Making tofu

From the soybean to the palate

It’s Veganuary! As every year in January, the vegan community calls on non-vegans to try out the vegan diet for a month – for animal welfare, the environment and for their own health.

In addition to plenty of fruit and vegetables, cereals and pulses, tofu is also part of many people's diet. There is usually a considerable selection in the supermarket: Natural and smoked tofu or tofu refined with various herbs, spices or nuts. If you don't have much time to cook, these ready-made tofu creations are ideal. If you would like to invest a little more time in preparing delicious dishes, you can also make your own tofu. Sounds complicated? But it's not!

How to make homemade tofu

Making tofu is child's play and requires only a few ingredients. It also has the advantage that it can be seasoned and refined to taste. For the quick version, it is best to use a ready-made soy drink.

Tofu ingredients:

• 1 litre soy drink (untreated)

• 4-5 tbsp of a coagulant of your choice. For example, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, kombucha or alternatively a level tsp of nigari
.

• ½ tsp salt

Utensils for making tofu

• 1 colander

• 1 muslin cloth/nut milk bag/strainer

• 2 bowls

Making tofu: this is how´s

Place the coagulant in a large bowl with the salt. Then heat the soy drink in a saucepan. Then pour the heated soy drink into the bowl with the coagulant and stir well.

Now let the mixture stand for about 20 minutes. During this resting period, the soy milk coagulates and the whey is separated from the solids.

Once the soy milk has curdled, place the nut milk cloth in a sieve and place an empty bowl underneath. Carefully pour the curdled soy drink through the cloth. Tie the cloth and forcefully squeeze the liquid out of the curdled whey.

&As with cheese making, a solid mass remains ­– the tofu. The more liquid you squeeze out of the tofu mixture, the firmer your tofu will be.

Tip when making tofu: To make it easier to squeeze, place a heavy object on top of the tofu.

Once your tofu has reached the desired firmness, you can process it directly. This is how quick and easy it is to make tofu. You can also create different variations and flavours with this basic recipe. Simply mix the herbs and spices of your choice with the soy drink and the curdling mixture, leave for 20 minutes and continue as usual.

Make your own soy drink in just 5 steps

You'd rather have a 100% homemade tofu? No problem! Making your own soy milk is child's play and the product tastes wonderfully nutty. If you want to use the homemade soy milk to make tofu, it is best to prepare the vegan milk a day in advance.

If you want to make your own tofu, prepare the vegan milk a day in advance.

Ingredients vegan soy milk (approx. 750 ml)