I’m trying to make tofu at home, but it just isn’t coming together properly. The texture is all wrong—kind of like a chewed eraser instead of firm tofu. Anyone know what I might be doing wrong or have tips to fix this?
Not sure if this helps, but my grandma always made sure the soy milk was just soybeans and water—no additives. Most store-bought soy milk has stuff added that can stop it from thickening. We also never used GDL; instead, we used a gypsum solution (gypsum mixed with water) with a ratio of 1:10-20, depending on how firm we wanted it. Hope that helps!
@Kit
Thanks for the tip! The soy milk I used was homemade, fresh from a few minutes earlier. I used 3 cups of water for 2 cups of soybeans. Could that be part of the problem?
Mai said:
@Kit
Thanks for the tip! The soy milk I used was homemade, fresh from a few minutes earlier. I used 3 cups of water for 2 cups of soybeans. Could that be part of the problem?
Fresh soy milk sounds great! Did you let it cool slightly before adding the coagulant? If it’s too hot, it can interfere with the process. Also, make sure to press the tofu evenly from all directions, not just the top. That might help with the texture.
Does the soy milk you’re using have any starch or gums? Those can mess with curd formation and make the tofu pasty. From what you’re describing, it sounds like the soy milk might not have been strained well enough. Your process looks fine otherwise, but I’d double-check the milk.
@Fin
I soaked the beans for about 6-7 hours, then ground them in small batches with water. Once it was a paste, I added more water—2 cups per cup of soaked beans. I strained it using a cotton cloth and boiled the milk. After skimming the foam, I added 1 tsp of dissolved GDL to some of it. The rest was diluted and refrigerated.
When I see videos online, people strain their tofu and get these big curds that firm up nicely. Mine is always grainy and weird. Any advice on how to strain it better or common mistakes to avoid?
I don’t have advice, but I’m really curious—why are you making tofu at home? Is it for fun, or is tofu hard to find where you are? It seems like a tough process, but it’s fascinating!
Ash said:
I don’t have advice, but I’m really curious—why are you making tofu at home? Is it for fun, or is tofu hard to find where you are? It seems like a tough process, but it’s fascinating!
Honestly, it’s a mix of reasons. Partly for fun, partly because tofu isn’t super available where I live.
I’ve been having the same issue since I moved to a new place. My tofu used to turn out great, but now it just doesn’t set properly. I don’t have advice, but I’m also looking for tips. Hope someone here can help us both!
@Tatum
I’ve heard from Mary’s Test Kitchen that homemade soy milk works best for tofu. It’s not as hard as it sounds, and she has a lot of detailed videos on tofu-making.