Tutorial part 1 of 2. Getting ready to make your own tofu.

Call me psychic or something, but I have a strong sense that you woke up this morning wondering 'how do I go about making my own tofu?'  Did ya?  Did ya?  I bet you did.  I've become a little tofu factory since my mum taught me how to make it 3 months ago.  I now make a couple of blocks every week.

I'm not doing this tute in one go because I have a yucky cold.  Anyways, if tofu is your thing you can go and get the necessary bits and pieces so we can make some together next week (when I'm not feeling so bunnged dupp).

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Find Part 2 of this tutorial here.

Why would you want to make your own tofu anyway?

• It's far superior tasting than the stuff you can buy in the shops and have you ever tried it fresh out of the press?  Yummy!
• Some would say that tofu is really bland, well home made tofu does taste better, but it does essentially taste very mild.  It's what you cook with tofu that counts.  Tofu takes on flavours like a sponge.
• Besides being very low in fat, high in protein and easy to digest, it's super good for you.
• It's as cheap as chips (which at times like these is pretty handy).
• It's as easy as falling out of bed to make, even the little ones can help.
• There are heaps of recipes out there, and here, and there.
• Can't get the kids into tofu?  Try deep frying/baking strips of tofu and making some yummy dips for them to dunk in.

Equipment that you'll need to bring the U-Handblog tofu class:

• a blender
• a whisk
• 2 large mixing bowls
• large saucepan
• a heavy weight for pressing onto the tofu mould (I use a heavy stone wrapped in a plastic bag)
• 250g of soya beans (per block of tofu) see pic below. Try looking in the health/Oriental/Indian food shop.
• 1/2 tblsp of corn starch (per block of tofu)
• 1 heaped tspn gypsum (per block of tofu) Gypsum (is a 100% natural mineral) is a firming agent in the tofu.  Some folks prefer to use stuff called nigari in place of the gypsum, but my mum who has been making tofu for years says that nigari sometimes doesn't work, whereas (for her) gypsum has 100% success rate and I'm not about to argue with my mum.  Gypsum is a fine white powder.  Try looking in the health/Oriental/Indian food shop.  Or you can buy from here.
• a tofu mould, muslin bag (for straining the soya milk) and muslin liner for the mould.  You can buy plastic, metal or wooden versions.  If you can, try to get a traditional wooden version made from cypress wood.  Wood is much nicer to use and the cypress is naturally antiseptic.  It's much easier if you can get your hands on a tofu kit which will include the mould and the muslins.  You can buy kits from here, and here, and here, and here.  If you have a large family keen on tofu you might want to purchase 2 moulds.

Soya beans.  Out of a 2kg bag you can make 8 blocks of tofu.  Pretty good value for money don'tcha think?

Ta da!  I'll post the tofu photo tutorial some time next week.  **UPDATE**  Here it is.