Tofu - Step-by-Step Guide

Equipment

• 500g Soybeans (for the smallest Tofu Box)
• Tofu Box (incl. Nigari and Cheesecloth)
• Blender
• ChufaMix (optional)
• Bowl
• Sieve
• Cooking pot

1. Rinse the soybeans thoroughly

2. Soak the soybeans

Soak for 8–12 hours or overnight in triple the amount of water.

3. Rinse again

Soybeans are not digestible when raw, so soaking is essential. This starts the germination process and reduces anti-nutrients.
To speed things up, you can add a little salt or natural cloudy apple cider vinegar.

4. Blend soybeans with water

Blend soybeans with water in a 1:7 ratio.
For 500 g dried soybeans, you’ll need about 3.5 liters of water.

A high-performance blender makes this much easier.

The ChufaMix is great for making plant-based drinks and allows direct blending with a hand blender. However, a high-speed blender produces a finer result.

With the tofu box, a cheesecloth is included. You can also collect the plant milk directly in the pot. A sieve is optional but very practical.

5. Separate soy milk and okara

Okara is the pulp left over from making soy milk – essentially the blended soybean solids.

With the ChufaMix, press the liquid through the stainless steel sieve. Use the pestle to extract as much liquid as possible.

Using a cheesecloth, squeeze the liquid out by hand.

6. Cook the soy milk

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 6–8 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Stay nearby and stir frequently – it boils over quickly and can stick to the bottom. Skim off the foam afterward.

7. Dissolve the nigari and coagulate

Dissolve 1.5 tsp nigari in a little warm water (for the small tofu box).

Stir into the soy milk, bring to a boil again, then simmer for 10–15 minutes until it curdles.

8. Transfer to the tofu box

Scoop out the curds.

Line the tofu box with cheesecloth and add the mixture.

Fold the cloth…

… place the lid on top and weigh it down.

The firmer you want your tofu, the heavier the weight and the longer you press it.
The instructions suggest 3 pounds (~1.4 kg) for at least 30 minutes.
In this example, a 1 kg bottle was used for over 2 hours.

9. Your homemade tofu is ready

Required products

At fabulous.ch you’ll find everything you need to make tofu at home.

Make tofu at home

Here you’ll find the fabulous guide to help you create your own tofu.