tofu-fa recipe

[Guest]

I have few emails over the years enquiring about tofu-fa tips, so I check in here and found there weren't any such recipe, so here it is - the works!
Tofu-fa is a soft smooth curd, make from extracted soya milk and congulated with gypsum/corn flour, and serve with syrup fragance with pandan leaves. It is popular oriental dessert or morning tea, usually served warm. Other variations to the syrup are - ginger / brown sugar / dash of kaffir lime fragrance etc.


Tofu-Fa Recipe

Materials.
240g soyabeans
2000cc (72oz) water
1.5 teaspoon (flat) gypsum powder (eating type)
1.5 TABLEspoon (semi heap) corn flour

Ingredients - syrup
335g (12oz) sugar
335ml (12oz) water
3 pandan leaves or 1 drop pandan essense
Boil water, add leaves, and sugar and stir.
or Boil water, add sugar stir, add 1 drop pandan essense.

To make soyamilk.
1. Soak beans overnite (6-7hrs or till soft)
2. Blend soyabean with water, final soyamilk quantity must be 2000cc.
3. Take out 12oz from #2, mix and dissolve gypsum and cornflour.
4. Boil remainder of soyabean milk.
5. Into an empty pot, re-stir and pour in #3, then quickly pour in #4.
Note - #4 -> #5 - no wasting time OK!
6. Cover and leave it to cogulate. may take 1.5hrs - 3hrs.
7. Serve with above syrup. Serve Warm.
8. ** EnjoY **


Notes/fastfacts for newbies -
a. flat teaspoon means scoop a teaspoon full and use butter knife to run over the brim. Heap means scoop to full heap, semi heap - scoop and shake off till 1/2 of full heap.

b. blend soyabean - add some water, some bean and power on blender.

c. extract soyabean milk (manual method), use cotton cloth with good strength and porosity eg made in china smooth cotton T shirt, or sister's brand new plain nylon stockings (cut and knot at calf section). pour in blend mix, squeeze and turn into ball, the soyamilk is extracted.
If the fabric porosity is too fine, the soya sediments stuck to the fabric mesh, some washing in plain water is required before repeating the extraction procedure. Some use fine metal sieve but maybe cumbersome handling the bubbly foam.
I prefer nylon/silk as it strong to withstand squeeze and turning hence quicker to extract the soyamilk and easier to rinse off the stucked sediments and gives smoother quality product.
Cloth size- 24inch x 24inch, put it against your face blow through it, if it feels easy to blow through the mesh is right!

d.gypsum/cornflour (ref #3) tend to quickly settle, so you need to RE-stir before hot pour.

e. Watch the boil in #4, stir with wooden spoon regularly to prevent sediment forming in the bottom of the pot. Once sediment form it may get burnt and will wreck the flavour. The instance the soyamilk boils, remove the pot off the element if not it will whooPPP and spill all over the stove.

f. Pour sequence. QUICK but CAREFUL.
Restir #3, pour in empty pot.
Immediately, Pour #4 in a swirl action, ie aim the pour stream tangential to the inner sides of the pot, this will mix and cook the #3 with #4.
Becareful, practise with cold water and pour sequence first. Use a pot just right for the entire amount, the aim is to retain the pour temperature for as long as possible, to assist in the cogulation.
The pot best to be insulated, eg cover with brother's woolies, or woodbarrel is best. Do NOT place pot overlow heat it will wreck the tofu-fa.

g. Place cotton cloth / towel over pot, before covering, this cloth will seal in the heat and also absorb water droplets instead of dripping into the product.

h. Use a think large metal spoon to scoop the tofu-fa.
Usually there are liquid remaining after the cogulation, carefully remove them with the large spoon. Sometimes the surface have tiny bubble-like texture, use the large spoon to scoop few mm off and discard.

i. scoop layers and place in serving bowl, the tofu-fa is really delicate. Add syrup and serve.

(further experiments) - try adjusting the gypsum amount slightly (reduce) and increase the soyabeans amount - thicker milk content. Once you get the smooothness and texture you like, lock it in! Try tapioca flour, I am not sure if it works, any volunteers?

Ian
ianhs@yahoo.com

[Lilavati]

Hi Ian
I have to heartily disagree with your method of making tofu. Sorry but if everyone took your adive and used gypsum to set the tofu, they would end up with some very nasty stones in their gall bladders/livers.
I've been making excellent tofu for more than 10 years with either lemon juice or better still nigari (concentrated salt water). It sets perfecty with nothing else added. You just make the soya milk by soaking the beans overnight, liquidizing them in water, simmering for twenty minutes, straining the mik and adding the nigari a little a time to boiling hot milk until you see the curds and whey separate at which point seperate curd and whey and just press the tofu. That is all there is to it!
If anyone wants more indepth advice or help just ask me at Linnette@albell-artist.com
P.s. I strongly recommend you use organic soya beans, I noticed how different the result is.

[Guest]

[Zee]

Hi...

Thanks for the recipe. Have been trying to find it for ages!
ANyway, I think it should not be called "To make soyamilk" but "soya bean curd". I think to get the soyamilk, you don't need to add the step with gypsum. Just add the sugar syrup into the soyamilk right?

[Za]

Zee, yes u're right. There's no need for the coagulant if u just wanna make some soy milk. Just adjust the thickness of the soy milk with water.

[bec]

there is a difference between tofu fa and just the soy milk..or even curds the way indians make it. Tofu Fa requires food grade gypsum powder. Try a reputable dim sum place and ask for tofu fa - they may have it sometimes, served hot - that's one way to see what it looks like - careful not to mistake it for soy jello.

[Malaysian Tofufa fan]

Lilavati- thank you for meaning well, but unfortunately I think you have gotten the wrong end of the stick- tofu (beancurd) and tofu fa (Chinese soya beancurd custard/pudding/jelly) are two different things altogether. Gypsum has been the key ingredient in making tofu fa for centuries, and the method you described will not produce it.

[Heesdrush]

Sweet and sour tofu
serves 4 - 6 as a side dish

2 cups bell pepper cut into 3/4" squares mix the colors
1 carrot, thinly sliced
3/4 cup scallions, cut on the diagonal into 3/4" long pieces about 1 bunch
1 generous teaspoon fresh ginger root, finely minced or grated
2 - 3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 - 8 ounce can unsweetened pineapple chunks with juice
1/2 cup apricot fruit spread use the fruit only, fruit sweetened kind
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or dry sherry
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup dry sherry or water
1 pound firm tofu cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

In a large nonstick skillet saute the bell pepper in the balsamic vinegar or dry sherry for about 5 minutes.
Add ginger and garlic to skillet, stir for about 2 minutes. Add pineapple chunks with their juice.
Add soy sauce, jam, cider vinegar, tofu adn scallions.
Stir and simmer gently for 5 - 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch to blend well, return to heat and stir constantly until the sauce thickens. Serve with steamed rice.