For most commodity soybean producers, this is not a major concern. However, for those who produce premium beans such as food-grade soybeans, light-coloured edible beans, or bean seed, late-season weeds can mean the difference between earning a premium and sending the beans to the crusher. Late-season weeds can cause seed contamination and staining. They can also contribute to adhering dust to the beans, called mud tagging.
Staining and mud tagging are problems that Jim Barclay, crop retail manager at Hensall District Co-operative in Hensall, Ontario, sees periodically in identity-preserved soybeans. This is a concern because of restrictions against the import, export and sale of certain regulated weed species. For example, giant ragweed has seeds that are difficult to separate from soybeans and is considered a noxious weed in areas of Canada.
Cleaning the beans is unlikely to remove the contaminating seeds. Bean seed staining by weeds and berries at harvest can also be a serious problem. Pokeweed and nightshade, which have dark berries, are especially problematic.
The purple or red berries can cause severe staining in the combine, making the beans appear pink, as though they have been treated with pesticides. An average-size pokeweed plant might have to berries, says Bilyea. It might be a case of the combine head just taking in two or three of those plants, and then the whole load is stained with the pink juice. Staining from green or partly green weeds is compounded by combining when there is excess moisture in the field such as early or late in the day, says Mike Cowbrough, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs weed management program lead for field crops.
The moisture rehydrates some of the plant and helps to spread stain-causing substances. Weeds can also exacerbate mud tagging, says Bilyea. Horsenettle, smooth ground cherry, clammy ground cherry, biennial wormwood, and Canada fleabane, for example, emit sticky juices or resins when crushed. The sticky juices, as well as moisture from precipitation or dew, can mix with dust and stick to the beans.
This gives the beans a dingy appearance. Another potential red flag noted by Bilyea is plants like catnip or field mint, which can infuse the beans with an unwanted aroma. Prevention is the solution If the beans do not meet the colour requirements, they do not receive the premium.
In fact, late-season weed issues are something that growers should consider even before spring, when they are planning their planting regime and weed control program, suggests Cowbrough. He says that many late-season weeds can be controlled by a late-season burndown with Reglone diquat or Roundup glyphosate. OMAFRA recommends that growers scout their fields for weeds and volunteer crops so that they can stay on top of any problematic species. One place where Bilyea says that weeds can hide out is at the perimeter of fields, where they could end up being caught by the combine head during harvest.
You'll find block tofu sold packed in water in plastic trays—a commercial-friendly storage method developed in by Shoan Yamauchi in Los Angeles.
Soft tofu is pressed for the least amount of time of all the block tofus, allowing the curds to blend seamlessly into the remaining whey. This smooth block still has texture when broken up, as it often does with mild handling. It has a delicate body, similar to Jell-O, and a mild, milky flavor. Its similarity to soft desserts makes soft tofu a great neutral base for a sweet element; it works equally well in savory dishes. Because it has a high water content, soft tofu is not recommended for shallow-frying—the sputtering and spit-back can be dangerous.
But battering and deep-frying—a method that fully envelops the cubes—produces wonderfully tender nuggets of soybean bliss. How to Prep: Pressing soft tofu is not recommended, as you will end up squishing it.
Medium-firm tofu has a rougher texture than soft—the curds are visible—but will still crack with handling. It can have a droopy appearance due to its moderate moisture content, and it's a good choice for dishes that don't require much manipulation, like braising or boiling.
Because there's more whey in medium-firm tofu, it may break up during vigorous stir-frying, and pan-frying can lead to sad, deflated tofu planks. How to Prep: Pressed, drained, salt-soaked, or frozen. This is the workhorse of the tofu family. If you're not sure which tofu to buy, a firm block will get you through most savory recipes.
The curds in a firm block are tight and visible; it should feel solid, with little give. Its firm body takes on a slight rubbery texture during cooking, which means you can handle each block with relatively little fear.
Firm tofu holds up quite well to frying and stuffing. Like I said—it's versatile. Firm Block Tofu Recipes:. This is the most compact of the block tofus. The curds are tight, and the block is noticeably squatter than all others. Its texture has the most chew, making this the tofu best suited to heartier dishes.
It makes an ideal dairy-free substitution for paneer in Indian recipes, and it's our tofu of choice for making crispy tofu worth eating. Silken tofu is the next most common tofu style. It's made in a similar process to block tofu, except that the soy milk is coagulated without curdling the milk. It's also left unpressed, so every cake retains all of its moisture while cooling.
Because curds never form, the tofu—be it soft, firm, or extra firm—has a smooth and "silky" appearance. More delicate than block tofu, silken tofus likewise require delicate handling, lest they fall apart. Delicate and heavy, soft silken tofu falls through your fingers under its own water weight. It requires the careful handling of a poached egg, and will break like one if manipulated too much. It is particularly suited to saucy recipes, such as dressings, smoothies, and egg or yogurt substitutions.
How to Prep: Raw, drained—do not press or freeze. Firm silken tofu should never be confused with or substituted for a firm block tofu. It also shouldn't be confused with soft silken tofu—firm silken is made from a denser soy milk, meaning less water is added during the production of the milk. Firm silken tofu has a richer body that holds up better to handling. How to Prep: Raw, room-temperature—do not press or freeze. For most intents and purposes, extra-firm silken tofu is exactly the same as firm silken.
Because custard tofus are consumed with minimal preparation, your best bet is purchasing them fresh from a local manufacturer. Even the most prettily packaged mass-produced ones taste flat and bitter. It's so delicate that the quality shouldn't be overshadowed by a complex preparation—use a soft silken or block tofu for that.
Or drizzle with agave for a sweet treat. This is my personal favorite tofu style. It closes the circle of tofu preparation techniques, as a dry tofu—like soft silken—requires little to no cooking.
Chop it up, toss it into a noodle or brothy curry dish, and enjoy. How to Prep: No prep needed; simply remove the package and go. This extra-firm tofu is most often smoked in tea leaves, giving it a light hue and smoky flavor.
It's so dry and dense, you can barely see the curds, and is very similar to dry tofu, but with a lighter up-front flavor. This tofu is tough—you could play a game of catch without it breaking.
Best Uses: Any dish in which you're looking for a smoky flavor and chewy texture Smoked Tofu Recipes:. Sichuan-Style Asparagus and Tofu Salad ». One last option, for extra credit: these sweet-and-salty prepared fried tofu pockets, called inari.
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