Homemade Tofu

Soft Tofu

Do not fear the Chicks with Knives. That’s the name of a couple of women who run a supper club. They host dinners around town and their focus is on a sustainable, organic menu. In fact, they call their food SOLE food – Sustainable, Organic, Local and Ethical. These four or five course dinners are original and really delicious. For a recent special vegan dinner, Chef Rachael Narins made homemade tofu. Here she shares the recipe:

How to make fresh, soft, tofu

1 cup dried, organic, soybeans

Water

Nigari (magnesium chloride)

Dried Soybeans

Soaked soybeans

After six to eight hours the beans will have doubled in size. Drain and rinse.

In a blender, combine the (now) 2 cups of beans with four cups of water. Process for two minutes until smooth. (Will look like a milkshake!)

Straining soymilk

Soymilk

After 10 minutes, check the temperature of the soymilk. It needs to be around 140F.

Pour the warm soy milk in to a shallow bowl, then slowly pour ¾ of the nigari solution in to the warm soy milk, stirring gently. Let the tofu rest for 2-3 minutes. If there are any milky areas after 2-3 minutes, sprinkle in the last 1/4 of the coagulant. Let rest 10 more minutes and you will have fresh, soft, tofu! (To make it firm you just add it to a cheesecloth lined mold and let it drain for an hour or so…)