Can I use agar as a coagulant to make homemade tofu?
Good tofu is really hard to come by where I live, especially silken tofu. I want to try making my own tofu. There are tons of recipes online. BUT, some of the coagulants (gypsum, or nigari) are also a bit hard to come by. I don't want to use epsom salts because they can cause a grainy tofu.
Will it be possible to use agar in this instance?
Best Answer
Agar is a gelling agent and will not work as a coagulant. Give epsom salts a try. I have not experienced the graininess that you suggest.
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Quick Answer about "Can I use agar as a coagulant to make homemade tofu?"
It solidifies the protein and oil in hot soy milk. Can you use agar agar or gelatin to coagulate soy milk? No, unless you want to produce soy milk gelatin.Is Agar Agar a coagulant?
Agar-agar is derived from seaweed, and works as a coagulant or thickener when dissolved in liquid.What can I use to coagulate tofu?
Gypsum, also called calcium sulfate, is the most widely used coagulant in making tofu. You'll often find calcium sulfate in tofu incredibly inexpensive to make, as it's mined from geological deposits and requires no extra refining.What is the best coagulant for Taho?
Common coagulants mentioned for making Tofu are calcium sulfate (gypsum), magnesium chloride (nigari), and delta gluconolactone (GDL). But the most practical one I found is using Epsom salt from this post on how to make silken tofu.Why is my tofu not coagulating?
If you oversoak the beans they seem to lose their coagulating power. Don't under or overcook the ground up soy bean mixture. Bring it up to a boil then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. When adding the coagulant, make sure the soy milk is at the right temperature - around 75\xb0C / 165\xb0F, and no higher than 80\xb0C / 175\xb0F.SILKEN TOFU RECIPE! | NIGARI VS. GYPSUM
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Answer 2
This will give you a soymilk jelly, which might or might not make a good component for desserts, but that is a distinct preparation from tofu, which works by coagulating the proteins in the soymilk itself instead of leaving the soymilk intact and incorporating it in a jelly.
Answer 3
It will not have the same texture or taste as tofu which may be acceptable to you. It is very much a jelly/jello as pointed out by others. The biggest difference is that you will not be able to cook this gel-based tofu. For cold use, it would be fine. Agar will soften and melt when heated, melting point is concentration and acidity dependent but always well below boiling point of water.
If you have had some of the imitation almond tofu desserts in chinese restaurants, you can imagine the type of texture you would get.
Worth experimenting with it, just don't expect real tofu.
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