them with at least 2 inches of cold water. Allow to soak for 12 to 24 hours.
  • 2.Meanwhile, prepare the mold. Take the milk carton and cut off one of the long sides (try to keep the piece you cut off in a rectangle shape so it can be used later).
  • 3.Place the cut piece in a resealable plastic bag and set it aside. Using a hole punch, a skewer, or scissors, poke 1/2-inch holes all over the milk carton so that the tofu can drain easily.
  • 4.Reinforce the sides of the mold by running tape around the perimeter of the carton. Line the mold with doubled-over cheesecloth and trim the cheesecloth so there are just a few inches overhanging on each side. Fill a resealable plastic bag with about 1 pound of pie weights or dried beans. Set everything aside until the beans are done soaking.
  • 5.Once the beans have soaked, drain them and discard the water. Place half of the beans (about 3 cups) in a food processor and pour in enough water to just cover the mixture (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups).
  • 6.Process the mixture until it is pulverized and smooth, about 30 seconds. Then repeat with the remaining beans.
  • 7.Place all the pulverized beans in a large (15- to 20-quart) stockpot and add 10 cups water. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Set 2 cups of water nearby to pour over the mixture later on.
  • 8.Stir the mixture occasionally and let it simmer. The mixture is ready when foam rises to the top of the pot, about 25 to 30 minutes.
  • 9.Remove from heat, immediately pour in the reserved 2 cups water, and stir until the foam subsides—it will not completely disappear.
  • 10.Place a large fine mesh strainer in a bowl and strain the mixture. Push on the pulverized bean solids so that most of the liquid drains out. Discard the solids (known as okara) or use in a recipe that calls for them. The liquid is soy milk. It will last up to three days refrigerated.
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POST A COMMENT |5 Comments

COMMENT

  • There is alot of positive info out on Tofu and soy.

    Here's a link that is a bit more balanced than those "scary" Price folks:
    http://www.womentowomen.com/healthynutrition/soycontroversy.aspx
    It's written by a Doctor who recommends soy as part of her patients diets.

    Here's a second link from Life Extension magazine, that busts the myths against soy:...+READ

    There is alot of positive info out on Tofu and soy.

    Here's a link that is a bit more balanced than those "scary" Price folks:
    http://www.womentowomen.com/healthynutrition/soycontroversy.aspx
    It's written by a Doctor who recommends soy as part of her patients diets.

    Here's a second link from Life Extension magazine, that busts the myths against soy: http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2010/jul2010_Is-Soy-Safe_01.htm-COLLAPSE

  • That link is a waste of time to read. See the following from Steve Holt's website:

    With respect, that source of yours ranks right up there with Mercola and others like him. The Price people are deeply anti-vegetarian as a core belief, and their stuff is so slanted it's nearly horizontal. I'd be the first to tell you that soy has some drawbacks, but you're never going to get a balanced view on...+READ

    That link is a waste of time to read. See the following from Steve Holt's website:

    With respect, that source of yours ranks right up there with Mercola and others like him. The Price people are deeply anti-vegetarian as a core belief, and their stuff is so slanted it's nearly horizontal. I'd be the first to tell you that soy has some drawbacks, but you're never going to get a balanced view on anything from websites like that.

    Take a good look at the long list of research. Eliminate the articles relating to soy infant formula (I'd never recommend that) and related articles, eliminate the animal research that fails to establish a direct link to human pathology, eliminate the articles about high dose SPI, eliminate the bizarre speculation that soy is responsible for the aggregate downward shift in the age of puberty (but they omit the incredibly obvious question of reproductive hormone additives to dairy cows, additives which have been traced into human breast milk...) well...
    That is not a website that merits your attention.

    Here's a link to the forums (you have to sign up to participate) which has a healthy debate about soy products.

    http://vegetarianbodybuilder.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=314&mode=linearplus

    Essentially, soy, the food product is safe in moderation...which can be said about everything.-COLLAPSE

  • Wow, very interesting information on the westonaprice.org web-site. Makes me think differently about the soy milk I am drinking in my coffee right now. Yikes!

    Thanks for sharing.

  • If you have concerns about Soy and Soy Levithin, which everyone should, then I would suggest you check it this link
    http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstrut...

    In My Opinion, all Soy products should carry a warning. The scientific and medical studies that have shown the dangers of using Soy in our diet are truly shocking.
    3 year old girls with pubic hair and breats after having Soy formula. Now...+READ

    If you have concerns about Soy and Soy Levithin, which everyone should, then I would suggest you check it this link
    http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstrut...

    In My Opinion, all Soy products should carry a warning. The scientific and medical studies that have shown the dangers of using Soy in our diet are truly shocking.
    3 year old girls with pubic hair and breats after having Soy formula. Now that's damn wrong!

    Contrary to popular deception, Soy Lecithin does NOT have a GRAS status and no product that contains SL has ever been given approval by the FDA.
    But then, you only need a couple of thousand bucks to pay off the FDA these days anyway.-COLLAPSE

  • Or, get a soy milk maker which does the grinding and heating and separating for you. I love mine. I also have a wooden tofu mold. I have found that homemade soy milk and tofu are a bit more 'beaney" tasting than the commercial products; but for use in most recipes you won't notice.