Japanese foods--tofu

[EdS]

Thanks, Hiroyuki. I think I was concerned that wood might be better because it might provide flavor or absorb moisture from the tofu compared to using the non-porous materials. It doesn't look like this is an issue. I can save the $30 those cypress wood boxes go for here and buy myself, uh, another 40 pounds of soybeans.

[Hiroyuki]

You mean you have decided to get a stainless steel one? It will be a wise choice if you are going to be a regular maker of tofu.

As for me, a colander and a sheet of paper towel served the purpose when I made my first oboro dofu.

See post #45 in http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...30entry636622

absorb moisture from the tofu compared to using the non-porous materials. It doesn't look like this is an issue.

←

That is not an issue when you make tofu, but it is when it comes to keeping cooked rice. Do you know ohitsu?

http://www.nsknet.or.jp/~tomi-yasu/recipe/gohan_e.html (English)

http://www.kiso2.com/imamura-o.htm (Japanese only)

[EdS]

I'm not sure if I'll get a plastic one or a stainless steel one. I know I saw the stainless one yesterday but I couldn't find it today. I lost patience clicking through the links on Google so I'll try it again later.

I have one of those wood rice tubs. It's an ohitsu? I use it sometimes for sushi rice although often I just get lazy and use a regular bowl. That's what gave me the idea that wood might be good for tofu too.

Your yosedofu looks good, especially the last picture where there's nothing left! I know that will happen to mine too, heh. I bought my first nigari this evening. I was happy to see that my store carried it. So, tofu will be coming very soon now!

So, for "silk" tofu, I can just pour it into a container without draining?

Edited August 12, 2005 by esvoboda (log)

[Hiroyuki]

I have one of those wood rice tubs. It's an ohitsu? I use it sometimes for sushi rice although often I just get lazy and use a regular bowl. That's what gave me the idea that wood might be good for tofu too.

An ohitsu is used to keep plain cooked rice, while a sushi oke is used to make shari (vinegard rice).

A photo of an ohitsu:

http://www.shimizumokuzai.jp/ohitu/ohitu_main.html

A photo of a sushi oke:

http://www.shimizumokuzai.jp/susioke/susioke_main.html

So, for "silk" tofu, I can just pour it into a container without draining?

Basically, yes, but I don't know the proper soy milk-to-nigari ratio for making silken tofu or whether the ratio is the same as that for making momen tofu. Maybe you could make some experiments and report on your findings here.

[EdS]

I made my first batch of tofu today. Sorry, no pics. I started by making soy milk in my soy milk maker using some bulk $0.89/lb. organic soybeans from Whole Foods which I had soaked overnight and water filtered by a Brita filter. As soon as the soy milk was finished, about 15 minutes later, I poured it through a very-fine-mesh chinois into a Staub cast-iron cocotte over medium-low heat and checked the temperature which registered about 170F degrees. I poured a tablespoon of nigari into a small bowl, added a small amount of filtered water, and mixed the contents. I then very slowly whisked the diluted nigari into the soy milk. It appeared to coagulate almost immediately. I covered the cocotte and let it sit for 10 minutes.

I decided to not mold this first batch but rather just drain it. I placed a fine-mesh Japanese colander over a large bowl and poured the tofu into the colander. A few minutes later, I emptied the water from the glass bowl and placed the colander back on top. I covered the bowl and colander with plastic wrap and placed them in the refrigerator.

A few hours later, I decided to take a look. A few minutes later, it was all gone!

It tasted just like the great "cotton" tofu I get from the local tofu factory here (San Jose Tofu) and unlike supermarket tofu which always has a funny taste from my experience no matter how "fresh" it's supposed to be. The texture of my batch was rather light and fluffy which can be attributed to the fact that I did not press it. I think what I had was "silk" tofu.

I'll certainly be doing this often. It wasn't much work other than clean-up. My next project will be to make some cotton tofu.

[Hiroyuki]

It tasted just like the great "cotton" tofu I get from the local tofu factory here (San Jose Tofu) and unlike supermarket tofu which always has a funny taste from my experience no matter how "fresh" it's supposed to be. The texture of my batch was rather light and fluffy which can be attributed to the fact that I did not press it. I think what I had was "silk" tofu.

←

Good job. Nothing like freshly made tofu.

I would say that yours is softer-than-regular momen tofu because it was drained.

What did you eat the tofu with?

[EdS]

I wasn't sure what to eat with this tofu since I've never had tofu of this consistency. I scooped the tofu into a bowl and put some bonito flakes and a little shoyu on top.

Before pouring the tofu into the colander there was some amount of liquid on top. If I had poured the tofu into a mold undrained, I think I would have had tofu soup! It could be that my soy milk was a little weak or perhaps I am worrying about nothing.

[torakris]

hiyayakko topped with blanched okra and myouga

[easternsun]

Kristin what kind of sauce did you make for this? I have been eating a lot of hiyyayako and okra these days but I have been using dashi shoyu. I need myouga ! That dish looks great to me and myouga gives it such a nice little dash of colour.

[easternsun]

I have questions about GMOs and tofu in Japan. I started buying a brand of tofu that is labelled NON GMO but I am wondering why I dont see more labelling like this. Do you often see NON GMO labels on tofu in your area?

edited to say that my understanding was that since 2001 Japan must label GM foods so why is this brand (Nakashita) labelling as NON GMO ? Have the rules changed? Is it just so people like me will buy their tofu

Edited September 12, 2005 by easternsun (log)

[torakris]

Kristin what kind of sauce did you make for this?  I have been eating a lot of hiyyayako and okra these days but I have been using dashi shoyu.  I need myouga !  That dish looks great to me and myouga gives it such a nice little dash of colour.

←

I almost always use just plain old soy sauce...

[torakris]

more hiyayakko last night

with natto and melokhiya, dressed with a karashi (Japanese mustard) and soy sauce dressing

[Kiem Hwa]

Tonight my BF followed a recipe to make a dish that really reminds me of koya-dofu. In this recipe, the tofu is pressed and drained, then frozen, then drained again before cooking. Is this similar to the process of making koya-dofu?

http://www.downtoearth.org/recipes/main_courses/bbq_tofu.htm

Im not a fan of the BBQ sauce flavor, but we think it would be great with better sauces, like curry.

[Hiroyuki]

In this recipe, the tofu is pressed and drained, then frozen, then drained again before cooking.  Is this similar to the process of making koya-dofu?

←

Yes! I found this recipe (Japanese only). Just drain and freeze.

Koya dofu is also called shimi dofu, especially in places like Shinshu (aka Nagano), where my father was born.

[torakris]

Made two kinds of hiyayakko a couple nights ago

on the left I minced some kimchee then mixed it with a little soy sauce and mirin, I then drizzled the dish with sesame oil

I will definitely be making this again!

On the right is tarako (cod roe) with some shiso and drizzled with soy sauce, I normally make this with mentaiko (spicy cod roe).

[torakris]

I really think I need to replace the batteries in my camera, my pictures are getting really bad...

unohana

This is made with okara, the tofu pulp or lees which are a by product of tofu making. It is sort of a dry, mealy product but in a good way last night it was stirfried with dried shiitakes, carrots and green beans and seasoned with sake, sugar, soy sauce and dashi.

I have a recipe for it in my eGCI class on soy

[alvis]

During the warm summers in southern Cali, I like a SIMPLE refreshing cold tofu salad dish with rice.

recipe:

silken tofu cubed

juliened cucumbers

diced tomatoes

nori strips

dressing:

soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic

[AzianBrewer]

more hiyayakko last night

with natto and melokhiya, dressed with a karashi (Japanese mustard) and soy sauce dressing

←

Is Karashi a mixture of wasabi powder and hot mustard powder?

[torakris]

Is Karashi a mixture of wasabi powder and hot mustard powder?

←

Karashi is just hot mustard. It is most often sold in tubes but they also have a powder version that needs to be mixed with water. You can find more about karashi in the Yakumi thread (near the end of the second page).

Alvis,

Welcome to eGullet and the Japan forum!

What a gorgeous picture, if you keep posting like that I may never post pictures again.

[torakris]

deep fried balls of tofu and vegetables

In Japan these are called hirousu or hiryozu (Kansai, the second name more specific to Kyoto) and ganmo or ganmodoki (Kanto).

Though they are deep fried they are usually eaten in simmered dishes. Though they can be made at home there are plently of ready made products in the freezer and refrigerated sections.

This is one frozen product that contained yuba (tofu skins) as well as various vegetables.

I made the simmering sauce and added a bit of okra, they are also good just heated in the microwave and eaten with ponzu.

[_john]

I've had sort of a tofu obsession lately. First I discovered otokomae tofu. This is an amazing company from ibaraki prefecture that has made it big, their tofu is really popular. I've tried a bunch of different types of otokomae tofu. My favorite is the one that has the name that ends in "johnny". It is incredibly creamy, it's really amazing. If you can find otokomae's products near you I recommend them, I had a sort of tofu epiphany after trying nantoka johnny. After getting turned on to tofu my otokomae I decided to make my own tofu. I used store bought soy milk that was made of only green soy beans and water. The results were great, I let it drain overnight and was able to enjoy creamy and fresh hiyayakko.

[Hiroyuki]

I've had sort of a tofu obsession lately. First I discovered otokomae tofu. This is an amazing company from ibaraki prefecture that has made it big, their tofu is really popular. I've tried a bunch of different types of otokomae tofu. My favorite is the one that has the name that ends in "johnny". It is incredibly creamy, it's really amazing. If you can find otokomae's products near you I recommend them, I had a sort of tofu epiphany after trying nantoka johnny. After getting turned on to tofu my otokomae I decided to make my own tofu. I used store bought soy milk that was made of only green soy beans and water. The results were great, I let it drain overnight and was able to enjoy creamy and fresh hiyayakko.

←

Thanks for the link. Real funny site!

You mean the one named "風に吹かれて豆腐屋ジョニー" (kaze ni fukarete tofu ya johnny)"?

[_john]

yeah "風に吹かれて豆腐屋ジョニー" (kaze ni fukarete tofu ya johnny) is the one hiroyuki. I couldn't remember the name offhand. I buy it in the basement supermarket of a fairly average department store. In my experience it can be a little hard to find and when you can find it they only have one or two of their products. you'll know it when you see it, the packaging is very unique. If you do get to try it let me know what you think, I'm addicted.

[shinju]

I live in Northern California and although we can find several store brand tofu (terrible tasting generally) and one rather quite decent local momen doufu, I wanted to recreate great tasting tofu I used to get in my hometown - Musashikoyama. So, several years ago I decided on making my own and have been happy with the results of momen doufu. I make tofu 2-3 times a month. Unfortunately, I like silken tofu more than momen doufu, but have not been able to make successful homemade version. It just does not set properly.

Has anyone been successful in making silken tofu? Any ideas? Any recipe sites?

Thank you!

[Hiroyuki]

Sorry to say, I've never made silken tofu before. As you may know, silken tofu is undrained tofu. Many recipes recommend using a microwave rather than a streamer. A typical recipe calls for 100 ml of soy milk and one to one and a half teaspoons (5 to 7.5 ml) of bittern. Mix them together in a cup and heat in a microwave for about 2 minutes.

Examples are:

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/kenkocom/a120390h/

http://store.yahoo.co.jp/kyushuumaimonya/c1cfb6c840.html

(Japanese only)