tofu part 1.

 On a recent trip to Nepal, I was obsessed with eating fresh homemade tofu from a tiny Japanese restaurant near our hotel. The owner of the restaurant was a Japanese woman who had been living in Nepal for many years. I had never eaten anything quite like it. We ate it both fresh and lightly fried with a spicy gingery peppery dipping sauce. The owner found it funny that we came every night to eat the same thing, but some times when you are traveling and shooting, exhaustion takes over and what is simple is best. She didn’t mind me pestering her about how she made it and after a slew of questions and some broken English, and lots of smiles I vowed to add it to my repertoire. Once home, time slipped away quickly, I forgot about the tofu until a conversation one day with Chef Camille Beccera and prop stylist/ and amazing girl about town April Flores. Camille told us that after culinary school in her early twenties, a friend told her abut a cooking position in A Zen monastery in Southern California. Being from the East Coast, she jumped at the chance to go. At the monastery, where she was just one of two girls, she both studied and cooked. She made huge batches of fresh tofu every week.  Thus, this tofu making collaboration was born.

It took us a while to get around to it but when we finally did we had a great time and I saw how incredibly easy it is.

Fresh tofu is nothing like what you buy in the stores. It is light and a little sweet with a delicate flavor of the soybeans. Commercial tofu is much more dense and not at all as subtle in flavor. Fresh tofu is best eaten the same day you make it or within a day or two of making.

Once we established that we were going to make tofu we set about thinking of a few other recipes. (more to come)

Everything we made was a bi-product of the tofu making process.

Making tofu is a lot like making a simple cheese, the process is similar to making fresh ricotta.

Thank you April and Camille for an awesome day!

Below are Camille’s notes. From our day of tofu!

TOFU

1-½ cups of high-grade soybeans

14 cups total spring or filtered water, room temperature

1-½ teaspoons dry nigari

Tools:

Blender

Large heavy bottomed pot

Muslin

Large strainer or colander

-Soak soybeans in 5 cups water for at least 12 hours. 

-Heat 6 cups of water in a heavy bottom pot.   In a blender, puree beans and their soaking liquid in 3 batches for 2 minutes each time, you may risk burning out your blender if you puree it all in one shot.   Add the puree in batches to the hot water and mix thoroughly after each time.  Allow to come up to an almost boil on a medium-low setting.  Stir frequently to avoid soybean pulp sticking to the bottom and scorching.  Keep your eyes on the mixture making sure it doesn’t boil over.  Remove from heat, cover and leave to cool for ½ hour.

-Make sure mixture is cooled enough to handle then strain using a muslin lined strainer or colander.  Grab corners of the muslin and twist to press out all the soymilk.  The leftover parched pulp is called okara and in Japan it is often times cooked with vegetables.  Clean muslin out of all the pulp well, we will be using it again.

-Rinse pot out well and add the drained soymilk to it.  Warm gently on low till the temperature reaches 175 degrees this process will take about an hour.  The skin that forms as the soymilk slowly reaches desired temperature is called yuba.   Yuba is a favorite amongst the Japanese.  Using chopsticks gently pull out the yuba and roll it on a plate, it’s classically served with soy sauce and a bit of wasabi.

-Dilute nigari into 1 cup of water.  Stir the milk in a zigzag motion a few times and while the soymilk is still moving add half of the nigari solution allowing the existing motion to transport the nigari throughout, do not stir after you add nigari.   Wait 2 minutes then gently add the remaining nigari solution around the perimeter and over the top.   Cover and let sit for 15 minutes to coagulate.  You should see the whey, a clear liquid when you gently move the curd from the side of the pot.  If not make a 1/4 batch of the nigari solution, bring milk back to 175 degrees on very, very low heat and sprinkle throughout the sides and top, do not stir, remove heat.

-Once your soymilk has coagulated line a tofu box with the clean muslin.  Set box in the sink or over a bowl.  Transfer the curds and whey into the box, do so with a large ladle so as not to break up too much of the curd.  Wrap excess muslin over top, place top part of box over muslin and use a one-pound weight to press for 30 minutes.

-Remove tofu after 30 minutes from the press and muslin.  Submerge tofu block in water for at least ½ hour and for up to two days.

beans. before and after soaking.

 heating the pureed soy bean and water mixture. 

  straining the puree

 squeeze all the soy milk from the solids. 

 What is left over is called okara. you can stir fry it with vegetables.

 reheated soy milk and nigari. should start to separate and look like this before you pour it in the tofu mold

  pour the soy milk into the mold over the sink. once most of the excess liquid has drained, place a weight on the mold to press remaining liquids

finished tofu ready to eat.

use this for the following fried tofu recipe 

 FRIED TOFU

1-pound tofu

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ cup neutral oil (canola, grape seed, etc.)

Cut tofu into 1-½ inch cubes.

Warm oil in a small to medium frying pan, make sure it doesn’t get so hot it begins to smoke.

In batches dredge tofu in cornstarch and fry till very light golden on all sides.  Adjust fire so it cooks evenly throughout.

Transfer onto a paper towel.

Serve with chili oil and soy sauce. 

nepal. kathmandu valley.

Last spring we were sent by Condé Nast Traveler to cover the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. Like the infamous power lines that clog the sky like massive bird nests, the valley is a place full of chaos. It is a wild and beautiful jumble of smoke, soot and ash, brilliant colors and absurdly beautiful faces. The challenge with this job was that we were on the ground for six days; this is a short amount of time in the scope of a travel job. We usually have more time but we only needed to cover three towns so it was booked as a short trip. Honestly we could have spent a month. There was a photograph around every corner and alleyway. We love shooting travel and are so thankful that Traveler continues to send us on such extraordinary adventures. We have been around the world for them and it feeds all of our other work. The things we see always provide new inspiration. Each time they send us, we get to reconnect to what initially drew us to photography. Shooting travel takes us back to photography as a personal experience. We are alone with our cameras in hand, we often split up (at the crack of dawn) and dash off to cover whatever we may find coming back together periodically to share what we have found. It becomes just us alone looking through the viewfinder... searching and searching and searching. Most days in New York we spend our time in the studio around a monitor collaborating with art directors and stylists. Travel assignments are different from this kind of collaboration in that they are a solitary adventure and that is what makes them unique. Our assistant is usually somewhere between the two of us keeping notes and staying organized which is no small feat when shooting reportage. There are moments when I am at a market foraging produce for a still life and I look up only to see my husband cantilevering off a roof somewhere above us. He is famous for hanging out of car windows or tying himself to the side of a truck. He will go to all lengths to get a shot. (Think MacGyver) There are of course moments on these assignments when we are side by side shooting the same portrait but for the most part we come back together to load cards and see how the story is shaping up. There is a bit of competition between us but it only fuels the process, in the end we don't remember who took what picture.

It is a collaboration of a different sort.

I wanted to share some out takes from Nepal. You can see the full story in the August issue Condé Nast Traveler.

Hope you enjoy, the chaotic frenzy. xx

notes from the road/nepal/india

Jaspal Riyait , art director, blogger, world traveler, and gastronome  writes in to Hungry Ghost from her culinary adventures travels in the Far East. We met on a recent shoot and immediately bonded over our mutual love for food and travel.

Jaspal is an Art Director who spends the majority of her day fantasizing about donuts. When her head isn’t up in sugary clouds, she’s writing about her sweet and salty food finds at chewblr.com She’s currently developing a food app and recently co-chaired a panel at SXSW on Food and Technology.

NEPAL

My travels to the far east led me to the vibrant, hectic city of Katmandu, the central hub of Nepal. Upon arrival I was immediately stuck with stimulation overload. Bustling crowded streets, wondering stray animals, city strikes and faces speaking to all Asian races from Tibetan, Chinese, Nepali and Indian which meant I was in for a diverse cuisine treat. A smattering of curries in all flavors, dumplings and exotic fruit awaited me.

The traditional meal of Nepal is called Dal Bhat, which translates into curried lentil soup and rice. Lentils can range in color spectrums from reds, orange, yellow, green and black. Having tried Dal Baht in a few restaurants, I had the opportunity to take a cooking class and give it a go first-hand. Lucky me!

Social Tours is a Nepali organization which promotes responsible tourism striving to enrich travelers in an eco-friendly way. Go Local is a new series of cooking classes and I knew the moment we entered the building we were in for a treat.





Upon arrival our first step was to head over to the local market to purchase fresh, ridiculously cheap, veggies and lentils for our meal. Our guide told us Nepalis eat Dal Bhat twice a day, at breakfast and evening. It’s even consumed after a late night of partying to aid in a hangover. 



In the kitchen we worked hard to prep our meal which involved pounding into a paste garlic, ginger and chilies, frying up onions and fenugreek as our curry bases, and wiping the sweat from our brow as we hovered over the stove constantly mixing and seasoning.


And three hours later... voila! Our hard work produced an absolutely fragrant, delicious home cooked meal consisting of basmati rice, yellow dal, curried cauliflower and potatoes, spicy al dente spinach and a simple, easy to make chutney from a blend of tomatoes, onions and chilies. Cooking while on vacation is an absolute favorite experience of mine. It’s the gift I can bring back home to re-live my travel taste buds over and over again.



Wandering aimlessly around the energetic streets of Katmandu, I couldn’t help but be completely enthralled with the meticulously laid out individual green markets haphazardly scattered throughout the city. Vibrant colored piles of cucumber, beans, squash and more.




Food stalls are everywhere, but the one that kept drawing my attention was something that looked like curried corn puffs which I had to sample. This on-the-go-paper-cone-one-handed-snack is called Jhaal Muri. A savory combination of what appeared to be puffed rice, onion, popped corn, potato, chilies and a clear liquid which tasted like vinegar. The mixture is freshly made, and rolled up in a neat newspaper cone. Need a spoon? Naw, just use a square piece of cardboard instead which works as equally well to scoop out each bite.

INDIA

After Nepal, I was off to India for a quick four day visit which involved eating, shopping and more eating.





I couldn’t travel through New Dehli and not consume a freshly-made, piping-hot, sugary-indulgent jalebi. Strands of maida batter are swirled into a vat of scorching oil creating golden coiled patterns. Each piece is then soaked in a sticky, sugary syrup. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. My favorite is the Old Famous Jalebi Wala counter nestled along the hectic streets of the infamous Chandi Chowk market.





This market is also home to Paratha Wali Gali, a food stall which serves up crispy, hot parathas (traditional stuffed flatbreads) in an assortment of flavors. I opted for the densely flavored mooli (grated white radish mixed with spices). For a measly $30 rupees (which converts to $0.66 USD) I was served a thali of curried chickpeas, potato and sweet and savory chutneys. Talk about bang for your buck!
Navigating the streets of Chandi Chowk is a feat in it’s own. If you’re not lost, then you’re distracted in every possible way. Ask for directions, this place is also a favorite amongst locals which will have everyone pointing you in the right direction for a change.



A quick day trip took us to Agra which is not only famous for the Taj Mahal, but is also well known for it’s sweets. Petha, a translucent candied ash gourd (primarily white pumpkin or winter melon) is a must when visiting the city and attracts sweet lovers from all over the country. On our way back to Dehli, we stopped off at a stall called Panchii and a friend picked up a few boxes. My favorite was the intensely orange colored jelly version smothered in toasted coconut. Petha has a a longer shelf life which makes it the perfect gift to be presented to friends and relatives at festivals.



The most memorable item I consumed on my journey was a sweet and savory bowl of Soondal. This photo doesn’t do this dish any justice. Navigated by a friend, we hiked our way into the back streets of Dehli, hopping over rubble, side-stepping stray dogs and walking up four flights of stairs to find ourselves in a hidden gem only a local could find. Gunpowder is a tiny South Indian restaurant serving up exotic flavors. With only 20 indoor seats my mouth was salivating as I waited and watched the staff bring out dish upon dish to tables. Soondaal consists of black chick peas, mustard seeds, onions, cumin, onions, coriander and the best part...handfuls of freshly grated coconut. I tried my best to remember the flavors in order to replicate when I returned home, but I can only add this meal to a long list of savory memories which will keep me coming back to the far East over and over again.