Complete time:15 minutes, plus any chilling time
Servings:2 to 4
I view this tofu recipe because the Japanese equal of the Caprese, with some apparent exceptions: It’s constructed utilizing a single block of silken tofu, which you’ll by no means have eaten in such a approach, however belief me, it is best to. You prime it with a riot of herbs, aromatics, scallions, peanuts and high-quality soy sauce, serve it chilly, and let your visitors spoon their parts out, consuming it as an appetizer as is or maybe with rice as a foremost course. The tofu is sort of puddinglike, and its refined nutty taste and easy, creamy texture play off the crunchy, salty toppings.
In some Asian cuisines, silken tofu is served not as a block however out of a shallow bowl or a pot, and it’s typically made contemporary. I keep in mind the shock and delight the primary time I ate it this manner in Tokyo, the place for breakfast at a standard ryokan, a bit iron pot sat over a flame, and the server poured freshly made soy milk into it. The pot already contained a coagulant — most likely gypsum — and after a couple of minutes below cowl, the lid was lifted, and I spooned into essentially the most ethereal tofu I had ever eaten.
You are able to do that at dwelling; Andrea Nguyen has a ravishing recipe for it in her guide “Asian Tofu.”
However on any given weeknight, particularly in the summertime once I need one thing that doesn’t require any warmth in any respect, I riff on a recipe from Harumi Kurihara’s 2020 guide, “Harumi’s Japanese Kitchen.” I begin with store-bought silken tofu — I like to make use of the shelf-stable variety in aseptic packaging made by Mori-Nu — after which prime it with what I’ve available. (This tofu has a barely complicated label, in that it’s labeled silken but in addition delicate, agency or additional agency. Any of these will work for this recipe, however I desire the delicate, which is the creamiest.)
Kurihara calls it Gochiso-Dofu, or Adorned Tofu, which supplies you an concept of how delicately she assembles the toppings. She wraps a paper towel across the edges of the tofu, letting it lengthen a number of inches above the floor (form of like the way you make a paper collar for a souffle), after which after arranging the toppings, she removes the towel to reveal a wonderfully clear edge. Then she fastidiously pours the darkish sauce alongside that edge, so it coats the perimeters of the tofu with out disrupting the toppings.
All due respect, however I don’t have time for that. Moreover, I like the way it seems to be to let a few of the herbs, nuts and scallions tumble onto the serving dish, and to then flood it with the sauce, leaving the tofu’s off-white flesh clear in opposition to the black. This dish is all about distinction — darkish and light-weight, crunchy and creamy, intense and gentle — and don’t you need to present that off?
Gochiso-Dofu (Adorned Tofu)
Contemplate the tofu a clean canvas, and be happy to substitute your favourite nuts, seeds and herbs for those listed right here. When you have a backyard, it is a nice use for herb or different plant blossoms. This can be a fantastic appetizer to serve 4, however you might additionally serve it as a foremost course for 2, with rice. Use tamari rather than soy sauce to make the dish gluten-free.
Storage Notes: The tofu is at its greatest, to style and have a look at, when freshly made, however you may refrigerate it for as much as 3 days.
The place to Purchase: Mirin, Japanese candy rice cooking wine, could be present in well-stocked supermarkets or Asian markets.
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- One (12-ounce) bundle silken tofu, drained
- 1 tablespoon chopped contemporary mint, basil, shiso or a combination, plus small leaves for non-obligatory garnish
- 1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped contemporary ginger
- 2 tablespoons chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts
- 1 teaspoon white and/or black sesame seeds
- Chive blossoms, for garnish (non-obligatory)
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons mirin
Place the tofu on a serving plate. If it was in a shelf-stable bundle and at room temperature, chill for not less than 1 hour and as much as 8 hours earlier than topping and serving.
Sprinkle the highest of the tofu with the chopped herbs and scallion, then with the ginger, peanuts and sesame seeds. Garnish with the small entire herb leaves and chive blossoms, if utilizing.
In a small measuring cup with a pourable spout, combine collectively the soy sauce or tamari and mirin. Pour the sauce across the tofu on the serving dish, and serve.
Per serving (1/2 cup tofu and toppings, 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce), primarily based on 4
Energy: 109; Complete Fats: 5 g; Saturated Fats: 1 g; Ldl cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 536 mg; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 4 g; Protein: 6 g
This evaluation is an estimate primarily based on obtainable elements and this preparation. It mustn’t substitute for a dietitian’s or nutritionist’s recommendation.
Tailored from “Harumi’s Japanese Kitchen” by Harumi Kurihara (Octopus Conran, 2020).
Examined by Joe Yonan; e-mail inquiries to voraciously@washpost.com.
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