Sipping our black coffee from unmatching chipped mugs in the cluttered kitchen of number 97, we discuss the many connected issues of affordable housing, felt particularly sorely by land workers where Big Food has them over a barrel. How can you expect someone to feed the country when they have to pay rent while the supermarkets are not above paying some growers less than 1p, that’s £0.01, per unit for something they’ve put their heart and soul into? (Wicked Leeks) While writing her book Divide, Anna Jones met farmers who couldn’t afford to buy their own food back from the supermarkets.
I’m helping out with launching a local CIC (community interest company) working on behalf of land workers to provide secure and affordable housing in Devon. I met Johnathan and Dr Larch Maxey in the local sauna, and after a philosophical discussion with a few others helping out at a community farm in Dartington, I brought up the Totnes Grows Flax project.
Totnes Grows Flax is our local version of a Swedish project to keep knowledge about growing and processing flax alive – and to build a community around this at the same time. I suggested flax or even hemp fibre as a miracle material and a by-product of the seeds as a superfood – it’s a great insulator of sound and warmth, it’s completely renewable, the plants actually absorb more carbon as they grow than they emit during processing so it’s effectively a carbon-negative material as the carbon is locked away in buildings, unlike conventional building materials it’s non-toxic to both people and environment, flax can also be turned into alternatives to fibreglass or concrete and it has many applications in the fashion industry as well. (Alliance for European Flax-Linen and Hemp) If that wasn’t enough, flax seeds are packed with plant-based protein, fibre, and omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, helping to fight depression and Alzheimer’s while maintaining healthy brain function. Hemp seeds contain 31g protein per 100g and are one of the only ‘complete’ plant-based proteins, containing all 20 essential amino acids.
I could talk Minty’s ear off about flax seeds, but we need to get this front bedroom done before the community assembly. Where’s the staple gun?
Silken flaxfu & hempfu
This is a lazy way of making a version of silken tofu, and it can produce anything from 400g to a litre, depending on how long you let it hang for. The tough shells of flax seeds (sometimes called linseeds) make what I can only describe as a kind of wholegrain tofu, packed with goodness.
- 300g flax seeds or hulled hemp seeds – try Hodmidod’s or the British Hemp Company
- 2tbsp lemon juice, or 1 1/2tsp nigari dissolved in 120ml water
Cover the seeds with plenty of cold water and soak overnight, or for 10-16 hours. Drain the soaked seeds through a sieve and tip into a blender with 1l fresh water. Blend on full power for 1 minute.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then add the lemon juice or nigari.
Strain through a clean muslin cloth (I used a reusable woven hemp cheesecloth) into a sieve, weighing it down to draw out as much liquid as possible. Remove the weight after 30 minutes and transfer to the fridge to set overnight. Store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. Tofu also freezes well.
Firmer flaxfu & hempfu (makes about 500g)
This is a more traditional Japanese way to make tofu, adapted from Emiko Davies’ Gohan. It takes a little longer, because it involves making milk before adding the nigari and then hanging the tofu curds again, but you do get a smoother tofu and the leftover pulp to use again, known as okara.
- 400g flax or hulled hemp seeds
- 1tsp nigari dissolved in 2tbsp water
As in the previous recipe, cover the seeds with plenty of cold water and soak overnight, or for 10-16 hours. Drain the soaked seeds through a sieve and tip into a blender with 2l fresh water. Blend on full power for 1-2 minutes or until very creamy. Tip the puree into a large saucepan and slowly bring to the boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes, skimming the froth from the top, until you have the consistency of runny polenta.
Next, separate the milk from the pulp through a cheesecloth-lined sieve set over a heavy-based pot. It’s important that you choose a vessel that is good at keeping the temperature stable, so a cast-iron or earthenware pot with a lid is ideal. Push as much liquid as you can through the sieve – save the okara pulp for bulking out hamburgers, adding protein to porridge or smoothies, or stir-frying with veg. It freezes well in ice cube trays, just pop a couple of cubes out as needed.
Check the temperature of the milk, it should be between 75 and 80C. If it is too cold, the tofu won’t set well, and if it’s too hot, the tofu will be unpleasantly firm and rubbery. When the milk is at the right temperature, remove from the heat, add the nigari and slowly but briefly stir it through, and let the mixture rest for 3-5 minutes. Slowly stir with a spatula and you should see the oboro, tofu curds – be careful not to break these little clouds up or you’ll end up with a tougher tofu. Cover with a lid and let the pot sit for 3-5 minutes more, making sure the temperature stays between 75 and 80.
What you are looking for now is plenty of fluffy oboro and the yu, the water around the curds, turning transparent rather than opaque. If not, give it another gentle stir, pop the lid back on and wait another 10 minutes. Once you can see plenty of thick, creamy curds, carefully scoop out the oboro with a slotted spoon into a cheesecloth lined tofu press or strainer. With the wooden top of the press, or a plate if using a makeshift equivalent, press firmly and hold for a minute or two to remove the excess liquid. You can leave a weight on top, such as two tins of tomatoes or the heavy pot we used earlier, to press for another 5-10 minutes. The longer and harder you press, the firmer your tofu, so adjust as you wish.
Place the block, still wrapped in the cheesecloth, into a large container filled with cool water. Enjoy good, fresh tofu immediately, chilled and dressed with soy sauce, Cornish seaweed, spring onions and ginger as a breakfast dish known as hiyayyako. Alternatively, it will keep in the water for 3-5 days, or it freezes successfully.
Yu kombucha (makes about 1.2l)
There is a Japanese expression, mottainai, meaning ‘regret concerning waste’, inspiring this homemade soft drink. Every part of the tofu-making process finds a use – the yu, or whey, is used to create this nutty, deliciously refreshing, subtle and sparkling kombucha.
- 1l yu
- 65g chestnut honey or maple syrup
- 150ml mature kombucha or the liquid your SCOBY came in
- 1 kombucha SCOBY
Warm the yu and add the honey. Stir to dissolve the honey or maple syrup and pour into a sterilised 1l fermentation jar. Add the mature kombucha and gently sit the SCOBY on top. Cover the jar with a tea towel secured with a rubber band and set aside to ferment for 6-18 days, tasting each day until you are happy with the flavour. Strain into bottles, keeping 150ml of backslop for the next batch. Store the bottles in the fridge or ferment for a second time for a sparkling drink, but be careful when you open them and don’t forget about them!