How to Make Soy Tofu at Home

Tofu preparation is similar to homemade or local cheese. Soybeans are first soaked in water and then ground, boiled and filtered to make soy milk. After that, calcium or magnesium salt is added to coagulate the milk and it is coagulated and pressed. The tofu obtained in this way may be silky or soft, firm or very firm, each of which is used in cooking in a different way.

Tofu (vegetable tofu cheese or soy cheese) Tofu is a cholesterol-free and low-calorie food with high protein, which is a good source of calcium and manganese for strengthening bones. In addition, tofu is able to help people lose weight by keeping people full for a longer period of time than meat. Tofu vegetable cheese has been ranked among the best healthy food sources by reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, menopausal symptoms and some hormonal cancers, including breast and prostate cancer. However, since tofu is such a versatile food and takes on any flavor it's cooked with, it's a simple and delicious way to lose weight and support overall health.

Necessary ingredients for making tofu

Tofu is usually very easy to prepare.

The following materials and equipment are needed to prepare tofu.

Water: as much as needed

Dry soybeans: 3 cups

Epsom salt: 2 tablespoons; As an alternative to Epsom salt, you can use 75 ml of lemon juice. Alternatively, you can find Epsom salt at the drugstore.

Food processor or blender

big pot

Colander

strainer

A mesh bag or soft fabric, such as muslin

How to prepare tofu and soy milk:

Soy milk:

To prepare 1 liter of soy milk, about 125 grams of soybeans are needed. To prepare soy milk, we proceed as follows:

Soaking and peeling soybeans:

Clean the soybeans and soak them in water for 10 to 16 hours. If desired, you can peel the soybeans.

Taking the skin of soybeans makes the process of making milk from soybeans better.

Another method is to split the soybeans slightly before soaking. In this case, the skins are easily loosened and separated from soybeans by washing.

If you split soybeans, it takes 6 to 8 hours to soak.

2- Heating soybeans:

Heat the soybeans to destroy the enzymes that produce the flavor of the beans. For this purpose, you can put the soaked soybeans in the microwave for 2 minutes or put them in the oven.

3- Grinding soybeans:

Pour the soaked soybeans into the blender along with 1 liter of water and mix, or you can completely grind the soaked soybeans and mix with 1 liter of water.

Then drain the mixed liquid.

4- Boiling soy milk:

The liquid that passed through the phloem is called soy milk. Boil soy milk for 5 to 10 minutes. After cooling, soy milk is ready to use and you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

5- Flavoring soy milk:

To improve the taste of soy milk, you can add some salt to it, because cow's milk also contains a lot of salt. Chocolate, vanilla or fruit flavors are also suitable.

(* In my opinion, just add a pinch of salt and then eat it with sugar. It will be very delicious. * You can drink it cold or hot!!)

How to prepare tofu:

To prepare 400 grams of soy cheese, about 2 liters of soy milk and two teaspoons of natural calcium sulfate are needed.

To prepare soy cheese, we proceed as follows:

Pour soy milk in a container and boil slowly for 5 to 10 minutes. Then cool it until the temperature of the milk reaches 70 degrees Celsius.

Calcium sulfate is a coagulant and is actually "cheese curd". Dissolve two teaspoons of natural calcium sulfate in a glass of warm water.

The lower the amount of calcium sulfate, the softer the tofu, and the higher the amount of calcium sulfate, the harder the tofu is.

Pour the calcium sulfate solution slowly into the hot soy milk and stir it.

If after adding the calcium sulfate solution, some of the milk still remains in a loose state, add another amount of calcium sulfate.

If all the soy milk is coagulated (curdled) and a yellow liquid is seen on it, place a clean white cloth in a colander and pour the coagulated milk on the cloth.

Turn the edges of the cloth over the cheese. Then place a wide melamine plate on the cloth containing the cheese and place a one-kilogram weight on the plate for 20 minutes until the yellow juice of the cheese is separated from it.

After this period, the cheese is ready. Cut it and put it in a bowl of cold water. Then keep the container in the refrigerator and change the water every day.

Nutritional value of soy milk:

Soy milk is a rich source of high quality protein, B vitamins and isoflavones. It does not contain lactose (milk sugar), so it is a good alternative for those who have the problem of "lactose intolerance" and also for people who are allergic to cow's milk and cannot drink milk.

In other countries, when preparing soy milk in the factory, flavoring materials (vanilla, cocoa) and a lot of calcium or vitamins are added to it.

Nutritional value of tofu:

* Soy cheese, like soy milk, is a rich source of protein and B vitamins. which can replace meat in a vegetarian diet.

Unlike soy milk, tofu contains a lot of calcium, which is useful for preventing osteoporosis.

* Soybean cheese (tofu) is very easy to digest, because the fiber in soybeans is separated from it during factory operations.