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cheap. You will probably pay almost as much for them by weight as for medium to high-priced
meats.
The protein content of tofu is not very high, only about 7 percent, because of the large
amount of diluting water it contains. The harder the tofu is, the less water and more protein
concentration in a same-weight piece. A 4-ounce (113-g) tofu, in dietitians' language, contains 8
to 10 grams of protein.
Soy milk the other unfermented soy product, is the liquid that results from the first step
of the tofu-making process. However, more cooking and processing are necessary before the
liquid becomes suitable and acceptable to drink as soy milk. The processor adds salt, sweetener,
oil and flavoring to give it a little taste. Without them, it tastes like plain tofu, very blah!
Soy sauce is to Orientals what ketchup is to Americans. Each country, and even districts
within country, has its own ways of making it and each one may be very different from the other.
Soy sauce has become very popular in our kitchens, too.
To make Japanese soy sauce, the processor cooks the soybeans and adds roasted, and
coarsely crushed wheat berries. The ratio of the two differs in every region. Then the processor
inoculates the mash with a specific mold (Aspergillus) and lets this mixture mature for about 3
days under controlled temperature and humidity conditions to develop enzymes. After that he
adds a brine solution to destroy the mold. The result, moromi mash, is what ferments and ages in
fermentation tanks at natural temperature for about 2 years. Fermentation for our domestically
produced soy sauce is only about 6 months but under controlled temperature.
During the fermentation, two processes take place. In the first one the proteins of the
soybeans are broken down into their component amino acids, and in the second the
carbohydrates of the wheat kernels change to sugar. The brine is also part of the process. It
introduces saltiness and triggers a new set of chemical reactions between the amino acids and
sugar. A yeast fermentation runs simultaneously with these changes that alters part of the sugar
into alcohol, introducing a tart flavor component. The result is a further deepening of flavor with
even more complexity and the development of a rich, clear color. Aging follows fermentation
and the two processes take 6 months to a year, after which they filter off the reddish-brown
syrupy mash under pressure to squeeze out every single drop. Then they pasteurize the liquid
before bottling to get rid of any remaining live culture.
Chinese soy sauce is somewhat different. They make it without wheat and is both thicker
and heavier than the Japanese variety. The Chinese add molasses to give sweetness and a dark
color.
Tamari is similar to the Japanese-style soy sauce but has little or no wheat, is darker,
heavier and stronger-flavored than soy sauce.
Salt makes up a very high 15 to 20 percent of any soy sauce, so don't use it too
generously. It generally replaces table salt in recipes.
Tempeh is a close relative to tofu. Tofu is unaged and unfermented. Tempeh is also
unaged, but it is fermented for a day under warm, humid conditions with inoculated mold culture
so it develops a mild flavor. Otherwise, it is a white cake-like food similar to tofu. Tempeh
originated in Indonesia and because it is more tasty than tofu, it is popular with vegetarians as a
meat substitute. You can buy tempeh in health food stores flavored with seaweed, soy sauce,
five-spice or just plain sea veggies. Sometimes they fortify it with extra cooked soybeans. It has
the same protein content as tofu (about 7 percent) unless has the benefit of added soybeans. That
boosts the protein content up to a respectable 21 percent (24 grams in a 4-ounce or 113-g
serving).
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