specialized varieties harvested at 80%
maturity, still sweet and crisp and green, then
boiled for a few minutes in salted water.
Green soybeans are around 15% protein and
10% oil.
Soybean Milk The traditional method for
making soymilk is to soak the beans until soft,
grind them, and either sieve out the solids and
cook the milk (China) or cook the slurry and
then sieve out the solids (Japan). The result is
a watery fluid filled with soy proteins and
microscopic droplets of soy oil. Either method
results in a strong soy flavor. The modern
method that minimizes enzyme action and soy
flavor is to soak the dry beans (an hour at
150ºF/65ºC allows them to absorb their full
weight in water without significant cell
damage), and then either quickly cook them to
180–212ºF/80–100ºC before grinding, or grind
them in that temperature range in a preheated
grinder and preheated water.