How tofu is made

How is tofu made? Soak the soybeans in water, swell and soften, then grind them into soy milk in a stone mill, then filter out the bean dregs and boil. At this time, the protein pellets in the soybeans are surrounded by water and move continuously, as if they are dancing in a group in the soy milk bucket. They cannot come together and form a "colloid" solution. To turn the colloidal solution into tofu, it must be stewed. Use salt brine or gypsum to make brine. Salt brine mainly contains magnesium chloride, and gypsum is calcium sulfate. They can make the dispersed protein pellets gather together quickly to become white tofu. Then squeeze out the water and the tofu brain becomes tofu. Tofu and tofu are condensed soy protein. When we drink soy milk, we sometimes repeat the process of making tofu. Some people like to drink sweet syrup. Adding a spoonful of sugar to soy milk will make no difference to the soy milk. Some people like to drink salty syrup. Pour some soy sauce or add some salt into the soy milk, and after a while, white tofu will appear in the bowl. There is salt in soy sauce. Salt and salt brine have similar properties. They can also destroy the colloidal state of soy milk and cause protein agglomeration. Isn't this the same as making tofu? When the soy milk is stewed, tofu curd appears. The water is filtered out of the tofu brain and turned into tofu. Press the tofu tightly and squeeze out some water to become dried tofu. It turns out that soy milk, tofu curd, tofu, and dried tofu are all soy proteins, but they just contain more or less water. Milk is similar to soy milk and is also a colloidal solution. In fresh milk, casein, which is protein wrapped in cream, spreads out in the water and moves constantly, so the milk is always a uniform milky white liquid. When the milk is fermented to make kefir, the casein gathers and condenses into lumps, like tofu curd.

Tofu is an ancient traditional food in my country. It is found in some ancient books, such as "Compendium of Materia Medica" by Li Shizhen in the Ming Dynasty, "Cao Mu Zi" by Ye Ziqi, and "Wu Yuan" by Luo Qi. There are records that the tofu method began with Liu An, King of Huainan in the Han Dynasty. The Chinese were the first to eat tofu, and in the history of human diet, they have made a great contribution to benefiting the world.

The soybeans used to make tofu are rich in nutrients. The following is a comparison of the protein prices of several major animal and plant protein foods (when the standard protein price is 100): eggs are 100, beef is 83, fish is 70 on average, rice is 67, whole wheat flour is 53, corn is 59, soybeans The powder value is 74, which shows that the protein price of soybeans is comparable to that of fish and is the leader among plant proteins. Soybean protein is a complete protein with a relatively good amino acid composition. It contains all 8 amino acids necessary for the human body. In addition to protein, soybeans contain about 18% oil, most of which can be transferred to soy products. Soybean oil has a large proportion of linoleic acid (the main essential fatty acid for the human body) and does not contain cholesterol. It is not only beneficial to the development and growth of human nerves, blood vessels, and brain, but can also prevent common diseases such as cardiovascular disease and obesity. Soybeans also contain some protease substances, saponins and vitamin-destroying ingredients. They have adverse effects on human health, but they can be eliminated by heating them appropriately. On the other hand, when soybeans are directly used to make food, the human body has a poor digestion and absorption rate of its protein. Only 65%, but after making tofu, the digestion and absorption rate can be increased to 92% to 95%. It can be seen that tofu is the most beneficial to people in the soybean family.

Tofu is not only a delicious food, it also has health care functions. Traditional Chinese medicine books record: Tofu is sweet in taste and cool in nature. It enters the spleen, stomach and large intestine meridian and has the effects of replenishing qi, neutralizing the stomach, promoting body fluids and detoxifying. It can be used for red eyes, thirst, dysentery and other diseases, and can detoxify sulfur and soju. These have been gradually confirmed by modern medicine and nutrition. For example, tofu does have the effect of detoxifying alcohol; tofu can quench thirst and is a good food for diabetics. As the saying goes, "Green vegetables and tofu keep you safe", which is exactly how people praise the nutritional and health-care value of tofu. After thousands of years of evolution, tofu and its products have formed a major group of Chinese cooking raw materials. There are countless local famous products and can be used to cook tens of thousands of dishes, snacks and other foods. This is inseparable from the wide range of cookability of tofu and its products. For example: it can be made into a dish alone, or used as a main ingredient, an auxiliary ingredient, or as a seasoning; it can be processed in a variety of cooking techniques, cut into pieces, slices or dices, stewed or fried; it can be made into a variety of dishes , various shapes, can be used as cold dishes, hot dishes, soups, hot pots, rolls, clips, balls, bags, etc. It can also be prepared into various flavors. It not only has the original flavor of dry aroma, but also has a unique suction. Taste characteristics, "the taste of tofu is far better than that of bird's nest".

Since tofu and its products have so many advantages, it is no wonder that it is so popular and has been popular for a long time.

Today, tofu and its products are not only common foods for Chinese people, they have also traveled far abroad and become popular all over the world. While American fried chicken and steak are attracting residents of other countries, China's traditional food - tofu, has entered the American market with its unique charm and has become a popular food with its outstanding advantages of high protein, low fat, low calories and low cholesterol. It is recognized as an ideal food and favored by Americans.

[Edit this paragraph] Several ways to make tofu delicacies

1. Pan-fried meat slices and tofu rolls

1) Cut the tofu into thin slices, the same length as the shabu-shabu slices The width is the same, and the width is about the same as the width of a piece of chewing gum.

2) It is best to use pork or beef slices to make this dish. Lay the meat slices flat on the chopping board, place the tofu slices on one end of the meat slices, and then roll the tofu with the meat slices.

3) Place all the rolled tofu rolls on a shallow plate, pour the juice mixed with light soy sauce, cooking wine, a little starch and a little sugar on top, and marinate for 10-15 minutes. Turn over once during marinating.

4) Heat a little oil in a frying pan, put the marinated tofu rolls in, and slowly fry over low heat until both sides of the tofu rolls turn beautiful golden brown, then place on a plate.

2. 1) Cut the box of tofu into 4 square tofu pieces of equal size. Take a piece and cut it diagonally to get 2 triangles. Stand the triangle up, with the bottom edge touching the chopping board, and make three vertical cuts to cut out 4 small triangle pieces of equal thickness.

2) On a triangular piece of tofu, spread the shrimp meat filling, cover it with another piece of tofu, then spread a layer of meat filling, then a layer of tofu, four pieces The tofu is made into a group with three layers of meat fillings sandwiched between them.

3) Steam the tofu in a steamer.

4) Use the juice from the steamed tofu, add some hot sauce, mix well, pour it on the stuffed tofu, and sprinkle with cooked sesame seeds.

3. 1) Mix half a bowl of chicken soup, a spoonful of cooking wine, an appropriate amount of salt, and a little sesame oil to make a sauce, and add washed dried shrimps. Set aside minced onion and ginger.

2) Beat the eggs into egg liquid, take another plate and add flour.

3) After slicing the tofu, first dip it in flour and then coat it in egg liquid.

4) Fry the tofu slices dipped in flour and egg mixture until golden brown on both sides.

5) After the tofu is fried, place it in the pot, pour the sauce on the tofu, sprinkle with chopped green onion and ginger, and cook over medium-low heat until the juice is gone and the tofu is flavorful.

4.

1) Add a raw egg, chopped onion, light soy sauce, salt, sugar, cooking wine, white pepper, sesame oil to the meat filling, and mix the minced meat with it. Use chopsticks to stir evenly in one direction.

2) Stuff the meat filling into the fried tofu.

3) Heat a little oil in the pot, place the side of the fried tofu stuffed with meat filling close to the surface of the pot, and fry over medium-low heat until the meat filling is golden brown.

4) Turn the meat side over, take a small bowl of chicken soup, add a little soy sauce and sugar, stir well, and pour it into the pot.

5) Turn to low heat and slowly simmer the soup to make the fried tofu absorb the flavor. At the same time, prepare some lettuce leaves, put each braised tofu stuffed piece into a lettuce leaf, and serve on a plate.

5. 1) Cut a small piece of beef into thin slices and marinate it with light soy sauce. Cut a box of soft tofu into large pieces.

2) Heat the pot, pour in the sesame oil, when the oil is hot, pour in the beef slices, stir-fry until it changes color. Add 3 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of cooking wine, cover the pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the scum with a spoon.

3) Add tofu and a handful of dried wakame. You can also use kelp cut into small pieces instead. Add a little more salt, pepper and sugar, cover, bring to a boil, then turn to medium-low heat and cook for 5 minutes.

4) When the soup is served, sprinkle some fried sesame seeds

7 Pearl Green Tofu

Crush the tofu into puree, blanch the green beans, and chop the chicken Cheng Rong. Mix the chicken and tofu, add soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, onions, ginger, garlic, and starch, mix well, and form into meatballs. Boil the stock, add green beans and meatballs, and thicken the soup before serving.

8 Hibiscus Tofu

Soak the tofu in salt water for 5 to 10 minutes and slice. Add salt and chicken essence to egg whites and beat until foamy. When the oil is 30% to 40% hot, fry the tofu. Fry one side without turning it over. When the tofu is still white, add egg white, chopped fungus, and leek segments, cover and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

9 Sauce-flavored Tofu

Pork belly is coated in starch. Stir-fry the meat, add salt, cooking wine, sugar, tofu, and finally green garlic.

10 Fried broad beans

Add starch and cooking wine to the tenderloin and mix well. Sauté the aniseed wedges and chopped green onion until fragrant, stir-fry the meat until it changes color, add broad beans, soy sauce, salt, chicken essence, and water, simmer until dry, add carrot slices, and remove from the pot.

11 Tomato Crispy Tofu

Cooked water chestnuts. Cut the crispy tofu into diamond shapes, cut the mushrooms into cubes, and tear the fungus into slices. Pour water chestnuts in cold water, peel and dice. Sauté aniseed and chopped green onion until fragrant, stir-fry tofu, add mushrooms, salt, chicken essence, water, and simmer. Put oil in the pot, stir-fry the tomato paste until oil comes out, add mushrooms, tofu, water chestnuts and fungus, stir-fry and remove from the pot.

12 Vegetable-wrapped Tofu

Add minced meat, minced green onion, minced ginger, minced sea rice, minced fungus, egg white, starch, sugar, salt, soy sauce to the tofu, and kill the lettuce with salt water. Wrap tofu and steam for ten minutes. Add pepper, tomato paste and sugar to water starch. After the lettuce-wrapped tofu comes out of the pot, pour out the soup, add water and starch, and pour it on the lettuce and tofu.

13 Fungus and mustard oil tofu

Blanch the shepherd's purse in boiling water; cut the shepherd's purse, carrots, and fungus into thin strips respectively; add chopped green onion, shepherd's purse, fungus, carrot, and appropriate amount of salt to the meat filling , cooking wine and sesame oil for filling. Cut the fried tofu into two pieces, mix the tofu inside with the stuffing, and embed the fried stuffing into the fried tofu, not too much. After the water in the steamer boils, add the fried tofu to a plate and steam for 5 to 6 minutes. Place the small rapeseed with flying water on all sides and place soaked beans in the middle.

14 Cinnabar Tofu

Mash the egg yolk and tofu into powder, fry the dried tofu, add bean curd, cooking wine, chicken essence, egg yolk, and drizzle with sesame oil.

15 Qiongshan Tofu

Add salt to egg whites, beat well, add milk and steam for six minutes. Spread the egg yolks. Stir-fry shrimps, ham, and peas, add salt, chicken essence, cooking wine, and finally thicken with water starch, place it on the steamed egg white, and decorate with egg yolk.

16 Jinsha Egg Yolk Tofu

Put the salted egg yolk into a bowl, add cooking wine, steam over high heat for 7 minutes, mash while hot, and press into a paste. Cut the soft tofu crosswise first, then cut it into small pieces, blanch it in salted boiling water for 1 minute, and drain. Heat oil, add salted egg yolk powder and stir-fry over low heat until fragrant. When the salted egg yolk foams, add salt and chicken powder to taste. Pour in the soft tofu and stir-fry gently for 1 minute before serving.

17 Mustard Green Tofu Soup

Ingredients for Mustard Green Tofu Soup: 150g mustard greens, 200g tofu, appropriate amount of starch

Ingredients: 2 tsp sesame oil, 15 tbsp soup stock 1 tsp pepper 2 tsp salt

Production process:

1. Cut off the old leaves and thick stems of shepherd's purse, wash them, blanch them in boiling water and take them out. Rinse with cold water and chop finely.

2. Bring the stock to a boil, add refined salt and water starch to thicken the soup, then add diced tofu and bring to a boil.

3. Add the chopped shepherd's purse, bring to a boil again, then turn off the heat and serve. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with pepper.

18 Mapo Tofu

Made with soft tofu and minced beef. The finished dish is bright red in color and the tofu is tender and white, with the characteristics of "numbing, spicy, fresh, hot, tender, bundled (referring to the shape), and crispy (referring to the minced beef).

1. Choose gypsum tofu Cut into square cubes and put in a bowl, soak in boiling water to remove the astringency.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok until it is 60% hot, and stir-fry the minced beef until it turns yellow. Add salt, tempeh, chili powder, Pixian bean paste and stir-fry, add fresh broth,

3. Add the tofu and cook over medium heat until the tofu is fragrant.

4. Stir in garlic sprouts and soy sauce and cook for a while to thicken the juice. When the juice is thick and oily, place it in a bowl and sprinkle with minced Sichuan peppercorns.