A Gilbert family has turned their zeal for tofu into a fledgling business.

Willem Furlong and his father, Clark, recently started Arizona Tofu Company. Out of a Local First Arizona community kitchen, they make protein-packed blocks of various sizes for local food vendors and the general public.

Tofu, also known as bean curd, has a prominent place in their family’s diet — crumbled with breakfast scrambles, pan-fried for sandwiches and even dehydrated for jerky.

The food is already a staple in several Asian cuisines and a high source of protein, iron and magnesium. While it tastes bland on its own, there are many ways to season and cook tofu, Willem explained.

“I like to call it a flavor sponge,” Willem said. “It really soaks up whatever you add to it and tastes like whatever you want it to taste like. Don’t be scared to season that tofu.”

Clark began making his own tofu at home about four to five years ago. Both he and his son have spent years in the food industry, Clark as a farmer and Willem in restaurants, so when they saw a potential market for small-batch tofu in metro Phoenix, it seemed fitting to combine their experiences. 

Tofu makers and distributors can be found elsewhere in the country, such as Northwest Tofu and Ota Tofu, both started by Asian American families in the Pacific northwest where Clark's from.

Willem hopes he and his father can find their own niche in Phoenix for tofu.

“Some people just see tofu as what comes in their miso soup or occasionally at an Indian food place, but really, it’s one of the most versatile foods I’ve worked with,” Willem said. “You can cook it into jerky, crumble it, have it dried, marinaded, fermented, put it in tacos and soups.”

Arizona Tofu Company currently sources its soy beans from several organic farms in the Midwest, with plans to select one farm as its go-to source. Willem, who grew up vegetarian, added that sustainability is also an important aspect of their business and they plan on making Arizona Tofu Company zero waste by the end of 2021.

He recalled early in life spending time on the family farm in Queen Creek, where his father grew and sold seasonal vegetables. Clark now works as the farm manager at Arizona Worm Farm, which specializes in composting.

Some of the excess water and natural waste from making tofu will go to the worm farm.

“The amount of waste that comes from food production is insane,” Willem said. “If you can find a way of doing it without wasting anything, it’s a whole other feat and it helps the whole world.”

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Willem said Clark started making tofu because it "seemed easy" enough. The process does, however, require multiple steps, various equipment and careful timing.

The beginning steps to making tofu are the same as making soy milk, Willem explained.

First they take dried soy beans and soak them for eight hours overnight. Then they grind the soaked beans with an auger juicer, which is like a cold press juicer that presses the beans and extracts a protein-rich liquid.

What comes out of the juicer is soy milk, he described. The waste product is called okara, a soy pulp that can be composted or cooked.

He and Clark run the soy milk through a cheese cloth to pull out leftover okara, ensuring the soy milk is smooth and consistent. Since raw soy milk has an enzyme that humans can’t digest, it needs to be cooked out, Willem said.

They bring the soy milk to a boil, then quickly take it off the heat before it burns. Willem said he tastes the soy as it’s cooking to check the flavor. At this stage the soy is in a delicate state and the heat brings out a mild sweetness and flavor, but cooking it too long can make it bitter, he said.

They then add a coagulant called nigari, a concentration of magnesium chloride that forms from evaporated seawater. Curds will begin forming, which are then scooped out and put into a mold that will form the block. Tofus can have varying levels of firmness, depending on how much water is taken out.

They then put a weight on the block, so excess water can be squeezed out through holes at the bottom of the mold. Afterward they put the tofu in an ice bath to cool it down and prevent bacteria growth, before cutting up the solid block into smaller bricks to be packaged up. 

From soaking to packaging, the process takes about 10 hours.

Arizona Tofu Company is currently focusing on food vendors, with Chilte Tacos as their first customer. People can also purchase tofu for delivery on Arizona Tofu Company's online shop. The father-son duo plan to later expand to farmers markets, starting with the Elliot Road Farmers Market in Gilbert.

Willem believes there's a growing demand for plant-based protein.

“It’s a market growing for sure and it’s not going to stop growing any time,” Willem said. “I know more and more people who eat tofu every day... It’s something we felt we could grow with.”

For those new to tofu, Willem suggests cooking it as a crumble. For example, sauteing onions in olive oil, then adding crumbled tofu and garlic with some smoked paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper. Then toss that blend in a burrito, taco or salad, he said.

For lunch, he might slice tofu into rectangular patties and pan fry it with garlic and herbs such as oregano and basil. Then stick that patty in the middle of an Italian-style sub sandwich.

For dinner, his favorite way to eat tofu is cubed in a curry dish.

“Like I said, it’s like a flavor sponge,” Willem said. “It soaks up all that flavor and it’s like a curry bomb in your mouth.”

Details: Order tofu online at aztofu.square.site. For updates on Arizona Tofu Company, follow them at instagram.com/aztofu.

As told by Willem Furlong.

Slice tofu evenly into ½” flat cutlets.

Place the tofu cutlets into a container and completely cover in tamari. Allow the tofu to marinate for 15-20 minutes.

While the tofu is marinating, prepare the spice rub by combining all dry ingredients, mix thoroughly.

Remove the tofu cutlets from the tamari, and begin the dredging process, ensuring to completely cover all sides of the cutlets with the spice rub.

Coat a cooking stone or casserole dish with a thin layer of olive oil. Cooking spray also works, but I prefer the flavor of olive oil.

Place the cutlets on the stone and place in the oven.

Bake for 10 minutes, flip the cutlets and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes or until tofu is blackened and crispy.

Serve immediately with your favorite roasted vegetables.

How do you like to eat tofu? Reach the reporter at Priscilla.Totiya@azcentral.com. Follow @priscillatotiya on Twitter and Instagram.

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