Tofuture
Transforming Tofu
Vegan Tofu Press
Our Tofu Press
Our tofu press is a simple to use kitchen gadget. Pressing will give your tofu a firm texture and allow it to absorb flavour because it cannot take on flavour if it is full of water. Simply place your block of tofu inside, lock down the clamps and leave it in the fridge to press the water out. The press works with all different sizes of firm tofu and can gently press silken tofu. It works cleanly and efficiently with the minimum of fuss or mess.
The days of pressing tofu under a tower of precariously balanced tins and wasting reams of kitchen roll are over.
At Tofuture, we have created a unique and stylish Tofu Press that removes the water from tofu simply and effectively. Tofu is one of the most versatile, healthy and delicious foods around, but to get the most out of tofu you need to press it first.
The press complies with latest food standards and is BPA Free. It is compact and easy to store (W14cm x D12cm x H7cm) and the outer tub can also be used as a container to marinade the pressed tofu.
The gradual nature of the pressing will give your tofu the perfect texture and consistency for it to absorb gorgeous marinades or the beautiful flavours of the dish you are preparing. The Tofu Press is easy to use, dishwasher safe and fits into your fridge when pressing. It will revolutionise the way you enjoy tofu.
- Easy to use
- Fits in the fridge when pressing
- Cool and stylish design
- Dishwasher proof
- BPA Free
- Vegetarian Society and Vegan Society approved
- Safe and secure payment using Paypal or Stripe
About Us
Hi! We are Adam and Susanna and we run Tofuture together. Here’s a bit about us..
We met in 1991 at Keele University and have been friends ever since. Here we are at our graduation ceremony in 1994 where one of us has definitely misread the dress-code. The second shot is 26 years later in 2017 when we dropped in for a trip down memory lane.
Adam has been vegetarian for 30 years since arriving at University and being the master of his own menu. Although I can only really remember him eating Beanfeasts and Frazzles.
I became vegetarian in 1987 aged 16 while on holiday in Corfu and – formally a big lover of cheese – I suddenly decided to go vegan overnight in 1998 after reading an article about how soon baby cows are taken from their mothers and completely empathising with the mothers.
Tofuture was born out of a funny to watch but rather unfortunate trampolining incident in my garden. Adam, showing off to me and the kids, attempted a piked-twist, forward somersault… It didn’t go well. He’s a big man and apparently not one built for gymnastics. When we stopped laughing, we noticed he hadn’t found it as funny and a few hours, an ambulance and vast quantities of gas and air later we discovered he had broken his ribs.
So he was stuck at home, his ribs and pride convalescing on the sofa, as I went to work leaving a block of tofu wrapped in kitchen reams of kitchen roll under a heavy chopping board piled precariously high with tins of beans and my most chunky cookery books.
Unsurprisingly, this unstable structure collapsed in the kitchen, as they often do, and Adam was forced to prise himself agonisingly off the couch and rescue the half-pressed tofu which was now wallowing in a pile of dented tins, soggy books and tofu-water. Surely this couldn’t be the best way to press tofu?
That evening, we sat down with a common mission: to create something that could press tofu simply and effectively, and preferably without saturating any more of my cookery books in tofu-water.
So with much research, design, trial and error, we spent the next few years creating the perfect kitchen tool for pressing tofu. Nowadays we both work for Tofuture full-time and are loving the journey, discovering new markets, meeting lovely people and waxing lyrical about the benefits of tofu, a plant-based diet and living more environmentally-friendly. We are always working on new recipes and experimenting with making tofu and inventing new ways to cook it. All of which we share on this website for your delight and delectation!
How To Press Your Tofu
Follow these 3 simple steps to start your Tofu Revolution
Step 1: Remove the tofu from the packaging and drain off any excess water
Step 2: Place the block into the inner tub, the green container with perforated holes
Step 3: Replace the lid, pull the elastic bands down around the hooks and push the handles down to impart a continuous pressure on the tofu.
Now leave the press in the fridge for the desired amount of time, you will not need to return to the press to increase the pressure half-way through the pressing time. The longer you leave the tofu, the better it will be pressed.
*Remember* if you only have 10 minutes pressing time that is better than no pressing time at all
Pressing Times
See the following guideline pressing times depending on what you are making:
Short press, 15-30 mins – for sauces, smoothies, chocolate mousse or cheesecakes
Medium press, 1-2 hours – for pasties, quiches and pies
Long press, 4 hours to overnight – for stir-fries, kebabs and baked tofu
And you’re done
When you’re ready to either marinate or cook your tofu straight away, simply release the bands by opening the handles, remove the tofu and pour out the water. Whether you marinate, whiz, bake, scramble or fry, just look at the difference pressing it has made..
What is Tofu?
Tofu originated in Eastern Asia and is made from ‘ta-fou’ meaning ‘great beans’ or soybeans which were first discovered in China and are one of the oldest crops in the world. Although technically a legume, soybeans are known in China as one of the ‘5 sacred grains’. Evidence suggests that the Chinese invented tofu around 200 BC. Soybeans were introduced to Japan around 1000 years later, in 8th Century by Buddhist monks. What followed, including the processing of tofu and fermenting of miso, tempeh and shoyu, or soya sauce, revolutionised Japanese cooking and remains an important part of the national cuisine to this day.
Tofu is made the same way today as it was 1000 years ago. Soybeans are soaked to make soya milk. A coagulant is added to the milk in much the same way as rennet (the stomach of unweaned calves) is added to cow’s milk to make cheese. The curdling agent used to make tofu is either a salt; nigari, magnesium chloride or calcium sulphate or an acid; acetic, ie vinegar or citric ie lemon juice. This agent acts to separate the milk into curds and whey. It is then strained and pressed so the whey drips out and you are left with TOFU.
The tofu we are most familiar with in the UK is packed in water-filled cartons to keep it fresh in transit. This is the water that needs to be removed prior to cooking to improve the taste and consistency of your tofu. As tofu is naturally porous so this water is absorbed during transit and the block of tofu you end up is inevitably saturated and therefore spongy.
Soybeans have remained an Asian staple for over 2,000 years in China and 1,000 in Japan where it is an important source of protein and has an excellent nutritional record. 1.34 billion Chinese and 127 million Japanese can’t be wrong?
Tofu For You
SOYBEANS contain a wide range of valuable nutrients and are an excellent source of protein. Tofu is HIGH in fibre, protein, minerals ie zinc and calcium and polyunsaturated fats, vitamins A, B1, B2, E, and mineral salts and can LOWER cholesterol. The health benefits of tofu are wide-ranging and well documented.
Tofu.. PROTECTS against diabetes, menopausal symptoms and certain cancers / BOOSTS bone health, memory and mental flexibility / its unsaturated essential fatty acids can LOWER cholesterol so help to maintain a healthy heart / FREE of chemical toxins, with none of the pesticides and herbicides found in meat, fish and poultry / RICH in nutrients that help in prevention of cancer, heart disease and post-menopausal symptoms / LOW in calories and saturated fats.
As we saw in What Do You Mean, Protein soybeans contain 35% protein (other legumes have 20%) and have the 8 essential amino acids needed for growth (the same number as meat). Tofu is as effective as meat and dairy in providing sufficient energy and protein needs with none of the potential dangers a diet high in animal protein can lead to, including kidney failure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes 2. One of the amino acids present in tofu, lysine, combines well in the body with other carbohydrates such as rice and whole wheat bread to create a whole new protein.
HEART Tofu is rich in nutrients that help in the prevention of heart disease as it contains amino acid (linoleic) which is one of Omega-3 fatty acids that reduce heart disease. Because animal fat has cholesterol which leads to heart disease and high blood pressure, cutting down or replacing the meat in your diet with tofu will reduce the plaque build-up in your arteries and help blood flow. A lower blood cholesterol level lessens risk of coronary artery disease.
MENOPAUSE Japanese women experience less hot flushes due to the isoflavones found in soy which reduce the severity and frequency of hot flushes. Significant improvements have been found in cognitive activity in post-menopausal women with high isoflavone intake. The menopause lowers oestrogen levels which can lead to bone thinning and osteoporosis. Studies of post-menopausal women in China and Japan have shown that isoflavones found in soya can boost bone mineral content and density.
CANCER Tofu contains genistein, which is a plant-based estrogen, or phytoestrogen which blocks growth of tumours and prevents cancer growth. Estrogen-like compounds have been known to lower the risk of hormonal cancers such as breast, ovarian and prostate. Phytochemicals in soy, isofavones, are anti-oxidants that neutralize ‘free radicals’ in the body that contribute to illnesses and ageing. Asian countries have low rates of breast and prostate cancers and studies have shown that regular consumption of soya for those previously diagnosed with breast cancer can significantly reduce the risk of re-occurrence.
Isofavone levels in the prostate are higher than in blood. Despite the high standard of living in Japan, prostate cancer rates are significantly low. There is a strong association between diet and prostate cancer and studies have shown that non-fermented soya foods such as tofu and soya milk can significantly reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
No human studies show an increased risk of cancer due to soya consumption and plenty of evidence suggests that eating a whole form of soya such as tofu can provide protection from cancer for both men and women.
BONES Soya milk and tofu are calcium-fortified and do not have the saturated fat, casein and cholesterol found in dairy. Calcium sulphate which is used to set tofu (the coagulant) is a form of calcium easily absorbed by the body. Calcium is an essential mineral for teeth and bones and an 8 ounce service of tofu will give you 38% daily calcium requirement. Eating tofu regularly can promote calcium retention in bones and therefore lower the risk of osteoporosis.
CHOLESTEROL 25-30g soy protein/day can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke and actually lower blood cholesterol (British Heart Foundation). Isoflavones, peptides and amino acid work together to lower cholesterol as they interfere with the synthesis of cholesterol in the liver. The Japanese have the world’s lowest rate of heart disease and American cholesterol levels are twice that of the Chinese.
DIET FOOD Tofu has a low ratio of calories to protein so an eight ounce serving of tofu contains 147 calories. This is the lowest ratio of protein to calories making tofu a healthy way to increase your protein intake to make you feel full and eat less. Tofu is also easy to digest.
Fibre and water soluble carbohydrates are removed in the preparation of tofu making it a very easily digestible food for babies over 6 months, the elderly, people with digestive problems, sensitive stomachs, allergic to eggs or dairy or have strict dietary laws as part of their religion or culture. Soy intake has also been indicated in several studies to improve mental flexibility and both long and short-term memory.
It is worth nothing that the best source of isoflavones are in the least processed form of soya foods – ie tofu, miso and soya milk rather than extracted isoflavones. (see Considering Soy for more a more in depth look at this distinction)
DAILY CONSUMPTION Evidence shows that a safe level of daily consumption of soya is up to 5 servings / day. 25g soya protein / day is recommended to reduce cholesterol which would be for example a 100g serving of tofu, 100ml soya milk and 100g soya yogurt.
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