How to Make a Wood Tofu Form
Making tofu is a traditional skill that is surprisingly easy and turns out a delicious product. Tofu is made from soybeans that are soaked, boiled, cooled and mashed. After straining, nigari, a mineral that causes the tofu to become curds, is added. The curds are strained in a wood form with weights on top to press out all the liquid. You can buy special forms for pressing tofu, but it is also easy to make one from hardwood.
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Things You'll Need
- 6-foot length 1-inch-by-15-inch untreated hardwood such as oak
- Saw
- Sandpaper
- Drill and drill bits
- Waterproof glue
- Clamps
- Twelve 1 5/8-inch stainless steel screws
- 4 1-inch screw-in plastic feet
- 2 drawer handles with screws
Instructions
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1
Cut the 1-by-15 lumber into 6 pieces: two 12-by-12-inch pieces for the top and bottom, two 12-by-6-inch pieces for the front and back, and two 13 1/2-by-6-inch pieces for the sides. Sand all edges with the sandpaper.
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2
Drill 1/4-inch holes into the front, back, sides and bottom. The holes should be evenly spaced, about 2 inches apart in rows that are 2 inches apart.
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3
Put the front 12-by-6-inch pieces between the two side pieces, match the edges and clamp them together with a clamp. Place the the remaining 12-by-6-inch piece between the sides at the back edge, align the edges and clamp them together. Drop the bottom, one of the 12-by-12-inch pieces, into the frame made by the sides, front and back. Adjust the front and back if necessary so the bottom fits tightly. Glue all the pieces together along the edges.
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4
Drill pilot holes at the corners, through the side pieces into the front and back pieces and drive in the screws. Drill two more holes along the bottom of each side piece, two inches in from the corners, drilling into the bottom piece. Drive in the screws. Allow the glue to dry.
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5
Test the fit of the lid. It should fit inside the box easily but snugly. Screw drawer handles into the lid so you can easily lift it out of the tofu box. Place the handles near the outside edges of the lid so that you can put a weight, such as a can of tomatoes or a brick, between them. Screw in the feet on the bottom of the box to allow water to drain easily.
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6
Screw the feet on the bottom of the box to allow water to drain easily.
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Tips & Warnings
To avoid using glue and screws, make dovetail joints.
To avoid mold or undesirable bacteria, wash the box thoroughly after every use, rinse in a 10% solution of chlorine bleach and allow it to thoroughly dry.
Don't use treated wood that could leach poisons into the tofu.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
