Homemade Tofu (with SoyaJoy G4)

Wash beans and discard any malformed ones. Split the 1 1/2 cup beans into two bowls, and add plenty of water to soak for at least 6 hours. A SoyaJoy G4 can only cook 3/4 c of dried beans at a time, and splitting the beans beforehand is easier while the beans are not plump.

Use the SoyaJoy and cook two batches, using the minimum amount of water necessary to operate. For the G4, this is water to fill to the 1.5 L line. Tap water is fine.

After each batch is cooked, pour boiling contents into a nut-milk bag and squeeze contents into a suitably sized pot after cooled. Once both batches have been filtered into the pot, place on the stove.

Heat the soy milk until near boiling, no less than 180 degrees Fahrenheit, or 82 degrees Celsius. Once the pot has reached temp, stir the 2 tsp of nigari into the 1 cup of warm water to dissolve. We found 2 tsp of the Raw Brand nigari works well for us, but feel free to adjust for a softer or firmer tofu curd. Do not prep this mixture too early; use immediately.

While the soy milk is hot, pour in 3/4 of the nigari mixture and mix thoroughly with a spoon. Then, stop stirring and let sit for approximately 5 minutes, covered. The soy milk should still remain hot.

If clear whey has formed, there is no milky liquid left, and your curds seem reasonably sized (forming clumps), feel free to start scooping the tofu curds into the press. Otherwise, pour the rest of the mixture into the milky spots, and wait a bit longer. This part is experimental and one of the trickiest parts of tofu-making, depending on the brand of nigari you use, and the concentration of soy solids you managed to get into your soy milk.

Once the tofu has formed curds, scoop into your cloth-lined tofu press. You have formed the initial curd texture with nigari; the weight you place atop your press will form the density of the tofu. We usually aim for a lighter weight, and drain for 20 minutes before transferring to a container with enough water to cover the tofu for storage. It will continue to firm slightly while in the fridge.