A Japanese Tofu Meal
Making your own fresh Tofu from Soybeans is not as difficult as you would think, (but it can be messier than you would think, so put on an apron, roll up your sleeves and have some messy fun).
Making the Soymilk
Place 1-1/2 cup of raw soybeans in a container (to soak) and cover with water. The water should cover the beans with 3 times as much depth as the beans. (So if the beans are approx. 1/2" deep, the water should be 2" deep). Let soak in the refrigerator for 8-15 hours (or overnight). The beans will expand a lot, so make sure your bowl is large enough to allow for this.
Drain the beans and rinse them once with fresh water. Bring 7-1/2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot (like a soup pot - the beans with froth while cooking so you'll need all the room you can get).
While the water is coming to a boil, prepare the soybeans: in a blender, blend the soaked beans with about 4 more cups of water. (You may need to do this in a couple of batches, depending on the size of your blender.) This process is done when the mixture looks creamy with small pieces of bean fibers.
Turn the heat to med low on the boiling pot and slowly add the bean "puree", stirring as you go. Be careful not to let the boiling water splash up on you while doing this as the puree is pretty thick and will pour a bit "ploppy".
At this point, you can turn up the heat a little and constantly stir or you can cook slowly, stirring often, but either way you want to be careful not to burn the milk but get it to a continuous boil. Bring the liquid to a low boil and lower the temperature, skimming off any foam that collects on the top. Constantly skim off the foam and cook for 20 -30 minutes.
Set up a colander over another pot (the medium pot) and line it with your cloth. Slowly pour the bean mix into the colander, straining out the soy milk into the pot. You are now "milking the bean". Wrap up the cloth and press down, getting as much moisture out of the beans as possible.
The fiber that is left over is called "okara" and should be dry and crumbly. This is extremely nutritious and can be used for other purposes. Bring the milk that you have strained out to a boil (being careful not to let it burn) and boil for 7 minutes. At this point you have fresh soy milk and it could be used as is for drinking, if you desire.
Making the Tofu
At this point you should have approximately 4-1/2 quarts of milk. While the milk is still hot, mix 1-1/2 tsp of the coagulant that you chose (nigari, gypsum or epsom salts) in a small amount of water (about 1 cup). Slowly add this to the milk, mixing as you go, a little at a time until the curd begins to separate. Cover and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Check your curds - you may need to add more coagulant solution. The goal is to have the whey (the liquid) be clear with no milkiness (it will still be yellow, but it will not be cloudy). If you need to add more coagulant, sprinkle it over the top and gently stir with a wooden spoon and let sit for a couple of minutes. Check again and repeat until all the liquid is clear - the curds will not be fully separated and ready to use.
Prepare your tofu box by lining it with the cloth and pressing the cloth into the corners.
NOTE: It is not necessary to purchase a wooden "tofu box" it's just a little easier. If you have decided to use a milk carton or other type of box (maybe plastic) for your mold, you can make this sturdier by attaching wooden sticks (like popsicle sticks) to the sides of the box and securing with rubber bands. Drill holes in the sides and bottom of this box to allow for liquid to drain out. Be sure to make the newspaper/plastic lid as described in "what you will need" section.
Gently pour the mixture into the tofu box, trying to pour most of the liquid out first so it can drain
Check the tofu and see if it is of the consistency that you want. If you want it firmer, let the weight sit on it longer and add more weight until more water is expelled. Once it is ready, remove the tofu from the box by pulling up on the cloth.
Tofu can be stored in the refrigerator, submerged in water. Remember, this is homemade tofu, so it may not last as long as store-bought; there are no preservatives.
Tofu is best when eaten fresh.
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