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Thursday, April 18, 2002 Soybeans only starting to be fully appreciatedTASTE OF THE WEST | By Andy Dillman For over 4,000 years, the s been one of the five sacred crops of China. The others are rice, wheat, barley and millet. Yet here, soybeans were little more than botanical curiosities until the late 19th century. They were cultivated in the French Royal Gardens in 1740 and in England's Kew Gardens in 1750. For the United States, it began when Matthew Perry brought back seeds from his Far East expedition in 1854. The U.S. Department of Agriculture began some experimental work to improve them by selected breeding, but it was not until the late 1800s that soy beans were grown in quantity, then mainly for fodder for hogs and sheep. By the 1920s many valuable uses had been found for soy oil and the meal made from the press cake. The oil was used in paints, linoleum, oil cloth and cosmetics. The meal went into poultry and livestock feed, plastics, paper, textile sizing and adhesives. During the Depression of the 1930s, the expense of butter and the development of hydrogenation made the cheaper oleomargarine popular. Dairy interests prevailed to make the coloring of margarine illegal. It came white with a capsule of red color which I can remember mixing in with a potato masher. Not until World War II was the color prohibition rescinded in all states. Only recently have we begun to appreciate the great nutritional value of this unusual legume. Soy beans have, by far, the greatest percentage of protein of almost any vegetable material. Furthermore, it is the most nearly complete protein of any commercially grown plant. A complete protein is one that supplies all of the amino acids required by humans. Vegans must usually combine a legume with a cereal to obtain a complete protein; soy protein makes that easier. Soy sauce has become a household commodity but we do not yet have the great variety of soy-based sauces found in the Orient, except where there are large Chinese or Japanese populations. There are two processes for making soy sauce. In one, roasted soy meal is mixed with crushed, roasted wheat, inoculated with an Aspergillus mold and fermented for three days. To this mix is then added brine, lactobacillus and yeasts; the fermentation is continued for 6 months to a year. It is then filtered and the liquid pasteurized. The filter cake is fed to cattle. The other method is much faster but does not produce the array of flavors found in the fermentation method. It is a straight acid hydrolysis. Roasted soy meal is treated with hydrochloric acid for 8 to 10 hours, sodium carbonate is then added to partially neutralize the acid, and it is then filtered. Much of the soy sauce sold in American stores is made this way. Either method leaves a substantial amount of salt in the product. The sodium content may be reduced by using a partly potassium chloride brine or neutralizing with a mix of potassium and sodium carbonate. Tofu is a curd made from soy milk. The milk is produced by soaking the beans in water overnight, making a mash that is then pressure cooked and filtered. The curd is precipitated by adding calcium sulfate. This is allowed to settle and drain, then is pressed. The press cake is washed to yield the curd. Tofu has very little flavor but easily takes on and holds added flavors. Thus the bean curd may be made to resemble meat, cheese, fish or other items. For those allergic to cow's milk or unable to digest lactose, soy milk makes a good substitute. Various flavoring agents, vitamins, and minerals may be added. Soybean oil has a high percentage of polyunsaturated fats, hence is unstable, easily developing off flavors unless stabilizers are added. Even with stabilizers, it is not suitable for frying or saute'ing. Some soy products are now thought to have specific health benefits, but this has not yet been fully proven. Ginger Soy VinaigretteMakes about 1 cup. In small food processor or blender, combine garlic (mashed with 1-2 pinches salt on cutting board or in mortar with pestle), vinegar, minced shallots, ginger (minced and peeled), soy sauce and sesame oil. Season as desired with salt and red pepper; puree. With machine running, slowly add oil; process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve at once or cover and refrigerate. Soy Baked SnapperMakes 2 servings. Cut 3 slits diagonally, about 1/2 inch deep and 2 inches apart in sides of each fish (about 1 1/2 pounds each — cleaned but left whole). Arrange fish in 1 layer in ovenproof casserole. In small bowl, combine soy sauce, sesame oil and minced garlic. Stir well and spoon mix over fish. Let fish stand, loosely covered, at room temperature, 30 minutes. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake fish until it is cooked through and skin is slightly crisp, about 30 minutes. Serve at once. Tofu Burgers and MeatballsMakes 6 burger patties or about 36 meatballs. In large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil. When hot, add finely chopped onion, finely chopped carrot, finely chopped green pepper and minced basil. Saute until tender, about 10 minutes. In large bowl, lightly beat eggs, then add bread crumbs, walnuts, finely chopped parsley, mustard, sesame oil, soy sauce and freshly ground pepper. With potato masher or hands, mash tofu and add to bowl along with sauted vegetables. Stir well and form into 6 large patties. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place patties on lightly oiled baking sheet and bake until golden brown on outside but still moist inside, about 30 minutes. Serve as you would meat hamburgers. (For meatballs, add 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed, 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano and additional 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard. Form into 1 1/2 -inch meatballs and bake at 350 degrees on oiled baking sheet 20-30 minutes.) HICI Special Report — Food(s) for Thought: Animal? Vegetable? Mineral? |
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