Bean Cake

Today it's called tofu -- in 1970 it was called Bean Cake.  From Richard Hittleman's 1970 Yoga Natural Foods Cookbook:
Bean Cake
Bean Cake is also known as Tofu or soy cheese.  Bean cake is precipitated soy bean milk.  It is very  high in vegetable protein, can be used in soups and enjoyed in much the same way as cottage cheese.  Bean Cake can be kept up to one week if submerged in a bowl of water, and kept in refrigerator. 
1 cup full-fat soy flour
1 cup cold water
2 cups boiling water
Juice of 2 lemons
Beat soy flour into cold water with wire whisk, mixer or blender,  Pour into boiling water and cook 5 minutes.  Add lemon juice.  Cool.  Strain through cheese cloth and pack into square container. 

Bean Cake and Onions
1 lb Bean cake (Tofu) *
3 onions (sliced)
4 tablespoons oil
3/4 cup water
1/2 tablespoon corn starch
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
Saute onions in oil until wilted.  Drain bean cake and cut into one inch squares.  Add bean cake to onions and stir.  Mix corn starch, soy sauce and water. Pour over bean cakes. Simmer and stir until well heated and sauce is thickened.

* See instructions for making bean cakes, this chapter.  Tofu can also be purchased in most Chinese and Japanese groceries.

After reading this, it occurred to me that even tofu falls into the category of "processed" and many would not consider purchasing today's standard of grocery-store shelf tofu.   How far tofu has come in just 40 years.  It's ancient in the far east, but a true infant in America.