This Japanese dish of fried tofu served in a flavoursome broth is complemented by the punch of fresh ginger and clean crispness of daikon radish. It’s a lovely entree or accompaniment to an Asian-style meal or simply on its own with a bowl of hot rice. Be sure to use medium–soft tofu for this dish – silken tofu will fall apart, while tofu that is too firm will not achieve the beautiful lightness that makes the dish so delicate.
Agadashi Dofu
SERVES 4
- 2 x 10 g sachets vegetarian dashi
- 1 litre water
- 4 tablespoons mirin
- 4 tablespoons tamari
- 375 g medium–soft fresh tofu (make sure it’s not too firm or too soft such as silken)
- Cornflour or potato flour or plain flour, for dusting (cornflour or potato flour will puff up the crust more than plain flour)
- 60–120 ml vegetable oil or grapeseed oil, for frying
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated daikon radish
- 4 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
To make the broth, combine the dashi and water in a saucepan. Add the mirin and tamari and heat gently until hot but not boiling. Leave to simmer while you prepare the tofu.
Wrap the tofu in paper towel or a clean tea towel to absorb any moisture, then cut into 3–4 cm cubes and dust with flour. Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot, then fry the tofu over a high heat for 2–3 minutes each side until light and golden. The cubes should look like they are about to burst. Drain on paper towel.
Pour broth equally into each serving bowl. Divide the tofu among the bowls, then top with daikon and ginger. Garnish with spring onion to serve.