473638 Thu Dec 27 22:06:53 -0800 2007 3 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 3241805 With my stone quern I've tried to make soymilk and tofu starting with grinding soaked organic black skin green fleshed soy bean. When I add liguid Nigari to the soymilk, the soymilk curdles and there is a clear liquid that separates from the curds. From the Book of Tofu by William Shurtleff & Akiko Aoyagi, I learned that whey as the by product of tofu is one of those magical potion that's nutritious when ingested, and yet can be used to clean greasy cooking utencils, or added to bath water, shampooing, given to plants....even horses love them and can drink bucketful at a time! From what little I had, it does work wonders. It cleans and leaves a shine. It quickly disarmed some strong curry oil firm on tupperware even. I'm tempted to make small batches regularly just so I can have this whey to use. Does whey the by product of cheese making (from milk) the same in property as whey from tofu making? I have read from some of the posts here that cheese making hounds here use it for baking. Anyone use it for cleaning? Thu Dec 27 22:06:53 -0800 2007 10422 HLing 1 3244178 I went to Hawaii last Summer and the greatest [food] experience of the trip was going to the Aloha Tofu factory. http://www.flickr.com/photos/98128783@N00/page5/ I happened on the owner and asked for a tour to which he wonderfully agreed to. So I came back a couple of days later and I spent a good hour or two learning the whole process which was absolutely amazing. The two byproducts of the tofu making are the okara and tofu skin (yuba). I know most about the okara - which is the pulpy material. In Okinawa it is used to feed the pigs, which like tofu is an essential protein of the islanders. Fri Dec 28 20:46:34 -0800 2007 3241805 14086 kare_raisu 2 3244339 Kare raisu, those photos made me hungry! Thanks for sharing. Strictly speaking, yuba and okara aren't so much byproducts of "tofu" making rather than just soymilk making. The two byproducts of the actual toful making is the curds and the whey, after coagulant is added. But yes, I'm finding out that over all, Soy is a most sustainable wonder food that is practically waste-less! Fri Dec 28 23:14:20 -0800 2007 3244178 10422 HLing 1 3245708 My production kitchen was formerly a tofu factory and I had to have the cement floor ground down to below the level where that "whey" had permeated and have it resurfaced to meet health code. All the metal doors and jambs are corroded from contact with it. It is some pwerful stuff and I am not surprised it makes a good cleaning agent! Interesting, since tofu itself is so white and bland and innocent. And no, the whey from cheese making is entirely different. Which reminds me to go check my chevre right now! Sat Dec 29 16:23:51 -0800 2007 3241805 146310 honcha