LAB NOTES: Non-Soy Tofu: Kidney Beans
A few weeks back, I found a recipe for vegan Feta. However, I prefer not to use soy, not to mention that tofu costs a packet at the store. The silken tofu on offer costs $3.00 USD for 349g/12.3oz. When I made my first batch of lentil tofu, I used 454g ( dry weight ) lentils that cost me $1.75 USD produced 2.4kg/5.3lbs. I did some research on YouTube and watched a fair few videos.
I found Sam Lin of the Sam’s Home Kitchen YouTube channel ( LINK HERE: https://youtu.be/6N8KE4o4xMw ). In the video he made tofu out of lentils. That happens to be, as I mentioned above, the first type of non-soy tofu that I’ve made. Since then I’ve made tofu out of pumpkin seeds, chickpeas ( aka Garbonzo beans ), peanuts, split peas, and pinto beans. I learned from Sam that any lentils can be used, not just red lentils as you’ll see posited in many videos from other creators. I also watched the Lentil tofu video from Mary at Mary’s Test Kitchen YouTube Channel ( LINK HERE: https://youtu.be/qUj7iyvi7dM ). I disagree with straining the slurry before cooking down which is one step that Mary does. I also don’t use a coagulant. One thing that I did take advantage of, was a suggestion from Mary. I bought her favourite tofu press. It isn’t really needed, however, it does make my experimentation easier. However, like Mary, I keep asking myself the question “Will It Tofu?”. So far, I’ve not had a failure.
Non Soy Tofu: Kidney Bean EXPERIMENT 01:
Proposition: Take soaked Kidney beans and make tofu after blitzing in the blender. Will see how firm this turns out.
INGREDIENTS:
170g/3/4 cup Kidney Beans ( Dry weight )
680g of water ( Water = Dry Weight in g of Kidney Beans X 4 = W. 170g X 4 = 680g )
1 tsp of baking powder
947g of cold water.
1000w set to 80C/176F for 20 minutes stirring constantly
Yield: g of pressed Kidney Bean tofu.
LAB NOTES: 30 April, 2023
I actually started this experiment on Friday ( 28 April, 2023 ) when I set the 170g of kidney beans to soak in a one quart Mason jar with a teaspoon of baking powder and enough water to fill the quart jar, lidded it and put the jar in the refrigerator. I’d originally planned on making this on 29 April, 2023, but time got away from me. I’ve found that quart Mason jars are quite handy for soaking things, or cold brewing coffee. Today, I drained and rinsed the beans, put them in the blender jar with a hefty pinch of sea salt and 680g of water. I blended it for five minutes.
Then put the slurry into a saucepan.
I brought it to a boil, then dropped it to a simmer on low. I stirred the slurry constantly until it reached the desired consistency.
While the slurry was cooking down. I prepped my tofu press. I dampened some cheesecloth and used that to line the press.
When the slurry was cooked down, I put it into the press, I folded the cheesecloth over top of the tofu Then I put the press’s lid on and screwed the press down. I was careful not to over tighten it down. After the tofu cooled, I put the press into the refrigerator.
CONCLUSIONS: 01 May, 2023
The kidney bean tofu appears to be firm. Raw, the flavour is not umpleasant. I haven’t, yet, decided how exactly I’ll use this tofu. I do like the reddish hue of the tofu.Whether, or not I make this version of tofu remains to be seen.
Be Safe!
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