I made tofu from scratch (and it’s way simpler than it sounds) 😍🌱

Quick intro first: I’m a vegan chef and I share all my recipes on my app Eline’s Table, so if you like from-scratch plant-based cooking, that’s where you’ll find me 🥹 https://elinestable.com/app

Now, onto the tofu.

This is homemade tofu, made the traditional way.

I didn’t reinvent anything here, there aren’t 36 ways to make tofu. You start by making soy milk from soaked soybeans, filter it through a cheesecloth, then coagulate it using nigari (natural magnesium chloride) or simply lemon juice. The curds are then pressed, exactly like cheese.

HOMEMADE TOFU (about 500 g / 1 lb)

Ingredients

– 400 g dry soybeans

– 2.3 L water

– 9 g nigari OR 1 lemon

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

Soak the soybeans in a large bowl of water overnight.

Drain and rinse, then blend with the water (in batches if needed).

Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth and squeeze well. The liquid is soy milk. The pulp left behind is okara (great for cookies or patties).

Pour the strained soy milk into a pot. Bring to a boil, skimming off the foam. Remove from heat as soon as it boils.

Let the milk cool slightly to about 80°C / 176°F.

Add your coagulant: either lemon juice or nigari dissolved in 4 tbsp water.

Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.

The curds will separate from the whey. Scoop the curds into a sieve.

Transfer them to a tofu mold lined with clean cheesecloth, fold over, place the lid and add weight (a jar of lentils works perfectly).

Press for 2 to 24 hours, depending on how firm you want your tofu.

Unmold into a bowl of cold water to release the block. Store submerged in water in an airtight container for up to 4 days.