Hemp Tofu
This is so easy, and what I started with was so difficult. I bought bags for squeezing, made a disaster of myself and of my kitchen, all to figure out making hemp tofu can be SO EASY. Let me save you from buying a bunch of equipment you don't need and spending a bunch of time unnecessarily. This tofu is versatile and delicious. It will keep in the refrigerator for a week. I kept the milk that's squeezed off for soups and marinades. No waste, and all goodness.
Equipment
- 1 Mesh Strainer, 8-10"
- 1 Tofu Press with Cheese Cloth
- 1 Blender
- 1 Medium Sauce Pan
Materials
- 1 1/2 cups Hemp Hearts
- 3 1/2 cups Water
- 1/2 tsp Salt optional
- 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar optional
Instructions
- Blend the hemp hearts and water in your blender on high until smooth. With a vitamix this was about 30 seconds on level 9.
- Place the mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the hemp heart and water mixture into it. Strain out the liquid. You should end up with a few tablespoons of particles that are too large to go through the screen. Use a spatula to stir the mixture so that the liquid can drain through, but don't try to force any particles through. (You can store the larger particles for use in soups and smoothies if desired.)
- Heat the strained hemp milk over medium heat until it starts to boil. Kurds will form. Add the salt and apple cider vinegar, stir, and remove from the heat.
- Place the cheese cloth (comes with tofu press) in your clean strainer, and place over a bowl. Pour the curdled hemp milk into it. Allow as much moisture as possible to drain from the curds, but you don't need to squeeze it in the cloth. (The milk that is retained can be used for soups, but is pretty savory so not great for smoothies.)
- By picking up the cloth from the corners transfer the curds into the tofu press.
- Put the top of the press in place, press down, and engage the clips being careful to push the cloth out of the way of the clips.
- Wait 20 minutes and you will have a nice firm block of hemp tofu. Store in an airtight container for up to a week in your refridgerator.
- I seasoned the entire block with black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder then sautéed in avocado oil on medium high until brown and crispy on both sides then sliced and served warm. Winner.
Notes
This tofu can be used similarly to regular tofu, but may dissolve if you put it in soup. It is firm and the flavor is nutty and delicious.