Tofu And Okara

[cathy]

I make almost all my food that i use daily. One of this food is TOFU And OKARA.
Of couse i make soy milk, and is really delicious to drink fresh soon after i make.

I use tofu in lasagna, instead of cheese. Also, i fry in different way. One of delicious way is breaded and fry tofu. Delicious and tasty since i make my own bread crumbles with herbs and spices, wit most herbs i grown in my garden.

With Okara i make meetless balls for spaghetti sauce.
i make meetless loaf, baked with potatoes, carrots and othe seeds or vegetables.

Is important to mention that: i roast okara throughly, before i use. It have kind nutty and better taste, on the preparation of food.

Is anyone of you out there, make at home their own tofu and use home made okara?
Please post your ideas.

If anyone of you, out there wish to incorporate okare in their recipe, ill` be happy to post some my idea.


Regards,

Cathy

 

[NANGI]

Konnichiwa Cathy-san!

Is anyone of you out there, make at home their own tofu and use home made okara?
Please post your ideas.

Tofu and okara? Ummm... I think most of all Japanese don't make tofu and okara themselves at home. The least I don't make it and I have not friends who make tofu and okara at home.
Sorry.

NANGI

 

[Iron Chef]

I love Tofu, and it goes especially well with Szechuan-style cooking where it can absorb the flavors. Here is a simple but delicious recipe (courtesy of "Superior Tofu", a restaurant in Vancouver) that I use often.

Spicy Tofu Stir-fry (serves 4)

1/2 package (300 grams) Superior Pressed Tofu*
3 cups vegetables (carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, etc.)
1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts or cashew nuts
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Sauce:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot and spicy chili sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons of cold water

Cube tofu and vegetables into 1/4" cubes. Heat oil in wok. Stir fry vegetables for 2 minutes or until half cooked. Add tofu, and stir fry for another 1 minute until heated through. Add sauce and cook until sauce has thickens. Add more water if necessary. Toss in peanuts and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional value per serving (roughly): 300 calories, 12g protein, 19g fat, 19g carbohydrates.

*Pressed Tofu has been pressed and seasoned with spices.

Okra also works well in Chinese stir-fry recipes and although often overlooked, it's distinctive texture and subtle flavor can really compliment a dish. The following recipe is courtesy of healthycookingrecipes.com and is a bit more complicated than the aforementioned one. I've also altered some of the ingredients to suit my own tastes and I would encourage you to do so as well. It's definitely a winner though, and one i've made in the past for friends.

Mushroom Okra Curry Recipe

Mushrooms - 450g (quartered)
Okra - 225g (trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch slices
Canned tomatoes - 400g
Garlic - 4 cloves (chopped)
Ginger - 1 tbsp (chopped)
Red chilies - 2 to 3 (chopped)
Water - 3/4 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cardamom pods - 2 (seeds removed and crushed)
Ground turmeric - 1 pinch
Cilantro - 2 tbsp (chopped)
Cooked white rice - to serve with curry

For mango relish:

Ripe mango - 1
Garlic - 1 clove (crushed)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Ginger - 2 tsp (grated)
Red chili - 1 (finely chopped)
Pinch of salt and sugar

To make the mango relish:

Peel the mango, and get rid of the core inside. Use a food processor to mash it up. Add in the rest of the relish ingredients and mix well. Set aside until ready to be served.

For the main dish:

Place garlic, ginger, chilies and 3 tbsp of water in a blender. Blend until smooth. Heat oil in pan and add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom seeds, and turmeric. Let it sizzle for a minute or so. Add the paste from the blender.

Add tomatoes, water, mushrooms, okra. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Cook until the okra is tender. Mix in the chopped cilantro and serve with rice and mango relish.

*4.6g of fat per portion

Have fun and try experimenting with other dishes using tofu and okra as possible substitutes for more traditional fare.

 

[cathy]

Thank you Nangi for your reply.
I can understand that Japanese don`t make tofu at home. Home made tofu, is time consuming and lots of work.
I like to make mine couse i don`t like to buy any food in stores.
It just doesn`t taste good to me.

And you know, Nangi, many Chinese don`t make tofu eather.

Oh well, to each is own.

My best to you Nangi.



Iron Chef,
thanks for the recipe.
I do like variety on cooking. I sure will try yours: it sound delicious.

I see that you like gourmet cooking, well one of my profession is chef for hotels and fancy restaurants.

You mention Okra, wick is a vegetable and i graw in my garden.
But the Okara i mention is a leftover from the soy beans, after i make the the soy milk.

You propable never see or eat Okara.


Thanks again for the deliciouse recipe.

Regards,

Cathy

 

[kirei_na_me]

Cathy, I would love to know more about making homemade tofu. I have never tried, but I have always wanted to.

I hope you could tell me more about it and how to do it sometime!

I was always one of those people that thought tofu was disgusting until I tried it, and now I love it. I think my favorite way to eat tofu is a very simple way--miso soup. I always make my miso soup homemade and I always put lots of tofu in it. Mapo tofu is also another favorite dish of mine.

 

[Iron Chef]

Ahh, my mistake (re: okara and not okra). I must admit I am not familiar with okara but it sounds interesting.

 

[cathy]

Hi Kirei,

Please e-mail me.

I tried to e-mail you but it say that you do not accept e-mails.

If you have time to make Tofu, and you can buy soy Beans at health food store or oriental stores, its worth tried. Its not complicate at all, its simple and you can use to feed your family with delicious oriental, home made dishes with little money involved.

Once you make your own tofu or soy mik, you never buy at store again. It just tast better and fresh.

And, if you like i can teach you how to make ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, from store milk.




Iron Chef,

i thought that you miss understoond the two( Okra and Okara), its ease to do mixet up if you are not familiar with it Soy beans.

I wonder if they sell Okara in Japanese store.

Good day to you both,

Have a great and happy day.

Cathy

 

[ben]

There is an excellent book called interestingly enough, "The Book of Tofu". Order it. You will never heve another question about Tofu again. It is amazing (and yes, gives recipes for making the stuff, from kyoto-style stuff to the backcounty Oba-chans stuff

 

[Iron Chef]

Sounds interesting, thnx for the tip. One can never have too many books on Tofu in one's culinary library.

 

[bezz]

came accross with tofu factory pics.

My fav tofu product is ganmodoki. I heard that it isn't just an oden ingredient; fresh ganmo that's just fried is very nice with grated ginger garnish and perhaps a bit of starch-thickened dashi broth...

 

[kirei_na_me]

Cathy, if you're reading this, please post your recipe/procedure. It'd really be nice to have it...

I've even gotten to where I also like tofu with just soy sauce, bonito flakes, and maybe some green onion on it. I can't believe the transition. From cringing at the sight of tofu to eating it with bonito flakes?! Evidently, my taste has matured a lot...

 

[cathy]

Hi Kirei_na_me

i will post the recipe tomorrow sometime. However you need soy beans; and for coagulant you need; nigari, or magnesium cloride, or calcium chloride. I use sea water to make my tofu, wich is the best tasting for me. But i don`t suggest to use sea water unless you are familiar how to, couse is slow process and time consuming.

Vinegar or lemon juice, if you prefer tofu on the tart side.

I do make this tart tofu for my desserts, couse is more moist then regular tofu cake.

I will prepare the recipe , and post as soon i finish, tomorrow.

If someone need help on the process, they can post and i will try to answer as soon i can.

To press the curds i use my cheese presser. But i try to post a presser metod you can find around the house.

Regards,

Cathy

 

[kirei_na_me]

Thank you very much, cathy. I'll look forward to reading it!

 

[cathy]

Tofu-making recipe!

Good day everyone,

as i promess, i am posting the recipe, How to make Tofu.

Making Tofu
*********************

2) cups of dry soybeans,
17) cups of water,
1,5 tablespoon of "nigari" or (calcium chloride) or (magnesium cloride).
2 feet of white light cotton dishtowel.

metod:

Place the soybeans in a plastic container. put as much cold water to cover the beans. Leave to soak overnight.

Next day, when you ready to process the soybeans:

*Moisten the dishtowel, and line a colander.
*Place the colande over a bowl to collect the liquid (soymilk).
*1) Put 8 cups of hot water in a cooking pot, and 7 cups of hot water in anoter cooking pot or teapot.
*Cover both pots and bring to boiling over high heat.
*Drain the beans and divide in 2 equal portions.
*Combine one portion in a blender with 1 cup of tap water and 1 cup of hot water from the pot.
*Cover and blend on high speed till liquify.(Be sure to not over heat the blender)
*Add the puree to the other pot with boiling water.
*Turn off the heat.
*Blend the rest of the soacked beans and add to the pot with the puree.
*Rinse the blender with 1 cup of hot water to retrieve any puree.
*Stir the puree on the pot.
*Pour the puree in the colander lined with the cloth.
*Press with a wooden spoon to retrieve all the milk.
*Rinse the pot and add to the puree.
*Twist the cloth.
*With wooden spoon, jar or a glass.
*Press the twisted clot repeatedly ungaist the colander to retrieve the most of the soymilk as possible.
*Put the soymilk in the cleaned pot and return to the fire.
*Open the cloth and pour over the "Okara" (soybeans solids), 3 cups of hot water, stir the solids.
*Twist again the cloth and press with glass or jar, ungaist the colander, to retrieve the rest of the soymilk.
*Put the rest of the soymilk in the cookingpot with the other milk.

*Bring the soymilk to boil over high heat stirring frequently.
*Simmering on medium heat for 10 minutes.
*While simmering. mesure the coagulant in a cup. add 3/4 of water and stir.
*Turn off the heat.
*Remove the pot from heat and pour the coagulant, streem-like in the soymilk stirring back and forth vigorously.
*Stop stirring after al the coagulant is stirred in the milk.
*Stop stirring and wait till liquid movement ceases.
*Pour another 1/3 cup of coagulant, over the surface of the soymilk.
*Cover and wait till the curds forms. ( do not stirr this time).
after 10 minutes, uncover and stirr the curds gentle from the bottom up, so the coagulant will go to all the soymilk.
*let set for 10 minutes.

*Now gently ladle the fragile curds in to a duble cheesecloth, in the colander.
Fold over all the ands of the cloth: (don`t twist!)
put a plate over and press gently with a wait of 2 or 3bl, to drain the rest of the liquid from the curds.
*After 20 or 30 minutes of pressing, check the tofu cake. it shouln`t be to dry, but has to retain the firmness of tofu.
* fill a plastic conteiner with cold water.
*remove weight and plate and submerge tofu-filled container on water.
* gentle unwrap tofu on the water and leave tofu in the water for 5-10 minutes, till firm.

I personally like to eat chanks of fresh made tofu. It taste delicious. But, you can prepare as you would any tofu from store bought.

If some of you do attempt to make the tofu. please post and tell us about you experience.

On the process of making fresh tofu, and you need help, please post here, and i will be happy to answer as soon as i can.

You might get scared if you read how to, but as time goes on to process, on the end you will be happy that you made a fresh tofu. Its very rewording by long shot, the taste of store bought.


Enjoy!

A note about soybeans solid "Okara". after you extract the soymilk.

You can use " Okara" in soups, or toast and mix with cereal .

I am a vegetarian, and i like to make meetless balls for spaghetti sauce.
Okara is very rich in fiber, and retain the taste of other fillers.

I also make very tasting Cookies with Ocara and cocoa.



Cathy

 

[kirei_na_me]

Grazie molto, signora cathy!

Wow, what a lengthy process. I will have to prepare for that well in advance and maybe do it sometime when the kids aren't around to drive me crazy while I'm doing it! It will take me awhile to round up all the ingredients, anyway.

Thanks a lot for posting that.

 

[bezz]

笹乃雪

This is the restaurant where silken-soft tofu was invented. Been in business for more than 300 years.

 

[bezz]

卯の花

 

[bezz]

A note about soybeans solid "Okara". after you extract the soymilk.

Unohana.