How to Make Tofu

• Thermometer

• Cheese Cloth

• Tofu Press

STEPS

1. Soak the soybeans: Rinse 500 grams dried soybeans thoroughly under cold water. Place in a large bowl and cover with 1.5 liters cold water (for soaking). The beans will roughly double in size, so use a large enough vessel. Soak at room temperature for 10–12 hours (or overnight). In warm weather, soak in the refrigerator to prevent fermentation.

2. Drain and rinse: Drain and rinse the soaked beans. They should be plump and slightly split at the seam. Discard the soaking water — it contains flatulence-causing oligosaccharides.

3. Blend the beans: Working in 2–3 batches, blend the soaked beans with 1.2 liters fresh water (for blending) (divided equally across batches) on high speed for 2–3 minutes per batch until you have a very smooth, creamy slurry (called 'go'). The finer the blend, the higher the soy milk yield.

4. Cook the slurry: Pour all of the blended slurry into a large, heavy-bottomed pot (minimum 6L capacity). Add 800 milliliters fresh water (for cooking soy milk). Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, continuing to stir. Watch carefully — it foams aggressively and can boil over.

5. Strain the soy milk (okara separation): Line a large colander or straining frame with a fine-weave cloth (muslin or cheesecloth). Pour the hot cooked slurry through the cloth in batches. Gather the cloth and firmly squeeze and twist to extract as much soy milk as possible. The dry solids remaining in the cloth are okara — set aside (great for baking or cooking). You should yield approximately 1.8–2L of fresh soy milk.

6. Prepare the nigari solution: Dissolve 8 grams nigari flakes (magnesium chloride) completely in 120 milliliters warm water (to dissolve nigari). Stir well until fully clear. This is your coagulant solution. Prepare this while your soy milk is still hot.

7. Cool soy milk to coagulation temperature: Return the strained soy milk to a clean pot. Heat or allow to cool until it reaches 75–80°C. Use a thermometer — this temperature window is critical. Too hot and the curds will be grainy; too cool and coagulation will be weak.

8. Add nigari and coagulate: Remove the pot from heat. Add two-thirds of the nigari solution in a slow, sweeping circular pour while gently stirring the soy milk in one direction. Once added, give one final gentle stir, then place the lid on the pot. Do NOT stir again. Allow to rest undisturbed for 10–15 minutes. The milk will separate into white curds and pale yellowish whey.

9. Check coagulation and add remaining nigari: Lift the lid and gently press the back of a spoon on the surface. If the liquid runs clear-yellow, coagulation is complete. If it still appears milky, drizzle in the remaining nigari solution, replace the lid, and rest for a further 5 minutes.

10. Line the tofu mould: Line a tofu press mould (or a suitable container with drainage holes) with damp muslin or cheesecloth, leaving enough overhang to fold over the top. A standard 700g tofu mould or a small perforated food container works well.

11. Ladle curds into the mould: Using a slotted spoon or ladle, gently scoop the curds into the lined mould, disturbing them as little as possible — rough handling breaks the curds and reduces yield. Drain off and discard the whey, or reserve it for cooking (it's protein-rich and mildly sweet).

12. Press the tofu: Fold the cloth over the top of the curds and place the mould lid or a flat weight (e.g. a plate with a 500g–1kg weight on top) over the cloth. Press for 20–30 minutes for firm tofu. For silken-style, press lightly for 10 minutes only. The longer and heavier the press, the firmer and denser the final block.

13. Unmould and chill: Once pressed, carefully unmould the tofu block into a container of cold water. Submerge fully. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before use — this firms the texture and cleanses any residual nigari bitterness. Store submerged in fresh cold water in the fridge for up to 5 days, changing the water daily.

NOTES
**Nigari ratio:** 8g nigari per ~1.8L soy milk typically yields firm tofu. Increase to 10g for extra-firm, or reduce to 6g for a softer, more silken result.

**Yield:** 500g dried soybeans → ~1.8–2L soy milk → approximately 650–750g pressed tofu block.

**Okara:** The fibre-rich soybean pulp left in the cloth is called okara (or unohana). It's high in protein and dietary fibre — excellent in veggie patties, miso soup, or baked goods.

**Whey:** The pale yellow liquid drained from the curds is tofu whey. Rich in protein and minerals — use it to cook rice, soups, or bread.

FAQ:

Why 75–80°C for coagulation? Nigari (MgCl₂) acts faster and more aggressively than calcium sulphate. At this temperature window, the soy proteins — predominantly glycinin (11S) and β-conglycinin (7S) — are sufficiently denatured to aggregate when the divalent Mg²⁺ ions neutralise their surface charge. Above 85°C, the curds form too rapidly and become coarse/grainy; below 70°C, coagulation is incomplete.

The two-thirds / one-third nigari split is a traditional Japanese technique to initiate coagulation gently with the first addition, then finish it with the remainder — giving you larger, more uniform, tender curds rather than a crumbled mass.

Press weight and texture: For a commercially comparable firm tofu (~300g/L density), a 500g–1kg weight for 25 minutes is about right. If you're targeting a Chinese-style extra-firm (dòugan) or a pressing tofu suitable for stir-frying, extend to 45–60 minutes with a heavier weight.