Thoughtful Foods

From Tessa

This is a smash-hit favourite at co-op barbecues, and is dead-easy to make - kudos to Monika for devising this taste sensation. Also thanks to Monika for making the TF Marinade Mix herself (only she knows the full story)!

• firm tofu cut into chunks*
• Thoughtful Foods Marinade Mix (on spice shelf)
• tamari
• sesame/olive oil

Drown tofu in marinating ingredients, and leave to become tasty for as
long as possible (preferably overnight). Throw on the BBQ, then enjoy!

 *handy hint: for even better results, freeze tofu overnight before
marinating. Once defrosted it absorbs the marinade really well and
also changes the texture.

Ingredients

•     400 g whole soybeans (2 3/4 to 3 cups) that's 13 ounces
•     15 g calcium sulfate (approximately 3 tablespoons) that's half an ounce

Method

1. Clean whole soybeans by removing dirt and damaged soybeans.
2. Soak 400 g of cleaned dry whole soybeans in 5 times top quality water by weight overnight or at least 8 hours at room temperature. That's 2 1/2 quarts water, and you should soak in the refrigerator if it is very hot outside.
3. Drain and rinse with cold water(weight of the soaked beans is about 800 g). You can freeze the beans at this point. You can start here with thawed frozen soaked soybeans; thaw overnight in the refrigerator or pour hot water over them so they are warm before you blend, or they will chill the boiling water so you lose the effect you are aiming for!
4. Grind the soaked soybeans into slurry in a glass-topped or stainless steel blender in 3000 g (that's about 3 quarts and a cup- do it in batches in a home blender) soft water for 3 minutes at high speed.
5. Filter through 4 layers of cheesecloth to remove fibrous materials/ pulp (raw okara). Collect the liquid portion. Set aside the okara. Be sure to cook this okara before using it in recipes.
6. Simmer the soymilk for 10 minutes (Ellen says bring to a boil that can't be stirred away, turn down just below the boil and count 7-8 minutes exactly, stirring vigorously in one direction. Weigh out 3000 grams
7. Cool the cooked soymilk to 80 degrees C/ 180 degrees F. Monitor the temperature of soymilk closely with a thermometer.
8. Add the preheated coagulant solution (15 g or one half ounce)calcium sulfate in each 100 ml (scant half cup) boiled water to the soymilk with agitation. (Ellen's note: Cut in 3/4 of the coagulant. Cut gently but persistently in one direction, do not whip or beat. As soon as the curd begins to firm, immediately STOP stirring and cover. Allow the curd to set without disturbing for 10 minutes. If there are any milky patches, shake up the coagulant again and stir in a little more coagulant this way: sprinkle the rest of the solidifier in and poke the top gently and let it sit again for a few minutes. Make sure to stir coagulating tofu gently so as not to break up the curds. It ends up soft white clumps in a yellow whey. If the coagulant is poured in too fast or beaten, the curd breaks apart and won't clump well. Too slowly and it starts coagulating early, creating hard blocks.
   *In general, the amount of coagulant is 0.25 to 0.5% of cooked soymilk by weight. Ellen's note: If you don't have calcium coagulant, try to get it, but if you can't, to prepare your solidifier, combine 1 cup warm water with one of the following: 2 tsp. Epsom salts, 2 tsp. nigari, 1/4 cup vinegar or 1/4 cup lemon juice. They take about twice as much volume and need about twice as long as the calcium sulfate.
9. Break/cut the curd evenly into cubes. Transfer coagulated dispersion into a tofu mold lined with layers of cheese cloth. (Note: Cheesecloth should be long enough to fold over the top of the filled block. You can rinse and reuse the cheesecloth you used for straining out the okara. You can make a tofu mold from any plastic container with holes punched in it, up to the size of a loaf of bread for a large block. I use the smaller of two nesting plastic containers as my tofu mold. I rest it over the larger one on chopsticks, to catch the whey (a great cleaner and skin care product- lecithin and natural detergents). Spoon and tofu mold should be freshly dishwasher clean and not contaminated for best results. No fabric softener on the cheesecloth.
10. Fold cloth over curds, cover with a lid that fits inside the mold, weighted with a rinsed 2 pound can of food, and press for at least 15 minutes- or use more weight or press longer for a very firm tofu. After the whey has run off and the mass is pretty solid, I press for 20 minutes or longer under 3-5 pounds of weight, then I empty the larger container of whey, wash it and use it to store the tofu under water! 
11. Remove tofu lid, unfold the cloth and remove from the tofu mold. Cut tofu into pieces and soak covered in cold water 5 minutes before handling, to firm it.
12. Hold the tofu covered in cold water in the refrigerator and change soaking water daily.
13. In the East, tofu is eaten within two days or dried or frozen. Your homemade tofu will keep from 3 up to 7 days depending on your technique and the temperature of your refrigerator.

Source: Karl E. Weingartner

From Alice

Ever tried making your own soy milk? It's delicious.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole soaked soybeans, that were cleaned and soaked overnight
• 14 cups of boiling water, 1 quart at a time
• 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon at a time
• 1-2 oz sugar, rice syrup or maple syrup(60 g) (sugar added varies according to taste*)
• 3/4-1 teaspoon salt

Method

1. Use clean good quality soybeans that are free from dirt. Remove cracked, damaged and discolored soybeans.
2. Bring 4 cups water to a vigorous boil and add 1 tsp. baking soda.
3. Drop 1 cup soaked soybeans directly into the rapidly boiling water and blanch for 5 minutes.
4. Drain and rinse with hot water (if available).
5. Drop the rinsed soybeans directly into a fresh 4 cups vigorously boiling water containing 1 tsp. baking soda and blanch for 5 minutes.
6. Drain and rinse with hot water (if available).
7. Grind the blanched soybeans with 4-6 cups very hot water (near boiling) for 3 minutes using a blender set at high speed. The lid MUST be held on or the cover will blow off, spewing hot soymilk everywhere.
8. You will probably need two batches. Filter the raw soymilk by pouring it through several layers of cheese cloth. After the soy slurry in the cheese cloth has cooled to a safe temperature to avoid burning your hands, rinse raw okara with 1/2 cup boiled water and hand squeeze the cheese cloth to extract as much of the remaining soymilk as possible. Set aside the raw okara or freeze for other recipes.
9. In a pot at least twice the volume of your soymilk, add salt and sweetener. Simmer (cook near boil) for 20 minutes. Bring soy milk to a boil over high heat, stirring the bottom of the pot frequently, this can take 15 minutes. Then turn heat down and simmer for about 7 minutes. Stir occasionally. (Or, for scorch prevention you can heat soy milk uncovered for 30 minutes in a double boiler, stirring occassionally to prevent a film on top from forming. Add water to replace any water lost during boiling. Note, You can also remove the skin carefully in sheets and dry it draped over chopsticks all over you kitchen. This is Yuba, which is used in Chinese cooking to make wonderful mock meats, wraps and casings.)

Serve soy milk hot or cold. Cover and refrigerate remainder, for up to 10 days, or consume by the end of the day if you do not have refrigeration.

* Flavors may be added according to preference.

Source: http://www.ellenskitchen.com/faqs/tofumilk.html#blanch

Ingredients

Serves 6

Fry 2 chopped onions, 4 garlic chopped cloves, one inch chopped ginger in a little oil. Add 1-2 tbsp ground cumin and curry powder to taste, and fry. Boil 1 kg peeled and chopped carrots and 1 cup washed red lentils in stock, simmer covered until cooked. Blend. Season and garnish with parsley. 

Serves 4 

• 750g organic carrots or sweet potatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 tsp harissa paste or chilli sauce
• 1 level tsp ground cumin
• 1 level tsp ground ginger
• Sea salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Peel the carrots or sweet potatoes, chop into large chunks and cook in simmering, salted water for about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain well and mash or whiz in the food processor until smooth. 

Add the crushed garlic, harissa paste, cumin, ginger, sea salt, pepper and red wine vinegar and mix well or whiz again. Add the olive oil gradually while still beating. Allow to cool. 

Serve at room temperature in lettuce leaves or with warmed flat bread. 

Source: Jill Dupleix, Sydney Morning Herald, 20 April 2004.

Serves 4

This rich tomato sauce with lentils and fresh basil provides a great, healthy alternative to traditional meaty Spaghetti Bolognese. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

• Red Lentils (1 cup)
• 1 Onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 Teaspoon Saffron (Tumeric)
• Garlic - 1 or 2 pips, chopped and smashed
• 3 Red dried chillies
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 1 sprig - optional
• 1/2 Cup coconut milk

Method

• Soak lentils in water for an hour.
• Wash + drain a few times until water is clear.
  
• Put in pan + cover with water.
  
• Add 1/4 teaspoon tumeric + boil medium heat, until they just open up.
  
• Add coconut milk + salt. Turn off heat and set aside.
  
• Heat oil in frypan, add curry leaf + onion + garlic and fry for a while.
  
• Add tumeric, mustard seed + dried chillis. Fry until onions golden.
  
• Add this mix into lentil curry, bring to boil. 

Serves 6-8

Fry the following spices in olive oil until fragrant:

• 1 tbsp ground coriander (or 1-2 tbsp seeds, roasted & ground)
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon (or ½ quill cinnamon, ground)
• black pepper
• ½-1 tbsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp hot paprika
• 1 tsp mace/nutmeg

Add the following to the pan and cover (just) with water:

• 1 to 1½ cups brown lentils
• ½ pumpkin, chopped
• 400g tinned crushed tomatoes
• 2 eggplants, chopped
• 1 box frozen spinach
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
• red chillies to taste, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

Simmer until lentils are soft (40 min or so). Add water if necessary.