Do eat your laser Tofu (DEYLT)
The Do-It-Yourself (DIY) and Do-It-With-Others (DIWO) approaches in citizen science projects are embodied in the preparing of food, which could serve as a model for public participation in science initiatives. Working in a kitchen has many paralles with working in a scientific bio lab. And even fundamental process like fermentation, encapsulation and coagolation are used and can be explored. So let's make some tofu and revive the artisans’ experiments, which always involved not only observations, but also tasting...
To prepare tofu we need a nice tofu press. So first we make a open source, laser cut tofu press. Then we go on to the kitchen.
Contents
FABLAB tofu press making
Tofu press made from a single board of wood (about 40 cm x 40 cm) and assembled like a pizzle without screwing.
Design sketches
The idea is that there are holes to remove the water, height to support enough of the liquid to press down to a nice thick tofu layer, a lid to press the tofu, and an easy disassembly to recover the tofu intact.
Laser cutting
Traditionally, in Japan, cypress is used – we used a 6mm composite board. We share the design as a pdf.
Assemblage of Prototypes
When you scale up the illustrator, remember the thickness changes too!!
We tried plexiglass and it is beautiful.
Tofu-making
Concept
Conceptually, it is protein coagulation – with much similarity to fresh cheese making.
Ingredient List
600g dry soybeans (Asian store)
4 liters of water
2 tablespoons of Nigari = coagulant, MgCl2 (Health food stores)
More on nigari and other coagulants here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofu#Salt_coagulants
Tools
- blender
- thermometer (up to 100C)
- strainer
- big pot and ladle
- thin towel boiled for cleanliness
(recommended, coarse, thin materials –not as coarse as gauze, but here is a picture of a tenugi, which is thinner than a typical kitchen cloth, or a cheese cloth may be used http://www.cheesemakingshop.co.uk/cheese-cloth.html)
Methods
Prepare the beans
Prepare the beans by soaking overnight
Purée the soybeans
Purée the soybeans with the water – easier using a mixer – until smooth-ish
boiling
In a big pot, stir the puréed mix until boiling and then stir an additional 10 min (foams like cappuccino, make sure it doesn’t burn on the bottom!)
pressing
Take the mixture and press out the soymilk
Save the crushed soy (okara) Mix the Nigari with a small amount of water Take the soymilk, and heat while stirring until 75oC Remove the pot from the heat, and add the dissolved nigari, stir into the soymilk thoroughly and rapidly Let it rest! After 15~20min, mix by “cutting crosses” (not stirring) into the pot The water above should clear, as the white flakes settle Prepare the mold by lining with the cloth Add the above mix Press the water out (the more water you press out, the more dense the tofu) Then take out of the mold and bon apetit!
What to do with the okara: The left-over okara contains tons of nutrients, and oil. You can make it into a veggie burger http://www.messyvegetariancook.com/tag/okara/, here using potato starch as a binder:
Enjoy!