The tofu that are commonly available commercially are normally made using gypsum (sek ko fun, calcium sulfate) as coagulant. Sek Ko Fun is widely used in China to make tofu. Many claim that sek ko fun is not good for health. However, Sek Ko Fun (Calcium sulfate) is a good source of calcium that helps to make our bones strong.
The Japanese people have been using Nigari salt (sea salt, magnesium chloride) as coagulant for tofu and I was told that Nigari is a better choice than sek ko fun. Anyway there are many types of coagulant for tofu like for example the Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) that is popularly used to flush gall bladder stone. Our normal kitchen vinegar can also be used as a coagulant but I have yet to try this method.
I do no have a tofu making box with drainage hole, so a plastic sieve that I use to soak vegetables will work just fine. In order to make the tofu with fine texture, you must stir the coagulant and soya bean juice mixture one time clockwise and one anti clockwise. Pressing it using some weights will turn the tofu into blocks.
Here is the step by step instruction to make tofu.
1) Soya Bean milk that I bought from the Kepong wet market, around 5 cups. Nigari salt solution.
2) Heat up soya bean milk to around 60 to 70 Deg C. Do not boil. Add 2 table spoons of Nigari salt solutions. Nigari salt has bitter taste so use it sparingly.
The soya bean milk will start to coagulate after 15 to 20 minutes.
3) Drape a fine cloth over the sieve. I guess my new handkerchief works just fine. The best material would be your Pagoda T-shirt.....but you better use a new one or else, no one will eat your tofu...ha ha ha!
4) Pour the coagulated tofu into the cloth.
5) Tie up the cloth and put some heavy stuff on top of it. I used a bowl filled with water
6) When the tofu hardened, soak it in clean water to wash away the nigari salt so that it will not taste bitter.
7) My tofu, Peteformation production! See the sieve pattern on it?
8) Cook the tofu immediately because there are no preservative in it. I cooked Marmite Tofu with it. Want to know the taste of my home made tofu? Fresh and yummy!
