As a vegan, I need my proteins but as an environmentalist I am always desperate with the packaging!
So, this weekend I decided to make tofu myself and guys I have good news, it’s so easy to make!
The only boring thing on the Isle of Wight is finding a supplier for the soya beans. I didn’t find any. I’m lucky to get mine from The Source Bulk Foods, an amazing store in Crouch end where I go to stock up when I’m on the mainland, otherwise any organic whole food seller online like Real foods can deliver.
Properly stored at normal room temperature dried soya beans can generally stay at best quality for about 2 to 3 years, so you can order kilos of them.
For the tofu recipe, you need first to prepare 2 litres of soya milk.
Here is the soya milk recipe:
Ingredients: 200 g soya beans + 2 litres water
- Soak the soya beans in water the day before.
- The next day, rinse the soya beans and blend them into a homogenous mixture with a litre of water.
- In a large saucepan bring another litre of water to the boil.
- Add the soya mixture, bring to the boil again, stirring regularly.
- As soon as it boils, turn the heat down to medium and cook the milk for 10 more minutes, still stirring regularly.
- Strain the soya mixture through a nut milk bag or a muslin. Press the cloth out thoroughly.
Let the milk cool before putting it in the refrigerator. It can be kept for about three to four days. Shake it well before use.
No need to wait for the milk to cool to make the tofu. It can be used immediately.
Here is the tofu recipe:
Ingredients: 2 litres soya milk + 7-8 tps lemon juice or cider vinegar.
- Pour the soya milk into a pan with the lemon juice, stir and heat almost to boiling point.
- Remove the pan from the hob and wait until the whey separates from the solid. This usually happens immediately. After 10 minutes, if nothing has happened, you can help it by adding more lemon juice and reheating.
- As soon as the whey has separated, drain it off the mixture.
- Either put the mixture into a tofu press, lined with a cloth or if you don’t have a tofu press place a muslin cloth into a sieve and gradually pour the tofu mixture.
- Leave the tofu in a cool place for one or two hours.
The tofu can be used immediately in a recipe, either cold or fried, or placed in a lidded container. In this case, cover the tofu with water and store it in the refrigerator. The water must be changed every day.
The tofu can be kept in the refrigerator for about three to four days.
Bon appétit!