Soy beans- Making Soy Milk.

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?GLDVK 14 September 2008 Making Soy Milk

My method of making soy milk. Total time one hours and 30 minutes after the beans have been soaked. Soy milk is the basic ingredient for making Tofu. The finished product is excellent, and as the maker, at least you will know what has been used.

[Durgan]

Making Tofu.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?OIUHK 14 September 2008 Making TOFU

First start with some soy milk. I make my own, but I suppose even the store bought stuff will work, but have no experience with it. Here is how I make the soy milk.
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?LLHSD

Start with about four cups of soy milk. Heat to about 85C or just before boiling, add emulsifier to the soy milk and stir. The curds should form immediately. Let cool, and pour into a mold. The tofu will take the shape of the mold. Place a weight on top of the cheese covered tofu in the mold to remove as much moisture as desired. If storing for several days the tofu should be covered with water. Depending upon the quantity of tofu desired judge the quantity of soy milk accordingly. Time about half an hour after having the soy milk.

Emulsifier can be Magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salts), Magnesium chloride, or Calcium Sulfate.
Dissolve about two tablespoons of the Epsom Salts ( my choice) in hot water. The idea is to utilize as little of the emulsifier as possible and achieve curds- maybe a bit of trial and error.

Use your imagination on a suitable mold. I chose some items from kitchen supply store. Cheese cloth is available form most fabric stores.

[Durgan]

Since the original post I tried white vinegar as an emulsifier with great success- probably my choice in the future.

Emulsifier can be Magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salts), Magnesium chloride, Calcium Sulfate, or Vinegar. I find a cup of white vinegar per half liter of soy milk curdles quite well. Dissolve about two tablespoons of the Epsom Salts in hot water per half liter of soy milk. The idea is to utilize as little of the emulsifier as possible and achieve curds- maybe a bit of trial and error.

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?LNCIL 14 September 2008 Soy Milk Residue.
This soy milk residue has been dried in the oven at 275F, and will be used as a morning cereal with cows milk. The residue has a most pleasant flavor, and would even make a nice finger snack.


http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?LLHSD Summary: Making Soy Milk

[Mervyn]

How easy/difficult is soy to grow ? I'm not so much a fan of soy , but being a legume I know it's good for my soil, can it be used as a cover crop ? ?

[Durgan]

How easy/difficult is soy to grow ? I'm not so much a fan of soy , but being a legume I know it's good for my soil, can it be used as a cover crop ? ?

Soy beans came on the scene with a vengeance in Southern Ontario probably 40 years ago. They are a cash crop for many farmers. I have grown the plants as one would normal beans, more for the novelty than any other purpose. The dried bean is how they are used.

As a cover crop I see no advantage in them, since annual clover would be a better choice, but soy obviously fixes nitrogen if that is an issue.

The pro's and con's of soy are certainly hard to sort out. There seems to be hardliners on both sides, depending upon what one reads. I have been eating them for years and still have active hormones.

Like all our food, there is seldom any real human research underway, except by the Public Relation firms. Our absorption of food ingested is no clearly understood. In the final analysis most of the web babble is anecdotal. Food Science is mostly from the growers point of view- shelf life, capable of withstanding weed killers, etc.