Soya Bean Milk

[Tepee]

Soya Bean Milk

Make your own from organically grown non-GM beans and you'll find it's superior to the ones sold in cartons. After trying this recipe, vary it according to your preference. Add or reduce water to suit the thickness level you like.

• 200 g soya beans
  
• 2 l water
  
• 3 pcs pandan leaves (if available)
  
• 200 g rock sugar or brown sugar or white sugar to taste
  
• small knob of ginger (optional)
  
• muslin/cotton bag
  
• large pot
  

1. Cover beans with water that measures around one and a half times the height of the beans in the jar to allow for expansion.

2. Soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.

3. Rub off as much skin from the beans as possible. Fish out or wash away the skins. This step may be omitted if you do not mind some 'tartness' in the drink. Drain beans.

4. Measure out the 2 litres water. Save around 2 cups water for second blending. If your blender is big enough, you may blend the beans in the water. If not, do it in batches. Blend as fine as possible.

5. As you blend (if you're doing in batches), transfer the blended mixture into the bag. Sqquueeeze. Pour squeezed milk into a large pot.

6. Add the reserved 2 cups of water to the squeezed-out residue, and blend a second time. Repeat step 5.

7. (Optional step) Scratch out the skin from the ginger. Smash with the side of a cleaver. The ginger is to cancel out the too 'cooling' effect of soya milk and to take away the raw bean smell. Some people may prefer to add a drop or 2 of almond or vanilla extract to do the job.

8. Notwithstanding the aforementioned flavorings, the traditional flavoring is pandan. Wash pandan leaves and knot them. Throw into milk.

9. Make sure the pot has a capacity of at least double the amount of soya milk, as the milk tends to boil over very quickly. When boiling the milk, you don't have to keep watch for the first 10 minutes, but once 10 minutes is up, don't even blink.

10. Reduce heat once it starts to boil. Add sugar. My preference is rock sugar because I feel it makes the milk feel smoother. The soya milk is also delicious without any sugar. Give it a stir or two, and your 'power' drink is ready.

Notes:

1. The drink can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

2. Black soya beans can be substitued for a higher iron content. However the beans need to be soaked longer as the skin is a bit more stubborn. Don't bother getting all the skin off. You only have 24 hours in a day.

3. Waste not, want not. Those leftover residue can be used to make Okara Bread (tried to use hyperlink but couldn't. Here's the link for the recipe. http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2005/06/wheat-okara-bread.html) or use as fertilizer to sprinkle over your plants.

4. I should stop adding notes, but I can't. This recipe is a good base to make to fu fah (will add a link when the linky thingy is fixed).

5. Soya milk is great mixed with carrot juice.

Keywords: Non-Alcoholic Beverage, Vegetarian, Easy, Beans, Chinese, Blender, Immersion Blender

( RG1412 )