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Agedashi Tofu

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Appetizer, side dish – Japanese
By Just One Cookbook – Serves: 2
Prep Time: 15 Minutes – Cooking Time: ~4 Minutes – Total Time: ~20 Minutes

Crispy, crunchy exteriors give way to soft and creamy tofu, flavored with a slightly sweet, savory dashi sauce. A classic Japanese Appetizer.

Ingredients

  • 1 14-oz. Block Medium-Firm or Firm Tofu
  • 4 tbsp. Potato Starch
  • 2 cups Neutral Oil for Frying, like Vegetable or Grapeseed Oil
  • Dashi Sauce
  • 8 oz. Dashi Broth
  • 2 tbsp. Mirin
  • 2 tbsp. Soy Sauce
  • Agedashi Tofu Toppings
  • Scallion, sliced thin
  • Togarashi
  • Bonito Flakes
  • Seasoned Nori sheets, sliced into matchsticks

Instructions

1

Wrap the block of tofu in two layers of paper towels and place on a rimmed sheet pan. Then place another sheet pan on top of the tofu and place something heavy on top. Let this sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile we can prepare the dashi sauce.

Dashi Sauce

2

Bring one dash packet with 8 ounces of water to a boil and simmer for three minutes. Swirl the pan every so often.

3

Remove the packet after the three minute simmer and add 2 tablespoons each of mirin and soy sauce. Put the pan back on the burner to simmer for another 3 minutes. Swirl the dashi to mix. Then cut the heat and cover the pan. Set aside until we are ready with the fired tofu.

Fried Tofu

4

Unwrap the block of tofu and slice into 6 cubes for two servings. Dry off the sheet trays. Place a wire rack in one of the sheet trays and set aside. On the other sheet tray, spread two tablespoons of potato starch on one side.

5

Get 2 cups of neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil heating in a Dutch oven or high sided pan over high heat. The oil should be 1-inch high in the pan or pot. When the temp hits around 300 degrees F, reduce the heat to medium.

6

Now, Toss the cubes of tofu in the potato starch to lightly coat all sides of the cubes in potato starch.

7

Temp the oil again before frying the tofu, we are looking for a temp between 320 and 340 degrees F. When you're in that range, gently place the tofu cubes in the hot oil. Be sure to not crowd them together.

8

As soon as the tofu easily releases from the pan (about 1-2 minutes), flip them all the way over and fry the other sides. This should only take about 1-2 minutes each side. The tofu won't get super golden, it will get lightly golden in some spots. But for the most part, the potato starch will stay white. You can tell it's ready by the crispy texture look and feel of the potato starch. Transfer the fried tofu to the wire rack. You can use silicon-tipped tongs if you don't have long cooking chopsticks. Just be careful to not tear or break the tofu.

9

Pour the dashi sauce we set aside in a measuring cup. Place three fried tofu cubes in a shallow bowl. Then, from the side of the bowl, slowly pour in half the dashi sauce. The dashi should not be poured over the top of the fried tofu – we want to keep the top half of the fried tofu crisp.

10

Now, top the Agedashi Tofu with your desired toppings. Sprinkling them gently over the top of the fried tofu.