Why not savour the amazing qualities of soybeans by making tofu at home!
Did you know that soybeans are largely indigestible? This is due to the presence of an enzyme inhibitor called protease trypsin inhibitor, which interferes with protein digestion. Soybeans also contain anti-nutritional factors such as phytic acid.
The processing of soybeans is therefore an important and necessary step to inactivate this enzyme inhibitor and allow for us to utilise the high protein content of soybeans.
-> Step 2 and 3 and can repeated to extract more soy milk from beans
Heating: Place pot on medium heat and simmer the soy milk until it reaches a max of about 82C, making sure to keep stirring while it heats.
Curdling: Add the gypsum into the milk - the amount depends on how much soy milk is extracted in Step 3 (roughly 4 Tbsp for every 2L of soy milk). The gypsum is used to curdle the milk, so do not stir as this will impede the curdling process. Moving the liquid slowly with a spoon along the edges will help you see if the curdling is working. Be patient, it may take a while! Lemon juice, vinegar or Epsom salt have also been used in other recipes as an alternative to gypsum.
Pouring: Once you see most of the liquid has curdled, pour gently into the cheesecloth / mould and press with a weight (for example, a heavy pot) to release the liquid. As you can see below - this can be easily made at home without the need for a shop-bought press.
Important to note: The leftover soyabean pulp in the cheesecloth is called okara. This nutritious byproduct should not be discarded as it has amazing properties. It can be used for biscuits, tempeh, burgers and much more. Check out our own Okara Tempeh recipe here.
