In case you’re an avid soy milk fan, you might be spending a great deal of money, while the alternative is within your reach. Since an average bottle of good soy milk ranges $2.50-$3.25 at a grocery store, here’s a way to saving some money by making your very own soy milk within the comfort of your home.
The Soy Milk Making Process
Fresh soy milk is exported from Japan and China every day, and is just a simple process of straining grinded soybeans until they leave the milk behind. The soymilk you find at your grocery store is most commonly fortified with calcium, minerals and vitamins. Even flavored varieties, like vanilla or chocolate, can be found.
Making Soy Milk at Home
Needed:
- salt
- warm water
- cheese cloth
- saucepan
- blender
- sieve
- Whole soy beans – about 250 grams
#1 Crack the soy beans shell and remove the hulls – thus ensure cutting down on the time needed for soaking. Leave the soybeans soak in previously warmed water for eight-nine hours, until they’re soft.
#2 Get the soybeans and hit them in the microwave. About two or three minutes should do – they’ll have become even softer by then.
#3 Place the now softened soybeans along with 2l of water inside a blender and start mixing on med-high speed, until they form a paste.
#4 Get the mixture and spread it onto a cheesecloth, setting it above a bowl or a jar, and let the soy milk drip. This process can be quite time consuming: you need to frequently push the pulp around, as to make sure all of the milk gets ‘extracted’.
#5 After this is done, pour in the newly extracted soymilk inside a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Boil it for about eight to twelve minutes, until the liquid starts getting thicker and more of ‘milk’ consistency. Put the salt in, stir and set aside.
#5 Put it into the refrigerator for cooling, it should be ready to serve after four, five hours. Soy milk will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Choosing a Soy Milk Maker
In case you lack the motivation of soaking your soybeans and then grinding them, there’s always a shortcut – buying a soy milk maker.
These are a very convenient way of making your own soy milk at home, even allow you to enhance it or flavor it, resulting in something identical to what’s being sold in the stores.
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You just place soaked soybeans into the filter cup and add water depending on how thick you want the soy milk to be. The machine takes care of the entire grinding process from start to finish, adding heat to the pulp and extracting the milk in about 15-20 minutes. You’ll be left with fresh soymilk, as well as the pulp from the beans which can be used as a filler for breads, baked goods, and other foods.
Plain soy milk is an excellent source of protein, especially for vegans and vegetarians who aren’t getting quality protein from meat in their diet. It also contains B-vitamins, and offers an alternative option to dairy-free products for those who are lactose intolerant. If you drink a lot of soy milk on a regular basis, making soy milk at home offers one way to cut back on your expenses.}}}}}}}}}}}}