I am so excited to have Minh Tsai, founder of Hodo Soy Beanery on my blog today! For those of you who’ve tried Hodo Soy products, you know just how wonderful they are! Hodo Soy Beanery, based in Oakland, California, has something of a cult following among plant-based eaters. I’ve seen restaurants in San Francisco call out Hodo Soy Beanery on their menus that feature tofu.
Born in Veitnam, Minh grew up eating fresh tofu from the neighborhood tofu shack. So, he started to make the same high-quality tofu he remembered in California for his local community, selling it at the Palo Alto Farmers Market. In 2004, he supplied the growing demand for the highest quality, best-tasting, freshest soymilk, tofu, and yuba possible by opening Hodo Soy Beanery. Today, Hodo Soy Beanery makes soymilk, tofu, yuba, and ready to eat products, like braised tofu, tofu veggie burgers, tofu puffs, tofu nuggets, and yuba noodles. Learn about Minh’s inspiration, and his own favorite ways to use tofu in our interview here.
What inspired you to start Hodo Soy Beanery?
I started Hodo with the desire to make a better quality tofu that meets the tofu I grew up eating in Vietnam. A richer and tastier tofu.
How is your tofu different than other tofus on the market?
Our tofu products are really delicious, and tasting them turns people onto tofu. The ingredients are pure and clean. Specifically, we start with a high quality tofu made with a thick soymilk that is rich and creamy, and has high protein than tofu in the marketplace, which are often chalky and bland.
What is your own diet philosophy? Are you vegetarian? How often do you enjoy soy products?
I am an omnivore, but I eat vegetarian about 70% of the time. I like to taste many flavors and textures and it helps me develop tasty tofu recipes. My diet philosophy is to eat a moderately balanced diet that is as little processed as possible. My meals generally include salads, fruits, and a protein (tofu, fish, meat). I am conscious about eating minimal starch and sugar.
What is your favorite way to use tofu?
This is hard to say because I go through different phases. When I have time, I like to make silken tofu with our soymilk and eat it fresh. Other times, I eat the nuggets we make out of the box because they are so delicious and ready to eat by themselves or on a salad or stir-fry!
Can you explain how tofu is made? I think a lot of people think it’s highly processed, and from GMO soybeans.
Tofu is made simply like cheese, with minerals as a coagulant.
1. We grind and cook soybeans and squeeze out the milk (a rich bean juice).
2. We add calcium sulphate to the soymilk to turn it into a curd.
3. We break that curd to release the whey and press it to make tofu of various textures (medium, firm) and that’s it!
Tofu is a whole food, not processed at all, and we use 100% organic soybeans grown in the U.S. by small farmers.
What do your customers love about your products and what kind of feedback do you get from them?
Customers who know tofu just find the qualify of our products the highest in the industry, and that we are very innovative in recipe development. Customers new to tofu (when we can challenge them to taste it) overwhelmingly react: “I can’t believe that’s tofu! It tastes so good!” They act like that because they have never had delicious tofu before or they have been unwilling to taste it because they know people who have had a poor experience eating tofu for the first time. Most tofu in the marketplace are not tasty enough to win new customers, unfortunately.
This flavorful hearty chili is easy to put together, and certainly a crowd pleaser. Serve it over some cilantro rice, or use it as a dip with some tortilla chips.
Ingredients
Scale
2 12oz Hodo Firm Tofu, crumbled
1 yellow onion, diced fine
3 Tablesppons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 4oz tomatoes, canned, crushed
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon fajita spice mix
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
A pinch of cinnamon, ground
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt to taste
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a small saute pan and sweat onion until translucent.
Add garlic, saute another minute, then add tomato paste.
Add dry spices and saute till fragrant.
Add tomatoes, water and crumbled tofu, and cook until heated through and liquid is absorbed.
