Tofu factory shows new life after flood

The Jakarta Post ,  South Tangerang   |  Sat, 06/06/2009 12:27 PM  |  City

The Situ Gintung dam burst in March destroyed a tofu factory owned by Mabruri, who started his business in 1983 under the name Gintung Sari Jaya.

He has managed to restore his factory from scratch, albeit with a diminished production capacity and fewer employees.

Now staffed by 15 workers, the factory processes 600 kilograms of soybean each day to make the tofu.

The workday begins early in the morning and runs until afternoon, as the process to make tofu is long and complicated.

It all starts by immersing soybeans in water for 15 minutes, before crushing it in a mill to form extract. The soybean extract is then cooked in a steam machine.

The next step is filtering the extract, and then collecting it until it solidifies.

The solid form is poured into a wooden pan before it is cut into pieces of tofu.

Tofu has been a common side dish for many Indonesian families. It is healthy, inexpensive and easy to find throughout the city.

A good source of protein, tofu can be "meat" for those who cannot afford meat. It also usually features in health diet recipes, as some people turn to tofu and tempeh for their protein intake when they are on a diet.

Mabruri's factory is a sign of new life after the flash flood took the area by surprise more than two months ago.

Hundreds of displaced people in the area are still living in temporary shelters. Relief aid has been pouring in, but future is still bleak for Situ Gintung dam burst victims, while no investigation has yet been undertaken to pinpoint those responsible for the disaster.

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