In 1993 I tried to grow some soybeans in my veganic garden. As I was unable to purchase any suitable seed from a British seed supplier, at this time, I experimented by planting some dried soybeans which I had purchased in the health shop and surprisingly enough, most of these dried beans germinated! I planted the 'seeds' (known as Holland & Barrett variety) in my propagator in mid-April and the resulting plants were then potted up and placed outside on a sunny terrace when all the frosts had finished at the beginning of June. Ordinary soil was used in the pots and the plants were all flowering well by May - they normally flower in late June. Small bean pods appeared on the plants from mid-June onwards and I harvested the beans in early September when the pods had turned a dark tan colour. The yield was poor, but I dried and saved the seeds from the tallest plants for use as seed stock the following year. I experimented with my soybean plants for several years and had quite a lot of fun trying to develop a 'giant' British soybean! However, after achieving a 'tall' plant of only 62 cm in height and a continually low yield of bean pods on the plants, I decided that it was time to stop the experiment and grow something which would actually provide me with something to eat. If anyone is interested in growing soybeans in the UK, then I would recommend that they read 'The Soybean Grow and Cookbook' by R.G Whisker and P Dixon - I obtained a copy of this book from the public library. It's an interesting and inspiring, little book and incidentally many of the soybean recipes are vegan. However, it's rather out-of-date now and I don't think that the varieties of soybean - Swedish Fiskeby V and Gemsoy 11 - recommended by the authors are still available, so if you want to grow some beans, try using the variety 'Envy' instead. 'Envy' can be obtained from the 'Thompson and Morgan' mail order seed catalogue - see mail order section below for their address details.

Although soybeans and their products have been eaten in the Far East and Southeast Asia for thousands of years, it is only fairly recently - in the last two or three decades that soybean products have become popular as a source of protein for vegetarians and macrobiotics in the West. If you are not already a regular user of soybean products, then you may be feeling a bit puzzled about how to use soybeans and soybean products. If so, then read on and I will try to explain what they all are!

The soybean is a remarkable and extremely versatile, little bean which can be cooked in many different ways. However, in most cases, dried soybeans do need to be soaked before they are cooked, so either leave them to soak in a bowl of cold water overnight, or if you are in a hurry cover the beans with boiling water and leave them to soak for 2-3 hours instead. The soaked beans can then be cooked in casseroles or stews, pressure cooked - they take 25 mins in my model - or simmered in a pan of water for about 1 and a half to 2 hours. (Incidentally, soybeans will cook more rapidly and be more digestible if a small piece of kombu or wakame sea vegetable is added to the cooking water.) After cooking, soybeans can be used in many recipes, in much the same way as you would use other types of beans. For example: they can be eaten cold in salads, blended with chopped onion and vegan mayonnaise to make a tasty sandwich spread, made into pate, added to soups, or they can be mashed up and used in shepherd's pie, burgers, bean roasts or bean loaves. You will find quite a few recipes which use cooked soybeans (and the soybean product tofu) in 'CalciYum' by David & Rachelle Bronfman. On page 145 of this book, there is an interesting recipe called 'Nutty Soybean Treat' where soaked soy beans are roasted over high heat for 3-4 mins - a bit like making popcorn, then using medium heat they are browned for a further 8 minutes, before adding some canola oil and garlic salt and cooking for a final 2 minutes. The browned, slightly cooled beans are then eaten as a tasty, calcium-rich snack.

If simmering soybeans sounds too much like hard work, then you may be interested to know that there are several far quicker ways of preparing soybeans. Dry, unsoaked beans can simply be ground up in a coffee grinder and then quickly cooked in home-made soups. Alternatively, soaked beans can be drained, patted dry and then roasted under a medium grill until brown. Leave them to cool, grind them up and add the toasted mixture to crumble toppings, breakfast cereals or cake mixtures. If you are able to grow your own soybeans, then fresh green soybeans are not only delicious, but can also be cooked very quickly. In Japan, for example, green soybeans are often eaten as a nutritious snack whilst watching TV. Steam the green beans for 5 mins, let them cool slightly, press the pods and squirt the beans straight into your mouth! Finally, like many other legumes, soybeans can simply be sprouted and either eaten raw in salads, or if you prefer to eat your sprouts cooked, then lightly steam or stir-fry them instead.

So that covers some of the ways of preparing whole soybeans, but what about all of the soybean products? What do you do with them? Soybean products are often used in vegan, macrobiotic and Oriental cookery and can usually be purchased ready-made from health shops and supermarkets, or by mail order. Some soybean products can even be made at home e.g. tempeh, miso etc.

Soy Bean Products:

• Tofu

  Tofu is made from soya beans which have been soaked, pureed, boiled and then treated with a coagulant such as lemon juice or nigari. It is usually sold in small blocks in health food shops and supermarkets. There are two main types of tofu available: firm and silken, although sometimes it is possible to purchase packets of smoked and marinated tofu as well. Marinated tofu is used in stir-fries and is usually more expensive than ordinary tofu, however it can be made quite easily at home, simply by marinating cubes of ordinary tofu in a marinade made from 1 tbsp pure orange juice, 1 tbsp of tamari (or Braggs Liquid Aminos) and some peeled and chopped garlic - leave the refrigerated tofu cubes in the marinade for at least a couple of hours before using them in your stir-fry.

  The main brands of tofu, available in the UK, include 'Sanchi's Firm Tofu' (which is available in long-life packets and is excellent for taking on holiday) and Cauldron Foods produce plain, smoked and marinated versions. Sainsbury's sell their own brand of tofu and usually also offer a smoked variety. When purchasing tofu, try and buy a brand which has been coagulated using a calcium salt, as this adds valuble extra calcium to the diet.

  Tofu is a very versatile, healthy, cholesterol-free, high-protein, high-fibre food. It is also a good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus and several B vitamins. Extremely useful as a meat substitute in the vegan diet, it can be made even more meatlike in texture by freezing, then defrosting. Tofu can be cut up into chunks and used in stir-fries, or it can be made into tofu burgers or kebabs. Alternatively, slices of tofu make nice cutlets. Cubes of tofu can also be added to casseroles, soups and pasta sauces etc. and mashed tofu can be used instead of eggs to make either Scrambled Tofu or a vegan 'omelette.' Banana Tofu is a delicious dessert idea. Aburage is the name given to tofu which has been squeezed dry and then cut into a variety of shapes, before deep frying in hot sesame oil. After frying, the aburage is cut into pieces and can be added to soups, or it can be served on top of noodles. Tofu can also be blended to make dips, pates, sandwich spreads and salad dressings, such as vegan mayonnaise.

  Look out for interesting vegan tofu recipes on the back of packets of tofu and there are also several good tofu recipe books listed in the further reading section of this article, if you need more ideas.

  Incidentally, if you are unable to find any tofu in your local shops, then it's fairly easy to make it yourself at home and I would suggest that you consult p. 36-37 in Sarah Brown's 'Healthy Living Cookbook' if you want more information on the tofu making process. Basically though, soaked, liquidised soya beans are heated in a special way to make soya milk and this is then curdled, usually by adding lemon juice. The resulting curds are tipped into a muslin lined colander and a weight is placed on top of the wrapped curds to press out the water. Leave the weight in place until the tofu is of the right consistency.

• Okara

  When soya milk is made, the leftover soy pulp is known as okara or unohana. Beige in colour, it should not be thrown away, as it can be used to give body to soups, croquettes and casseroles and can also be cooked with vegetables. Okara is frequently used in Far Eastern cooking.

• Soya Flour

  Soy flour can be used to replace a proportion of normal flour in baking, or it can be used to thicken soups and casseroles. I add it to my home-made bread and scones. Soya flour is usually available from health food shops and can sometimes be purchased by mail order. ('Pure' sells an organic soya flour and so does the Natural Collection in Bath.) Soya flour is usually available in full-fat, low fat, or defatted form.

• Soybean Oil

  Soybean oil has quite a strong flavour and is used commercially in many foods including margarine and some vegan cheeses.

• TVP

  TVP stands for texturised vegetable protein. Although TVP is a processed food, on the whole I feel that TVP products are useful items to keep in the vegan store cupboard. I find them particularly useful to take away on holiday, or for feeding unexpected guests! As many TVP products resemble meat in texture, these products can be particularly useful when first converting to a vegan diet. They are also cheap, do not need to be refrigerated, keep for a long time and can usually be cooked far more rapidly than their meat counterparts. TVP's bland flavour can easily be enhanced by cooking it with spices, such as curry or chili powder. Try to avoid buying ready-made soya-based meals, whenever possible, as they are usually expensive, are often over-packaged and can contain additives.

  TVP is generally sold in packets, either as soya mince or as soya chunks. Both of these products are readily available from health food shops and are now found in some supermarkets. Select unflavoured products, as the flavoured varieties often contain animal products, such as egg albumin or whey and if possible obtain a brand which has been fortified with vitamin B12. I would particularly recommend 'Kitchen Garden Organic Soya Mince' which has a lovely flavour and texture because its oil has not been extracted with petrochemical solvents. Incidentally, it is also made from non-genetically modified soya, however, it does not contain any added B12.

  Both soya mince and soya chunks can be used to create vegetarian versions of many well-known meat dishes e.g. lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, chili-con-carne, shepherd's pie etc. They can also be used in curries, casseroles and goulashes. They are very easy to use, but must be hydrated first, either by soaking them for a few minutes, or by cooking in boiling water. (See the packet instructions for more information.) Another interesting soy product is Smokey Snaps (produced by Direct Foods) which has added B12. These bacon flavoured bits are rather nice sprinkled as a garnish on top of mashed avocado, or peas soup and can also be mixed into scrambled tofu.

• Soy As a Dairy Substitute

  Soybeans can also be used to make many products which resemble dairy foods and it is now fairly easy to buy soya milk, soya cream, soy ice-cream, non-dairy yogurt and vegan cheese in the UK. The best place to look for these products is in your local health food store, although soya milk and soya cream are now frequently available in large supermarkets too. Soya milk is usually sold either completely unsweetened, or else is sweetened with fruit juice - generally apple juice. Try quite a few brands until you find one that you like as they all taste rather different. Plamil make a concentrated soya milk with added B12 which is particularly good for vegans and comes in a small carton, so that it doesn't make quite so much rubbish! Dried soya milk is available, although more difficult to find and the best brand to purchase is the one by 'Allergycare' which I have seen in Holland and Barrett's and it can also be obtained by mail order for £3.75 from the Pure catalogue. Dried soy milk is particularly useful when travelling, but is usually more expensive than ordinary soya milk. Small cartons of flavoured soya milks can usually be purchased from health shops, but often contain added sugar. Provamel, for example produce cartons of chocolate, strawberry, banana and plain soya milk.

  Several vegan cheeses are now available. For example: Bute Island food's Scheese, Tofucheese by Red Dragon, Plamil Veeze, Fromsoya and Marigold cheese spread. I use Florentino's dairy-free vegetarian Parmazano as a substitute for parmesan cheese. And as regards vegan yogurts, Sojasun make a natural yogurt and 'So Good' and 'Granose' both produce a range of fruit soya yogurts. Other interesting soya desserts include: Swedish Glace (a non-dairy ice-cream), 'Provamel chocolate or vanilla flavoured dessert', 'Provamel Yofu' in peach or strawberry and finally Plamil make a nice soya milk rice pudding. Use 'soya cream' or 'soya dream' as a substitute for dairy cream.

1. Natto

   Natto is a fermented soybean product which is high in protein, calcium and iron and aids digestion. It can be made at home if you have a pilot light in your oven, or it can sometimes be purchased frozen from natural food stores. Natto is usually served as a garnish on top of rice or on buckwheat noodles, but it can be sauteed, deep fried, or simply served as a side dish. Resembling baked beans connected by sticky threads, natto has a strong odour and is commonly eaten in a macrobiotic diet. It's usually not terribly easy to purchase ready-made natto, but kits are available from Future Foods (see mail order section).

2. Tamari

   Tamari and shoyu sauce have been used in Far Eastern cooking for thousands of years and are now often used in macrobiotic and vegan diets too. Good quality tamari is made from organically grown soybeans, wheat, spring water and unrefined sea salt and takes several years to ferment in wooden kegs. Unfortunately, many modern soy sauces are not produced with organic ingredients and often contain monosodium glutamate or other additives. Meridian produce a good quality tamari soya sauce and this wheat-free version does not contain any artificial additives or preservatives. It's produced in Japan, using traditional methods. Look out for it in your health shop, where you may also come across the Clearspring range of organic tamari and shoyu sauces which are also very good. (Incidentally, Clearspring products can be obtained by mail order from 'Pure' - see mail order section for more details.) Tamari is a dark-brown liquid, which is high in iron and thiamine. It is often used as a seasoning instead of salt and can be used in stir-fries, salad dressings, to flavour soups, over vegetables or noodles, or in marinades. However, it is high in salt, so if you need to watch your salt-intake, then use 'Bragg's Liquid Aminos' instead.

3. Miso

   Miso is a fermented soya bean paste, made from cooked soybeans, koji, (a mold - Aspergillus oryzae - which aids fermentation) sea salt and various grains e.g. barley or rice. Like tamari, miso is aged in wooden kegs for at least a year. It is used in Far Eastern cooking and is commonly eaten by vegetarians and macrobiotics. Non-pasteurized miso contains living enzymes (lactobacillus) which are thought to facilitate digestion and it is also a rich source of protein, calcium, linoleic acid, many vitamins and a substance known as zybicolin which has been shown to remove radioactivity, heavy metals and other pollutants from the body. There are many different types of miso available including: barley miso (mugi miso), hatcho miso (made only from soybeans and sea salt), brown rice miso (genmai miso), kome miso (made from white rice) and natto miso which is made from soybeans and ginger. Miso is usually added to soups, casseroles or stews, but it can also be mixed with tahini to make a delicious sandwich spread, or used to make a pizza topping. Try not to cook miso for too long - add it to dishes at the end of the cooking time, as boiling it will destroy its valuable enzymes.

4. Tempeh

   A popular food in Indonesia, tempeh is also eaten by many vegetarians and macrobiotics and has a meaty texture (resembling pork or chicken) and a 'nutty', 'mushroomy' or 'yeasty' taste. It is high in protein and is made by fermenting soybeans with the enzyme Rhizopus oryzae. Ready made tempeh can be purchased in some health food stores, or it can be obtained by mail order from Pure for £3.49. It is also fairly easily to make tempeh at home using a special kit. (Tempeh kits can be obtained from Future Foods and from PhytoFoods - see mail order section.) Tempeh is usually added to stews and soups, but it can also be made into sandwiches, burgers, croquettes, stir-fries and kebabs. You will find some interesting tempeh recipes in the book '365 Plus One Vegan Recipes' by Leah Leneman (p.96-99) and there is also quite a nice collection of tempeh recipes in the booklet 'Cooking With Vegetarian Proteins' by Montse Bradford.

Further Reading:

• The Soybean Grow And Cook Book by R.G Whisker and P Dixon (Duckworth Press.1978.) Price £2.95.
• Oriental Vegetables by Joy Larkcom. (See p. 60-61 - growing and using soybeans.)
• The Tofu Cookbook by Leah Leneman. (Thorsons.)
• 365 Plus One Vegan Recipes by Leah Leneman (Thorsons). See chapter 11, 'Tofu and Other Soya Foods'.
• Cooking With Vegetarian Proteins by Montse Bradford. (Booklet containing some tofu and tempeh recipes, available from: The Natural Cookery School (Tel: 01963 240641) or from Pure (address in mail order section) for £3.99.
• Soy Protein the Key to Better Health

  The following soybean-related books can be purchased by mail order from the UK Amazon Books website:

• The Complete Soy Cookbook. Paulette Mitchell. Price £9.61. 150 mostly dairy-free, vegetarian recipes.
• The Healing Power of Soy. Carol Ann Rinzler. Price £8.03.
• Soy of Cooking : Easy-To-Make Vegetarian, Low-Fat, Fat-Free, and Antioxidant-Rich Gourmet Recipes. Marie Oser. Price £8.54.
• Soyfoods Cookery: Your Road to Better Health by Louise Hagler, et al. Price £5.33.
• Super Soy: The Miracle Bean. Ruth Winter.Price £5.89.
• Tofu and Soybean Cooking: The Japanese Health Way. Kyoko Honda. Price £8.03.
• The Whole Soy Cookbook, 175 delicious, nutritious, easy-to-prepare vegan, recipes featuring tofu, tempeh, and various forms of nature's healthiest Bean. Patricia Greenberg, Helen Newton Hartung. Price £8.57.
• Book of Tempeh/the Delicious, Cholesterol-Free Protein, 130 Recipes by William Shurtleff, Akiko Aoyagi. (Book is out of stock at the moment.)
• The Soy Gourmet. Robin Robertson. Price £6.40.

Mail Order Suppliers (UK):

1. Pure Multi-Nutrients, 8 Victory Place, Crystal Palace, London SE19 3RW.
   Supplies some soybean products, such as miso, tempeh, tofu, as well as organic soybeans. Ring 0181 771 4522 for a catalogue.

2. PhytoFoods, Middle Travelly, Beguildy, Knighton, Powys LD7 1UW.
   Sells tempeh kits. (Price £10.00.) E-mail polly@micropix.demon.co.uk for more information, or visit The Tempeh web pages. (Incidentally, this website also has a nice collection of raw and cooked tempeh recipes.)

3. Thompson & Morgan, Poplar Lane, Ipswich, IP8 3BU. Tel: 01473 690869.
   Mail order seed catalogue selling 100 'Envy' soybean seeds (code 547) for £2.49 plus £0.75 postage.

4. Future Foods, P.O. Box 1564, Wedmore, Somerset. BS28 4DP.
   Sells kits for making miso, natto, shoyu and tempeh. Visit the Future Foods website for more details.

5. Amazon Books (UK) - On-line bookstore supplying many soybean recipe books.