Tofu, a traditional household dish, has a long history on our table and is commonly found in all major cuisines. Old tofu, as a traditional category in the tofu family, is loved by diners for its firm texture and rich soybean flavor. Nowadays, with the growing concern for healthy eating, making your own tofu has become a popular way of life. How to make delicious homemade old tofu? The first thing you need to know is how to make it.

Soaking the Beans

The first step in making aged tofu is to soak the beans. Choose full, fresh soybeans, wash them well, and soak them in water. The soaking time is crucial, as it directly affects the taste and quality of the tofu. Usually, the soaking time is 6-8 hours, which can be adjusted appropriately according to the water absorption of the beans. During the soaking process, the water needs to be changed every 2-3 hours to keep the water clean.

The grinding process: the delicate soybean milk makes tender tofu

The soaked soybeans are full of water, and the volume of the beans will expand significantly. The next step is the grinding process. The first thing you need to do is to get your hands on some of the most popular products in the world, and you'll be able to do it in a way that's easy on the eyes. The result is a smooth, creamy, soybean-scented milk.

Spotting: the magical coagulation of tofu

After the soybean milk is ground, the spotting process begins. Paste pointing is a key step in the production of tofu, and directly determines the success or failure of the tofu. The traditional method of spotting uses gypsum powder or brine, and with the development of technology, there are also specialized tofu spotting agents on the market.

When pointing, you need to dissolve the pointing agent in a little warm water, and then slowly poured into the soybean milk, while pouring and stirring until the soybean milk coagulation into a floc. The solidified soybean milk is tofu brain.

Pressing: draining out the water to form the tofu

After the tofu brain is formed, it needs to be pressed to drain out the excess water and form a firm block of tofu. There are various pressing methods, such as gauze wrapping method and mold pressing method.

The gauze wrapping method is simple and easy, pouring the tofu brain into a gauze-lined container, wrapping and tying it tightly, and placing a heavy weight on it to press it. Mould pressing method is more professional, will be poured into the special tofu brain mold, with the pressure plate pressure pressing. The pressing time depends on the softness or hardness of the tofu, usually 30-60 minutes.

Cooking: high-temperature shaping of mellow tofu

The pressed block of tofu needs to be boiled to shape the tofu and make it more mellow. Cook the block of tofu in boiling water for 15-20 minutes, turning it several times to make sure it is heated evenly. Once cooked, the tofu will have a firm texture and a rich soybean flavor, and will be ready to be served and enjoyed.

Old tofu recipe:

Raw materials:

500g of soybeans (dry)

1000ml of water

5g of gypsum powder (or brine, or tofu batter)

Steps:

Clean the soybeans and soak them for 6-8 hours.

Pour the soaked soybeans into a soymilk machine, add water, and grind into fine soymilk.

Dissolve the dipping agent in a little warm water and slowly pour it into the soymilk, stirring while pouring, until the soymilk coagulates into tofu brain.

Pour the bean curd brains into a gauze-lined container, wrap and tie tightly, and place a heavy weight on the press for 30-60 minutes.

Place the pressed block of tofu into boiling water and cook for 15-20 minutes, turning several times to ensure that the tofu is heated evenly.

Scoop out the cooked tofu, cut into cubes and serve.

Warm tips:

When making old tofu, the ratio of soybeans to water is 1:2, which can be adjusted according to personal preference.

The dosage of the dabbing agent needs to be adjusted according to the amount and consistency of soybean milk, and the specific dosage can be referred to the instructions on the dabbing agent package.

When pressing the tofu, the force should not be too strong, so as not to destroy the organizational structure of the tofu.

Cooking the tofu should not be too long to avoid the tofu becoming old and hard.

The old tofu is not only delicious, but also fun and fulfilling. Why don't you give it a try and serve your family this healthy and delicious homemade tofu?