Sesame & Black Pepper Encrusted Tofu with Oyster Mushrooms & Wilted Spinach

Another great recipe from Hodo's own Jason De Guzman.

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Sesame & Black Pepper Encrusted Tofu with Oyster Mushrooms and Wilted Spinach

This is a light dish that is full of flavor, a bit of a bite from the black pepper, the added texture from the sesame seeds, the sweetness from the mirin, and a little tamari for salt.

Serves 4

2 each Hodo Soy medium tofu blocks

1/3 cup safflower or vegetable oil (high temp cooking oil)

1/4 cup black sesame seeds

2 Tbls crushed black pepper (not ground)

1/3 cup mirin (cooking sake)

2 Tbls tamari

1/2 lb oyster mushrooms

2 handfuls baby spinach, washed and rinsed

Cut tofu into large cubes (1inch x 1inch) and place into mixing bowl.

Drizzle oil onto tofu while tossing gently so you don't mush the tofu until just coated.

Add sesame seeds and crushed black pepper onto tofu and coat by lightly tossing.

Heat a heavy pan (cast iron works well, can be done in wok too) and add oil.

As oil starts to haze, add tofu and sear until tofu is lightly browned. It is KEY to add the tofu to a hot pan and then leave it alone, when the tofu moves off the pan easily, then toss a couple times and leave it alone again so as to lightly brown all sides.

Once tofu is lightly browned, add the mushrooms. Use the same technique as with the tofu - toss a couple times and leave it alone for a bit and repeat.

Then, once mushrooms are browned, add mirin and toss. Be careful as it has alcohol and may flame up.

Before all liquid has evaporated add tamari to taste, go lighter rather than heavier as reducing tamari will increase saltiness.

Place washed spinach into mixing bowl. Add the tofu and mushrooms hot into the spinach as to slightly wilt the spinach. Best if served immediately when the spinach has dual textures of slightly wilted and some uncooked. Serve and enjoy.

Public Tours Begin Dec. 16

Taste pure soymilk fresh from the kettle. Savor yuba (tofu skin) from the only fresh, organic producer in the US. Sample Hodo dishes that can't be found elsewhere. Watch our artisans make soymilk, tofu and yuba. Learn about soybean selection, soymilk Brix content, yuba technique and other important elements of the innovative production process at Hodo.

Starting December 16, Hodo Soy Beanery will launch public tastings at our newly-opened Beanery in Oakland. During a one-hour session, visitors will learn about tofu- and yuba-making, view production in action, and taste a variety of Hodo's freshly-made products.

These public visits have been a goal ever since we first laid plans to open our new production facility. We want to pull back the curtain on tofu-making and offer people the opportunity learn about, appreciate and enjoy soy in a new way. Artisan tofu- and yuba-making is a fascinating process to experience. Taste the difference between our freshly made soy products compared to off-the-shelf supermarket products. We are excited by the challenge to do something that hasn't been done before - Hodo Soy Beanery is the first tofu maker in the US to offer public visits and tastings.

All tours will be by reservation only. Initially, availability will be limited (one session every two weeks: Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m.). Tours will be held in small, intimate groups and include tastings. Ticket price is $10 per person. Buy your tickets here.

Carolyn's Persimmon Soy Shakes

From our own Carolyn Ash . . .

Persimmon Season has arrived, which means instant desserts that are naturally delicious! Hachiyas especially are nature's ready-made confection, with a sweetness, flavor and thickness that effortlessly rivals fruit conserves and pie fillings. Creating a creamy protein-rich pudding with them is as simple as blending the pulp from 3 Hachiyas with 1 Hodo Silken Custard. At the beanery, we've also been enjoying these easy shakes:

PERSIMMON SOY SHAKES

Breakfast Shake

1 C Hachiya Persimmon Pulp (approximately 3 persimmons)

1 Hodo Silken Custard

1 C Hodo Fresh Soy Milk

Lemon Zest

Juice from 1 Tangerine

1/2 t freshly grated Ginger

Holiday Spice Shake

1 C Hachiya Persimmon Pulp (approximately 3 persimmons)

1 Hodo Silken Custard

1 C Hodo Fresh Soy Milk

2 t ground Cinnamon

1/4 t ground Nutmeg

1/8 t ground Clove

2 T Maple Syrup, Honey or Agave, if desired

Directions:

1. Pick out 3 Hachiya persimmons who are very ripe, with almost translucent skins about to split open from the weight of the fruit's jelly inside.

2. Peel the persimmon pulp out from the skin and discard the seeds and skin.

3. Blend the pulp in a blender or food processor until smooth.

4. Add all the other ingredients. Blend thoroughly.

5. Serve to family and friends. Enjoy the energy that natural sweetness and pure soy provides!

The Beanier, the Better

Each production day at The Beanery, the tofu making team shows up for work in the morning and starts making fresh soymilk. Hodo's soymilk is the basis of everything that we do, including both tofu and yuba. One of the things that we have learned through the years is that the better the soymilk, the better the tofu and yuba.

People often ask why our soymilk tastes so different from what they commonly find at the supermarket. Simply put, it is because we love the natural flavor of the soybean.

Hodo's soymilk is made the traditional Asian way: soybeans are soaked in water, ground, cooked, and the liquid (or soymilk) is strained from the bean pulp. That's it. Nothing else is added. The result is a wonderfully fresh, sweet taste that is, well, "beany". In contrast, most of the soymilk in American supermarkets has been made to taste more like cow's milk. The bean flavor has been neutralized and flavorings are added.

At Hodo, the beanier, the better. Because when we use this soymilk to make our tofu and yuba, the fresh flavor of the bean is one of the reasons that they taste so good.

During production, one of the ways that we guarantee that our products have all of the flavor that we want is by measuring the Brix of our soymilk. The Brix scale measures the percent of solids in a given weight of liquid. The higher the number, the more solids in that liquid. As applied to soymilk, the higher the number, the greater density of soybean in the milk and, therefore, the more natural flavor. Hodo tofu makers love high Brix.

These are photos of our head soymilk maker, Ray Chang, first checking a batch of soymilk and then measuring the Brix with a refractometer. Interestingly, this same device has been used for years in the winemaking industry. Winemakers use the Brix scale to measure the quality of the grapes on the vine and the juice before bottling. We have adapted this same concept; we know that the flavor of our chief ingredient (in our case, soybeans) determines the flavor of what we produce.

Some Recent Beanery Press

Thanks to Patricia Yollin (SF Chronicle) and Katie Robbins (The Atlantic) for the nice articles on Hodo and The Beanery this week!

And to Mike Kepka for catching Minh in yuba-making rapture here.

On the Menu

A few years ago, chefs started to include on their menus the names of the producers of some of their key ingredients (e.g. "Star Route Farms baby gem lettuce" or "Marin Sun Farms rib eye"). This helps restaurants to convey the quality, freshness and often local origin of the ingredients that they choose to use. Customers also like being able to appreciate the source and uniqueness of the dish.

Hodo has always been very thankful to the chefs who have put the Hodo name on the restaurant menus. We are proud of the fact that we are the first tofu company to achieve this "menu mention" status (see snapshot of the menu at The Slanted Door). The Hodo name is on the menu of restaurants of all types: everything from Asian to French, white table cloth to casual, and vegetarian to omnivore.

We have decided to highlight some of the restaurants and the dishes that they make from our products. We continue to be inspired by these innovative and delicious creations. So, in the posts ahead, we will occasionally write up a profile of some of these chefs, their restaurants, and their dishes using Hodo Soy Beanery products.

Stay tuned . . .

What is a Beanery?

With word spreading that we are now producing out of the new Beanery in Oakland, many have been asking us a basic question - what is a "Beanery"?

The idea of The Beanery came about when we first created Hodo. We liked the idea of a singular place dedicated to making a special food or beverage - like a creamery, patisserie, bakery, or brewery. So, The Beanery is simply the place where we make delicious things out of soybeans.

There are other beaneries out there - just not "soy beaneries" like Hodo. I have seen beaneries that deal in coffee beans. I have also found casual restaurants calling themselves beaneries. Actually, in late-19th, early-20th century US, a beanery was a simple restaurant where you were more likely to see baked beans on the menu than a cut of meat.

We spent a long time looking for the right location to build Hodo Soy Beanery. In the end, we loved the heritage of our building in West Oakland. Ever since it was first built in the 1920s, it has continuously been in food production. For 70 years, it was a candy factory - you can still see the sugar silos in the back of the building. Then, in the '90s, it became a bakery - our core tofu production equipment sits where the ovens used to be. We love being a part of this history and working in a building that has been producing food all of its life.

The Beanery opens!

Announced today . . .

Organic Tofu Maker Hodo Soy Beanery Opens Factory in West Oakland
Innovative Bay Area maker of organic soymilk, tofu and yuba
Public viewing and tasting hours in December 2009

OAKLAND, Calif., October 13, 2009 — Today, Hodo Soy Beanery opens its new facility in West Oakland, where it will produce its freshly made, organic soymilk, tofu, yuba (tofu skin), and prepared dishes for the San Francisco Bay Area. The Beanery will offer public tours starting this December where visitors can meet the tofu makers, learn about the history of the soybean and tofu, see Hodo Soy Beanery’s innovative approach to tofu-making, and taste a range of its fresh products.

Hodo Soy Beanery founder and Tofu Master, Minh Tsai, was inspired to make tofu after failing to find the fresh, artisan soymilk and tofu he remembers getting from the neighborhood tofu shack as a child in Vietnam. With a group of friends and family, he started making soymilk, tofu and yuba with whole, organic, non-GM soybeans out of a family-run commercial kitchen and started selling it at the Palo Alto farmers’ market. In 2004, after positive response and growing demand, Minh left his job in finance to launch Hodo Soy Beanery. He was soon joined by business partner, John Notz, who signed on to help expand the business. Today, Hodo Soy Beanery’s products are available at their booths at ten Bay Area farmers’ markets and a growing number of local grocery stores and restaurants including Coi, Greens and the Slanted Door.

“We want people to think of tofu in a different way,” explains Minh. “Much like fine cheese and chocolate, there’s a real artistry to creating great-tasting tofu and yuba, and this artistry starts with the ingredients.” Hodo Soy Beanery sources organic soybeans grown at a Midwestern co-op and makes its tofu products in a light-filled facility, a former candy factory and bakery. The custom-designed manufacturing equipment combines art and science, and was fabricated by one of Asia’s oldest tofu equipment producers.

“Tofu is not a bland, rubbery food that is only eaten because it is good for you,” says Minh, “It is most delicious when it is made with care and eaten fresh.” This means an early morning start for the Tofu Master; Hodo Soy Beanery aims to have all their products delivered to customers within 12 hours of preparation. “When you eat Hodo Soy Beanery tofu products, you know exactly where the beans come from, when and where the products are made, and who makes them,” explains Minh.

Hodo Soy Beanery’s product range showcases the many shapes and textures soymilk and tofu can take. It is the only producer of fresh, organic yuba in the United States. Yuba, or tofu skin, is what Minh calls “the sashimi of soy.” It’s the delicate sheet of soy cream that forms on top of a batch of fresh, gently warmed soymilk. The sheets are lifted by hand from the surface of the soymilk and dried on metal rods. Yuba can be eaten fresh with a dipping sauce or added to soups or stews. In addition to yuba, Hodo Soy Beanery makes fresh soy noodles from firm tofu and silky soy custard as well as ready-to-eat dishes such as spicy croquettes, braised tofu salad, soy noodle salad, and chocolate mousse – all made from organic soybeans.

Growing demand at their farmers’ market booths and from Bay Area chefs like Daniel Patterson and Charles Phan encouraged Hodo Soy Beanery to expand. With the help of investors and advisors including Sue Conley of Cowgirl Creamery and John Scharffenberger, founder of Scharffenberger Cellars and Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Minh and John relocated Hodo Soy Beanery’s headquarters to its spacious production facility in West Oakland. It is here that an Old World food tradition combined with New World innovation finds expression and an appreciative audience.

Hodo Soy Beanery currently distributes through Bay Area farmers' markets and wholesale to restaurants, grocery stores, and food service operators (corporations and schools). Hodo Soy Beanery is a proud member of West Oakland's economic community. For farmers’ market locations, recipes and more information, visit www.hodosoy.com.

Jason's Late Summer Braised Tofu

Thanks to Hodo Chef, Jason DeGuzman, for this recipe for seasonal fruits and vegetables with Hodo's braised tofu.

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Late Summer Braised Tofu

Serves 4 people

1 pkg Hodo braised tofu - medium diced (halved block lengthwise and then into 4 strips and again the opposite direction)

4 poblano peppers - coat lightly in veg. oil and roast on open flame until skin is charred, peel off char and de-seed, chop flesh into small dice

6 plums - remove pit and dice into small dice

1 med. red onion - small dice

1 tsp of coriander

t.t. (to taste) salt and pepper

2 sprigs rosemary - washed and left whole

3 tbs. really nice olive oil, cold pressed, extra virgin if you got it - to finish dish chives, cut fine

Saute diced tofu until all sides are crisped and lightly browned, (preferably in a cast iron). Then lower heat to low-medium and add a little more oil (depending on how much you started with), add the poblanos, red onion, plums, coriander, rosemary, and simmer with braised until plums cook down and flavors are melded, it should be sweet, tart, and slightly roasted pepper flavor from the poblanos. once done, stir in nice olive oil and finish with chives - nice with lightly toasted ciabatta or sour bagette and castelventrano olives.

Tofu Making... a Spiritual Experience?

There's something really satisfying about making tofu. It's so rare to make anything from scratch these days and it's very labor intensive, but I always feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment after a production day at our brand new facility.

It's almost magical how we transform organic soybeans and purified water into steaming cups of soymilk, tender blocks of tofu, and billowing sheets of yuba using a technique created thousands of years ago.

While there are very few ingredients involved in tofu-making, there is a tremendous amount of labor, care, and practice that is required, similar to cheese-making or bread-making. And like those artisan practices, tofu-making can be a source of deep satisfaction that satiates not only a physical hunger, but a spiritual one too.

The Humble Soybean

Did you know that the usable protein in a 1/2 cup of soybeans is the same as that contained in 5 ounces of steak? An 8 ounce serving of tofu has 11.5 gms of usable protein, the equivalent of 3.25 ounces of steak, 5.5 oz of hamburger, or 2 eggs (THE BOOK OF TOFU, William Shurtleff). Plus its got no cholesterol or saturated fat.

These are pretty stunning facts, not to mention that soybeans produce 33% more protein per acre of land than any other crop, and 20 times more usable protein as could be raised on an acre of land given over to grazing beef.

While the health and environmental benefits of consuming more protein from soybeans are compelling, I eat tofu mostly because it tastes great when made fresh and prepared with care.

In the case of tofu, I can satisfy my belly and my conscience....

Yuba Yuba Doo!

Yuba, or "tofu skin" is my wife's favorite thing to eat right now. She loves sushi, tartare, oysters on the half shell, and pretty much anything raw. The silky, tender, sheets of yuba have a consistency and mouthfeel that is both delicate and creamy at the same time, and not unlike some of these delicacies.

My wife loves yuba because it reminds her of something luxurious like beef tartare or uni (sea urchin) without the guilt (cholesterol, fat, etc.) and she begs me to bring home freshly made yuba all the time. Once I pluck the tender sheets of "sashimi" from steaming trays of freshly made soymilk, I immediately immerse them in glass jars and top them off with some soymilk to keep them moist.

While I'm still working, I already day dream about how we will prepare the yuba. Our favorite way is to chill and serve it with a simple sauce. Dashi sauce with bit of fresh wasabi is awesome. So is dashi with some sliced jalapenos and a touch of sesami oil. We use the sauce sparingly and only dip the yuba so we don't overwhelm its natural sweetness.

After finishing tofu making for the day, I clutch the precious jar of "tofu sashimi" and trek home, thinking about how pleased my wife will be- and maybe, I can swap the contents of this jar for her commitment to take out the trash this week..

Gabe's Spicy Tofu with Lemongrass Stir-Fry

Hodo's own Gabe Schreiber submits his favorite way to cook with Hodo.

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Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
Stir-fry
    * 8 oz firm tofu, diced (or 1 lb precooked medium shrimp)
    * 2 stalks lemongrass (outer leaves removed), trimmed and minced
    * 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
    * 1 tsp Vietnamese chile paste (or Tabasco)
    * 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
    * 1 tbsp rice wine (found in Asian section of grocery store)
    * 1/2 cup canned lowfat coconut milk
    * 1/4 cup vegetable broth
    * 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
    * 1 tsp dark sesame oil
    * 1 tsp canola oil
    * 4 medium carrots, cut into thin strips
    * 8 medium shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
    * 1 cup fresh broccoli florets
    * 1/2 cup diagonally sliced green onions


Rice:
    * 1 cup long-grain brown rice
    * 2 cups vegetable broth or water
    * 1 bay leaf

Preparation:
Combine tofu, lemongrass, ginger, chile paste, lime juice, and rice wine in a small bowl and toss. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Mix coconut milk, broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl; set aside. Coat a large sauté pan with canola oil and set over medium-high heat. Add tofu and sauté, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes. Add carrots, mushrooms, and broccoli and sauté, stirring, for another 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk mixture and onions and cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. (If using shrimp, toss in last, just long enough to heat.) Combine rice, broth, and bay leaf in saucepan over medium heat and simmer, covered, 25 to 30 minutes or until rice absorbs all liquid. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. Place equal portions of cooked brown rice on each plate and top with stir-fry.

Dean's Fresh Tofu Appetizer

Hodo's own Dean Ku submits his favorite way to cook with Hodo.

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While Hodo Soy Beanery's tofu is awesome cooked, I love to serve it fresh, uncooked, and with a simple sauce. It's delicious and requires very little preparation. Here is my favorite during the hot summer days.

Ingredients (serves 1)
-1 block of medium firm Hodo Soy Beanery tofu
-Dashi sauce (or premium soy sauce)
-Sesami Oil
-Thinly sliced green onions
-Freshly grated ginger (optional if you like ginger)

1. Place chilled block of tofu into a bowl.
2. Pour dashi sauce over tofu to taste (less to start is always better)
3. Add a few drops of sesami (a little goes a long way)
4. Add green onions and a bit of ginger to taste.

Oakland Waterfront Foodtrail

Oakland has become a hot-bed of artisan, start-up food businesses. With our move to the new Beanery in West Oakland, Hodo now joins this scene. You can find us on the map of the Oakland Waterfront Foodtrail, which starts in our area of West Oakland, continues through Jack London Square, and finishes by the Coliseum. 

Oakland Waterfront Foodtrail - there is a link to the map in the column of links on the right of the City's home page.

You could spend even more time in our immediate vicinity than the map belies. The Beanery is located in large building which formerly housed a candy producer and then a bakery. We now share the building with some other terrific food producers:Kaia Foods - makers of raw granola - and Cosmic Chocolate.

Carolyn's Veggie Lasagna with Silken Tofu "Ricotta"

Hodo's own Carolyn Ash submits her favorite way to cook with Hodo.

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Customers always ask what to do with our silken tofu, and I get tired of hearing myself say, "I add it to smoothies for cholesterol-free protein and cream!" I felt inspired to start experimenting.

One of my first adventures involved using the custard as a substitute for ricotta cheese in lasagna. Success! The custard provided an equally satisfying creamy layer between the noodles and chunky sauce. A delightful unintended consequence resulted: the lasagna was lighter, giving me the added benefit of being able to eat a huge portion sans stomachache!  

And I should be honest, very few hedonistic activities bring me as much pleasure as putting away a large, saucy, cheesy slice of lasagna, paired with a glass of rich Bordeaux. Especially when there's no place to be the next morning.

Veggie Lasagna with Silken Tofu Custard

12 no-bake lasagna noodles

assorted seasonal vegetables (best combinations will involve varying textures and flavors, such as carrots, broccoli, asparagus, spinach, and onions)

3 T olive oil

6 cloves garlic

2 T fresh basil

pepper

1 T rosemary

1 T oregano or marjoram

5 cups mozarella cheese

1 1/2 cup parmesean cheese

1/2 lb Hodo silken tofu custard

1 egg

1/2 cup chives or green onions

50 oz. chunky tomato sauce

Preheat oven to "broil." 

1. Cut up vegetables into bite size pieces. If using potatoes, carrots, or other root vegetables, boil for 20 minutes, or until slightly soft. If using asparagus, steam for 15 minutes. Mix together all vegetables (except greens) in a large mixing bowl with 2 T olive oil, 3 cloves crushed garlic, thinly shredded basil, and freshly ground pepper. Oil a baking stone or sheet. Spread the veggies evenly over it. Broil for 10-20 minutes, or until crispy. Remove vegetables. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

2. Shred the parmesean cheese. Reuse the mixing bowl to combine the soy custard, pepper, finely chopped chives or green onions, 3 cloves crushed garlic and 1 cup parm. Set aside the other half cup of parm.  Beat in the egg.

3. Bring tomato sauce to a boil. Add broiled vegetables and spinach (or other seasonal greens). Mix in Oregano and other favorite Italian seasonings. Simmer just long enough to reduce (10-20 minutes) the vegetables.

4. Shred the mozarella.

5. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a deep lasagna pan. Layer the lasagna in this order: noodles, custard/parm mixture, tomato sauce, mozarella. Repeat until ingredients run out (I like to make 3 layer lasagnas so that each layer is thick and juicy; others enjoy the feat of 5 layer lasagnas which are beautiful, and often hold together better, but are not as creamy.) Top off the last mozarella layer with the saved 1/2 cup of parmesean.

6. Bake lasagna for 30 minutes, or until the cheese reaches desired crispiness. Allow 20 minutes to cool.

Daniel's Sassy Strips

Hodo's own Daniel Alafetich submits his favorite way to cook with Hodo.

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Ingredients:

One 8 oz. container of Hodo's Spicy Yuba Strips (or Sesame Yuba Strips)

1/2 a head of green or red cabbage (or a whole head of romaine)

1 tablespoon of rice vinegar

Preparation:

1. Chop cabbage in long strips super super thin ( from romaine use a serrated knife and saw in wider strips)

2. Empty package of hodosoy in a big serving bowl

3. Add vinegar, toss with hands to mix well

4. Wipe rim of bowl with towel

5. Garnish with something pretty and enjoy!

John's Hearty Miso Stew with Yuba

John's Hearty Miso Stew with Yuba

I like "one pot" recipes. That means minimal dishwashing. I also don't measure ingredients very accurately. That means you should use your own judgement with the ingredient quantities here. For this dish, I turn the basic miso soup into a hearty meal, filling it with vegetables. I also add Hodo's fresh yuba in place of the more traditional silken tofu.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups vegetables (my favorites in this are shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, baby carrots, and white onions) cut into 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces

- 2 tbs. miso paste (found in refrigerated section of health stores and Japanese grocery stores)

- 2 sheets fresh yuba from Hodo, cut into strips 1 inch wide and 6 inches long

Preparation:

- Boil 4 cups of water in a soup pot.

- Add vegetables and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are desired softness.

- Lower to medium heat.

- Remove 1/4 cup of water from the pot, scooped out with a small bowl.

- Add miso paste to the small bowl. Use a spoon to smooth out the paste until the paste has dissolved into the water.

- Stir in miso paste mixture to soup pot. Taste the broth and add more miso paste if desired (using above technique to dissolve).

- Stir in yuba strips to soup pot.

- Serve in a big bowl or to really minimize dishwashing, eat straight out of the soup pot.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

On March 28, Hodo participated in "Foodies Fighting Cancer" at San Francisco's Ferry Building, benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Sukhi's, Aidell's and Ciao Bella also participated. Congratulations to our friend and event organizer, Bill Shen, who was recently named even "Man of the Year" by the Society.

Here is Hodo's own Ben Chandler, manning the Hodo booth that day.

Tofu Dessert Competition & Festival

On March 16, in San Francisco's Japantown, we were a proud sponsor of this year's Tofu Dessert Competition & Festival, benefiting the Nihonmachi Little Friends organization.

That's Hodo's own Daniel Alafetich (2nd from right, in Hodo t-shirt), serving as one of the competition judges. A very nice soy tiramisu won the day.