I (Amy) don't remember when I started making my own soy milk and tofu. I think it was after my first child a year old, and trying finger foods. He would eat tofu like it was candy, and making my own became SO much less expensive than having to buy it all the time.
To make your own tofu, like anything, can become a financial burden unto itself if you start to fall for all the sales pitches and must-have lists that companies insist you follow. Truthfully, you can make soymilk and tofu with very little investment. All you need to make both foods is:
- Organic Soybeans - These are very inexpensive, please do buy organic in this instance. You want non-GMO, chemical free beans. Soybeans are one of the most heavily chemically grown crops. Debate the benefits of organic with other foods. In this case, it is non-negotiable.
- Cheesecloth - The finer the better. If all you can find is the open weave cloth from the grocery store, buy extra. you will need many layers. I have also used a linen towel or bandana, with great results.
- Colander or strainer of some sort - Your standard pasta strainer will work just fine. If you want to have the traditional square or rectangle shape, you will need a tofu press.
- Coagulant - This could be as simple as apple cider vinegar, lemon juice or even Epsom salts.
Here is a fabulous photo recipe from our friends at Instructables. This is exactly how I do it, including the resulting half rounded shape tofu. Once it is cut up, who cares what shape it was to begin with?
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