Fresh tofu tastes best, and I also find homemade tofu easier to digest. Plus, you can customize the firmness to your needs. 

There are only three ingredients in making tofu: soybeans, coagulant, and water. I used lemon juice as a coagulant, but most recipes use nigari, which you can find in any Japanese store.

It’s a marvel to start with soybeans and then end with a luscious block of creamy, flavorful tofu.

This recipe makes “regular” style tofu, the firm kind you can stir-fry without breaking apart.

an overview of the procedure

The procedure for making homemade tofu from scratch is a bit time-consuming. Here’s a brief overview to simplify the process. 

  • Soak the dried soybeans overnight.
  • Blend, cook, and strain the soaked soybeans into milk. The strained milk will then simmer for an extra 10-15 minutes.
  • Add a coagulant to curdle the soy milk.
  • Transfer the soybean curds into a tofu mould and apply pressure to form your block of tofu.
homemade tofu

makes 400g block of firm tofu, if using a tofu press

preparation 30 minutes

equipment – high-speed blender, two large pots and a tofu press

ingredients

300g dried soybeans, soaked overnight in plenty of water

pre-soak

  1. Soak the dried soybeans overnight in plenty of water.

blend, cook, strain, simmer

  1. The next day, transfer the soybeans to a high-speed blender jug with as much soaking water as the jug can hold. Blend until smooth. You can use a regular blender, but it may take much longer. Just blend until the milk is completely smooth and not chunky. 
  2. Tip the smooth soybean mixture into a large saucepan. Pour in the fresh water and bring to a boil, stirring and watching so the mixture doesn’t overflow.

Skim the foam off the top of the soy milk with a slotted spoon or sieve. Carefully watch the soy milk as you heat it over medium-high. Stir along the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to keep it from sticking.

  1. Once it comes to a boil, remove it from heat. Line a colander or sieve with muslin (cheesecloth) and set it over another large saucepan. Strain the liquid through; this is the soy milk that will become the tofu. You can dispose of the soybeans in your compost.
  2. Bring the milk to a boil, then simmer for 8 minutes over medium heat. Note: This mixture won’t boil as quickly as before, but you still need to watch, stir, and ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

turn the soy milk into curds

  1. After simmering for 8 minutes, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, barely stirring it through the soy milk. Note: The more you stir, the larger the curds; I prefer a smoothie tofu. You will see the curds start to separate without needing to stir. Allow to sit for 15 minutes to separate the curds fully.

press your tofu

  1. Set up your tofu press and line it with muslin over a wire rack in the sink. Pour the curd mixture into the tofu press, allowing the excess liquid to slowly drain through the cloth and down the sink, leaving the curds in the tofu press.
  2. Once most of the liquid has drained, wrap the cloth over the curds and cover with the wooden press. Apply a weight, such as a can of beans or a litre of nut milk. Drain for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.

Store in an airtight container with a quarter cup of water over the tofu to prevent drying out. It will keep up to a week.

weight guidelines

  • Medium texture: apply a 500-gram weight for 15 minutes
  • Medium-firm texture: apply a 750-gram weight for 15 minutes
  • Firm: apply a 1.5 kg weight for 20 minutes

Midway through, check that the weight is not lopsided. You can remove the lid, unfold the fabric, and poke at the tofu. In the mould, the tofu will feel soft and squiggly. However, it will firm up once fully cooled.

Goodness shared from Stacey