Aloha Tofu Factory, founded in 1950, celebrated its 75th anniversary this past year. Aloha State Daily recently got a behind-the-scenes look at the tofu-making process during a factory tour, led by Paul Uyehara, the third-generation president of Aloha Tofu Factory Inc.
The business was founded in 1950 by Kamesaburo and Tsuruko Uyehara, who acquired a small tofu factory from a friend. When an accidental fire destroyed the original factory in 1966, the facility was rebuilt. The current 1,115-square-meter plant in Kalihi produces 3,000 to 5,000 blocks of tofu a day, according to Uyehara. Aloha Tofu is currently the largest tofu manufacturer in the state.
Aloha Tofu uses non-genetically modified soybeans sourced from the Mainland, along with nigari from Hawaiʻi and mineral-rich water to create a product that contains no preservatives, according to Uyehara.
Our tour starts with observing the dried soybeans.
“We process at least 1 ton of soybeans per day,” says Uyehara. “People in Hawaiʻi love tofu; we grew up with it.”
“The soybeans are soaked overnight in water,” he explains. “We drain out the water, and from there, it drops down into the grinder. They are ground up; that way, it’s easier to process.”
The dried soybeans are soaked overnight for about 8 hours. After that, the tofu-making process takes about two hours, according to Uyehara.
Steam is then added to the mixture.
“You’re adding a little bit of steam at each step to cook the slurry (the creamy soybean mixture),” Uyehara says. “It’ll inactivate some of the chemicals that interfere with digestion. You don’t eat raw soybeans because it gives you gas.”
The mixture goes into a machine, and the solid parts are separate from the milk.
“The solid parts are being removed from the slurry,” Uyehara says. “This is the holding tank for the soy milk; it’s still very hot. It (the tank) pours the soymilk out, adds the coagulant, and mixes it up. This pipe comes down and fills up the bucket with hot soymilk; when it moves to the next step, it’s going to be mixing and adding the coagulant.”
The coagulant, or nigari, is from Kona, and helps the tofu take on a more gelled texture, according to Uyehara.
“It’s gelled up — it’s not liquid anymore — and at this point, we want to break it up by hand,” he says. “At this point, it’s still very soft. We break it up to have the curds broken up; that way, the water will come out. The more you break it up, the firmer the tofu will be.”
While the company has incorporated modern machinery to improve efficiency, tofu is still made using traditional, time-honored techniques, according to Uyehara.
Water is added to cool down the tofu before the tofu blocks are put into containers and sealed.
All of the factory’s products — soft tofu, firm tofu and deep-fried tofu — are made on the same line, according to Uyehara. An extra step is needed for deep-fried atsuage tofu and aburage.
“They will put it (the tofu) in the racks and it’ll cool off overnight,” Uyehara says. “These (here) are from the day before; they are all chilled down right now. It’ll go through the deep fryer for about four minutes. It’s very hot when it’s fried.”
Over the past few years, deep-fried tofu has become more popular, according to Uyehara. Deep-fried tofu can be used to make agedashi tofu or tofu poke.
Aburage, or deep-fried tofu pouches, feature thin layers of firm tofu blocks that are quickly deep fried. The factory makes about 2500 pieces of aburage a day and 1600 cups of natto once a week.
“We use the same process and same machines, it’s just a different texture and a different concentration of soymilk (to make aburage),” Uyehara says. “We also have baking soda to help puff it up and make it fluffy. Aburage is basically like a pita pocket; it’s hollow on the inside and that’s what they use to make cone sushi.”
“We’re the only one in Hawaiʻi who make aburage on this scale,” he adds.
The factory sells it firm and soft tofu, deep-fried tofu, aburage, natto (fermented soybeans), soy milk, okara (soybean meal that’s high in protein) and Ohana soy sauce. Customers can also find these products at various supermarkets throughout Hawaiʻi.
When it comes to firm and soft tofu, the most popular one depends on the market, according to Uyehara.
“If you’re going to Don Quijote Kaheka, soft tofu sells more than firm,” he says. “But if you go to most other supermarkets, the firm tofu is the number one seller. Firm tofu is more versatile; you can use it for a lot of different things.”
Fried tofu — which can be grilled, broiled, boiled or fried — is a popular protein source and can be easily used in soups and stir-fries.
Meanwhile, soft tofu is known for its delicate, custardy texture and is often eaten directly, according to Uyehara.
“You can eat it by itself or maybe blend it into a smoothie, or in a dessert,” he says.
There are certain products — like yudofu — that you can only get at the factory. Yudofu is known for its light, delicate texture, and is the stage of firm tofu production before the water is pressed out from the curds, according to Uyehara.
“When I tell people this is firm tofu, they are surprised because it’s so soft and custardy,” he says. “That’s what tofu does — when you let it sit, it will gradually become firmer and firmer because water is leaking out.
“To me, it’s the true taste of tofu because the curds are not broken up that much, and it has a very nice, light texture,” he adds. “Being able to only get it from the factory is special.”
When reflecting on the joys and challenges of the tofu-manufacturing business, Uyehara notes that consistency is key.
“This is our 75th year,” he says. “We’re acknowledging the hard work of the previous generations. We’re trying to express our appreciation to our customers for their support, and also to all our employees who helped make this tofu. We have a lot of gratitude for the 75 years that we have been in business.”
CONTACT
Aloha Tofu Factory
961 Akepo Lane, Honolulu
alohatofu.com
Instagram: @alohatofufactory
Factory is open from 7 a.m.-noon Sundays-Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays-Fridays; 7 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays
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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
