揚げ出し豆腐
Agedashi Tofu
Tofu has somewhat of a bad reputation as being flavourless but when it’s prepared properly, it has an amazing texture. Here it’s lightly deep-fried, served in a delicious broth and garnished with katsuobushi (dried fish flakes made from tuna, also known as bonito flakes).
SERVES 4 AS A STARTER
600 g (1 lb 5 oz) block silken firm tofu
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) sesame oil, optional
katakuriko or potato starch, for coating
70 g (2½ oz) daikon, peeled, finely grated, then squeezed to remove excess liquid
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
SAUCE
170 ml (5½ fl oz/2/3 cup) dashi II (here)
2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1 tablespoon mirin
GARNISH
fine katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
nori flakes or strips
thinly sliced spring onion (scallion)
Be very careful when working with the tofu—it is very soft and breaks easily. To weight the tofu, wrap it in a clean tea towel. Put two plates on top of the tofu and leave for about 30 minutes to extract any excess moisture. Remove from the tea towel, cut into eight pieces, then pat dry with paper towels.
To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to very low to keep the sauce warm until ready to use.
Fill a deep-fat fryer or large saucepan one-third full of vegetable oil, then add the sesame oil, if using. Heat to 180°C (350°F), or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds. Lightly coat the tofu with the katakuriko and deep-fry in batches for about 3 minutes, or until it just starts to become a pale golden colour around the edges. Drain well on paper towels, then divide among four individual (or one large, wide) bowls and carefully pour the sauce into the base. Top the tofu with a little daikon and ginger. Garnish with the katsuobushi, nori or spring onion as desired. tofu—it is very soft and breaks easily. Eat with chopsticks and, if you need one, a spoon.
