How do I make tofu at home?

January 6, 2005 7:47 PM

Inspired by this article (NYT, blah blah), I've decided that I'd like to learn to make tofu at home. I've done this very successfully with paneer (which at least looks like tofu), so I feel like this shouldn't be a problem. Anyone know anything about making tofu?
posted by scrim to Food & Drink (6 answers total)

My parents made tofu at home when I was a kid. When I thought I'd try myself, I think they said something like "Tofu is cheap and plentiful now. Don't waste your time." While I don't think it's that hard, it's messy and time consuming. I'll probably still try it someday, you know, so I know how.

As an aside, I always thought it'd be cool to carve a turkey (game hen?) shaped press for themey holiday meals.
posted by maniactown at 8:38 PM on January 6, 2005

Personally, I like making paneer because it's hard to find in stores.

Personally, I don't like tofu very much.

Still, here's a Food Network link about making tofu at home. (For me, its main qualifier and disqualifier is the fact that the recipe starts with "build a wooden frame from finished 3/4-inch thick lumber." If tofu is an excuse to buy more tools, I can get behind it!)
posted by mudpuppie at 9:26 PM on January 6, 2005

I made it once a while ago. I'm not sure it was worth the effort, but it was still a good learning experience - and yes, almost identical to making paneer. Except you're in charge of making the milk as well.

I didn't do a great job molding it and ended up with a rather large and shallow slab of tofu. I did use epsom salts, which worked fine - although the tofu ended up somewhat soft. I'd say if you're going through all this trouble get a better curdler than epson salts.

I'd recommend a better mold than I used - google searches suggest either a plastic storage tub (cheap Ziploc or Gladware seem perfectly suited to this) or even a milk carton - with drainage holes punched in of course. You can certainly use a colander and cheesecloth if you don't care about ending up with a round block of tofu.
posted by O9scar at 1:34 AM on January 7, 2005

THree of the coolest cookbooks I own are The Book of Tofu , The Book of Miso, and The Book of Tempeh. They have extensive descriptions and recipes for making almost all soy products. The books came out of the 70s whole foods/DIY moment, and set me dreaming when I read them.

But, although it does not seem difficult, it also does not seem all that worth it, and I have never made tofu. If you like tofu, I have to say that fresh is a lot better than the kind in your avg Safeway. If you just want to try fresh go to a local Asian grocery and look in the dairy case for a tub of fresh tofu. You will not be disappointed.

Get the books, though, if you are at all interested. They're really cool. I have been thinking of making miso, just because I like fermented stuff, and it's pretty easy to make.
posted by OmieWise at 6:10 AM on January 7, 2005

There's nothing odd about round tofu–it's generally how quality and fresh tofu comes in Japan. The squares are more for mass-production efficiency or what-have-you.
posted by MightyNez at 8:48 AM on January 7, 2005

I would try making tofu if I could find recipes for flavoured tofus (they sell flavoured tofus at the supermarket, so I know it's possible to make them). I didn't seem to be able to find any online, though, and the cookbooks on tofu seem to be about what to do with the tofu once it's made.
posted by duck at 8:53 AM on January 7, 2005