In the U.S., tofu tends to be viewed as a health food. Living in Japan really changed my views on tofu, as it is a staple food item there. When you go into a supermarket in Japan, there's an entire tofu section (like the cheese section in our American supermarkets), filled with different varieties and brands of tofu. Some of the varieties are equivalent to the mass-produced tofu you can find here in your local supermarket, but then there are also the artisanal varieties. Taking your first taste of one of these varieties is akin to tasting your first homegrown tomato.
My first thought was, "What? This is tofu?" It's hard to really even compare the two! The great thing is, you don't have to travel to Japan to taste artisanal tofu--you can make your own at home, and you don't even need to go out and buy any fancy equipment. If you end up liking your homemade tofu and want to make it again, the one piece of equipment you might consider purchasing is a tofu press so that your tofu ends up in a block shape. But even that is not really a large investment as several Internet sources provide options that cost less than $20!
One of the keys to making good tofu is using quality ingredients. I've found that the cheapest (and yummiest) dried soybeans are from my local organic market where I can buy them in bulk (as opposed to small packages of beans).
For water, spring water yields the smoothest and most pleasant flavor. Even if you only use spring water in the second half of the process, this will still make a difference in flavor.
How to make tofu in your kitchen (aka, no fancy equipment/ingredients required).
Ingredients needed:
- 1 1/3 cups dried soybeans
- Coagulant:
You have several choices in this department:
1) 2 tsp. liquid nigari or
2) 2 1/4 tsp. granular or powdered nigari or
3) 2 tsp. Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) or
4) 4 Tbsp. lemon juice (freshly squeezed) or
5) 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Although traditional tofu is made with nigari (a concentrated solution of various salts remaining after the crystallization of salt from seawater), tofu can be made with one of the other ingredients listed above (see, I told you that you didn't need any fancy ingredients).
The coagulant you choose will effect the taste and firmness slightly, but it will still be tofu, and it will still be yummy! After you've tried one coagulant, you may want to try another and see if you prefer one over the other or if you even care.
Okay, next let's get started on the actual process of making our own tofu.
My first thought was, "What? This is tofu?" It's hard to really even compare the two! The great thing is, you don't have to travel to Japan to taste artisanal tofu--you can make your own at home, and you don't even need to go out and buy any fancy equipment. If you end up liking your homemade tofu and want to make it again, the one piece of equipment you might consider purchasing is a tofu press so that your tofu ends up in a block shape. But even that is not really a large investment as several Internet sources provide options that cost less than $20!
One of the keys to making good tofu is using quality ingredients. I've found that the cheapest (and yummiest) dried soybeans are from my local organic market where I can buy them in bulk (as opposed to small packages of beans).
For water, spring water yields the smoothest and most pleasant flavor. Even if you only use spring water in the second half of the process, this will still make a difference in flavor.How to make tofu in your kitchen (aka, no fancy equipment/ingredients required).
Ingredients needed:
- 1 1/3 cups dried soybeans
- Coagulant:
You have several choices in this department:
1) 2 tsp. liquid nigari or
2) 2 1/4 tsp. granular or powdered nigari or
3) 2 tsp. Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) or
4) 4 Tbsp. lemon juice (freshly squeezed) or
5) 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Although traditional tofu is made with nigari (a concentrated solution of various salts remaining after the crystallization of salt from seawater), tofu can be made with one of the other ingredients listed above (see, I told you that you didn't need any fancy ingredients).
The coagulant you choose will effect the taste and firmness slightly, but it will still be tofu, and it will still be yummy! After you've tried one coagulant, you may want to try another and see if you prefer one over the other or if you even care.Okay, next let's get started on the actual process of making our own tofu.
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