Making Soy Milk from Dried Soybeans

I make soy milk from scratch just because I love the by-product, 'okara' the pulp, of soy milk.

Okara is usually thrown out in the process of making soy milk.
But is has lots of protein and fiber which should not be wasted.


Ingredients:
About 2 cups Dried Soybeans
A large bowl of water to soak the soybeans
5 to 8 cups of water to puree the beans


Wash the dry soybeans.
Soak the beans in a bowl full of water for at least 8 hours/overnight.
Beans should be submerged and kept  in a cool place.
Change the water once or twice in summer to prevent them from rotting.

Drain and rinse several times.
Put the soybeans in the food processor (I use Vitamix) with water. First add half the amount of water (4 cups) and then gradually add the rest. Adjust the thickness by adding water as some food processors might need more liquid.




Transfer the beans and water mixture to a pot and cook.

First on high heat and when it starts to bubble, turn the heat to medium and continue cooking it for 10 minutes.

Stir it occasionally as it might over flow.

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Prepare a cloth or a  tea towel. The cloth should be large enough to wring the soybeans and water mixture. I use a large square tea towel.

Wet the towel before using.

Place the towel over a colander and place the colander in a large bowl or in a large pot.

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Pour the hot soybean mixture into the cloth.
Grab the sides and squeeze the milk.

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BE careful! It is HOT!

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Now the soy milk and the pulp are separated.




 For now, I will freeze the 'okara' in plastic bags.

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Soy milk is used to make tofu and 'yuba' (tofu skin). 'Okara', the pulp is used for many other dishes even in cookies and cakes.


other recipes:

Unohana, simmered soy pulp with vegetables

Okara mochi, okara dumplings