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QUESTION:I'm always keen to see alternative recipes, so if you have it handy then
by all means post! If not, no problem at all.
I am still a little reluctant to make my own soy milk - not because it
daunts me - just that it seems like I make damned near everything else
at home too... and collectively it adds up to a LOT of time spent in the
kitchen!
I'm considering almond milk as an alternative however, because it
requires no legnthy preparation as such - no soaking, cooking, etc...
basically straight into the processor, filter it and you're done. I'm
sure there are other nots and seeds that could be also used.
ANSWER: I've had an automatic soy milk maker since 2002 although I
have been making soy milk off and on since the 1970s using
simple kitchen equipment that you probably already have --
more about that later.
My first machine stopped functioning correctly after the
third batch. I returned it for an exchange. My machine was
manufactured by Shunde Keshun (China.) Although I can still
use the machine, and I do so from time to time I have to be
very careful to prevent "foam overflow." This is a problem
that has been discussed on Internet forums by others who
own various soy milk makers and is a concern.
There are many machines on the market. Not all of them
will be available to you and it is impossible to tell from
the write-ups which is the one for you -- but you can get
some sort of an idea.
Lots of people seem to like the SoyaJoy models. This was
one of the early ones that had WEB presence and were
available for purchase, so much of the forum writings
centered around this machine. Also, their WEB site is
probably one of the best for presenting information and
propaganda (not necessarily a bad word) for their machine
and soy milk. You should at least take a look at
When I was looking, years ago, I found it too expensive
when compared to others, but I just noticed that they are
discounting it for a while with almost $50 off for a $90
sale price. To compare, most soy milk machines run between
$60 and $150 with some topping $200. I believe that these
expensive ones also shine your shoes.
Some things you should look for:
- The container (where the milk is heated should be glass
or stainless steel)
- The technique of adding the beans -- some you can load
the strainer basket before hand others you have to funnel
the beans into the basket after the unit is closed. Don't
think that putting the beans in the basket first is
necessarily the best, for the cutting blade will later have
to go into the same area and it may be a chore negotiating
it in.
- How much soy milk will it make at one time. Mine makes
5 cups which is fine as I am single. But if you have a
family who drinks much do you want a bigger device.
- How easy is it to clean -- mine is HARD. The milk cakes
on the heating element and has a tendency to burn. It is
difficult to remove the cake. Some units don't use an
immersible heating element and heat from the bottom of the
unit. I've never used one of these but it sounds like a
good idea.
- Usually the container of all models is very easy to clean.
- With some you have to be extremely careful not to splash
water where it can get to the electronics. If your unit is
very heavy, this might be a task. So weight of the unit is
a consideration.
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