Tofu is simply the curd of soy milk. The process of making it is similar to cheese making, but the components are usually different. You can cause milk to curdle using lemon juice or cider vinegar, I suspect lime juice would work as well, but I haven’t tried it. On a whim, I tried this method with soy milk, and it worked great! So, my homemade tofu is coagulated with lemon juice instead of nigari or magnesium sulfate. Give it a try; it’s a breeze to make, and if you leave it a bit moist, you can mix it with a little parsley pesto and spread it over crostini, like you would a fresh goat cheese. Delish!
This recipe doesn’t make much, so you might want to double or triple it. You will need a candy thermometer, a large white cotton or linen napkin or plenty of cheesecloth, and a fine mesh sieve.
- 1 quart unsweetened homemade soy milk
- 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice, or more as needed to produce a good amount of coagulation
Line the sieve with cloth and set over a deep bowl. In a sauce pan over medium heat, heat the soy milk until it reaches 165 degrees. Do Not Boil. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Let sit a minute or two to coagulate. Add more lemon juice, if needed. When sufficient coagulation has occurred, slowly pour the milk into the lined sieve. You will have to do this in stages as the liquid drains. You may have to empty the bowl, depending on how deep it is. When all of the curds are in the cloth, let it drain another few minutes then fold the cloth over and press the curd to drain more liquid. Set the cloth sealed curd back in the sieve and place a weight on top. I used a bowl of water as weight. Let sit for 15-to-20 minutes, and your done.
For more information on make in Tofu, visit Just Hungry.
Print Recipe
Print Grocery List