About
In traditional Japanese cooking, tofu isn’t merely a meat substitute. It's the main event, a staple revered in washoku food culture for its versatility, nutrition, and delicate texture and flavor. And you can make your own!
Starting with high-quality dried soybeans, we'll make tofu from scratch. The process begins with making delicious soy milk. Then, we’ll add natural salts, the magic that eventually creates our delicate blocks of fresh tofu.
The tofu making is just the beginning. To celebrate its versatility, we’ll whip up a few recipes that explore the secret lives of tofu.
This class will be fun for both the tofu committed as well as the tofu curious! Find out about the health benefits of soybeans, the differences among tofu grades and what the heck is yuba? You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of washoku, the ancient Japanese food principles that make meal preparation fun as well as transformative for your health.
On the menu
- Mapo tofu: A popular classic often made with ground pork. Instead, we’ll use a special tofu technique to make a vegetable version — Japanese-style, not too spicy — a simmered, umami-blast of comfort in a bowl.
- Inari sushi: When tofu is deep fried in just the right way, aburaage is created — little pillow cases perfect for stuffing with sushi rice.
- Okara chocolate cake with tofu frosting: As we cook, we’ll explore washoku principles of seasonality, balance, color, and texture, and of course, gratitude. One way we can bring gratitude for our food into the kitchen is through the concept of “mottainai” — no waste. We'll make chocolate cake with the okara, which is the soybean solids left behind from making soy milk.
Details
- Both vegans and omnivores will enjoy this class.
- Along with the tofu block you make in class, you’ll take home a tofu mold and muslin for future tofu adventures.
- You'll have the opportunity to buy extra soybeans through BARN, and attend follow-up Tofu Refresher Open Studios throughout the year.
- BARN’s kitchen facility regularly uses ingredients known to the FDA as allergens. This class will use wheat, soybeans, and sesame.
Details
A $30 materials fee, included in the cost of the class, covers all ingredients along with the tofu mold and muslin you get to take home.
