Katsuobushi Tofu かつお節豆腐

We eat tofu many different ways in our home. Perhaps the most common is when we use it in miso soup, nabe (hot pots), or soups. Hiyayakko, cold tofu, is another popular dish we often have. We top it with grated ginger, wasabi, and some soy sauce. To change-up or normal routine frying tofu steak changes the texture of the tofu. The tofu can be dipped in katakuriko (a potato starch) or katsuobushi (bonito fish flakes) and saute in a pan. This is the katsuobushi tofu steak. Quick and easy, and best of all, delicious.

Tofu

Bonito Flakes

Tofu and Chirimen ちりめん豆腐

Tofu in Japan is a revelation. Not at all like what is found in the U.S.A. but a wide variety of textures, tastes, sizes, and shapes. We always have tofu in our fridge. It can be added to miso soup, top a salad, or served as it is with a simple topping.

This is one of my favorite toppings. Chirimen (tiny anchovies that are blanched in salt water) are quickly sauteed in sesame oil until crunchy. These are then placed over tofu and topped with soy sauce.

Other popular toppings include:
grated ginger and soy sauce
wasabi and soy sauce
kimchi
chopped tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil
extra virgin olive oil and salt

Recipe - Miso Soup みそ汁

I love starting my mornings with a bowl of miso soup. The savory, salty, and warm soup changes depending on the type of miso and what ingredients we put in the soup pot. Some of my favorites are asari (clams), aonori (a type of sea vegetable), and slippery, slimy nameko mushrooms as seen here.

There are many types of miso. The sweet white miso, that is often used to marinate fish in, is based on rice and is called komemiso. There is a dense, almost fudge like in color miso that is made from soybeans called mamemiso. There is a chunky, earthy miso made from barley called mugimiso.

Miso will keep for a long time in the freezer. Put the miso into a tupperware. Don't worry, it won't freeze, you do not need to defrost it, just spoon out, it will be like ice cream. Once you have a collection of miso, it is fun to start blending the misos.

3 cups dashi
1/2 cup nameko mushrooms
1/2 tofu cake (I prefer the silken tofu for miso soup), cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup wakame (this amount is the rehydrated amount if you are starting with dried wakame), chopped
2 stalks green onions, sliced thinly
4 Tablespoons miso
shichimi (seven spice) optional

In a pot combine the dashi, mushrooms, tofu, and wakame. Heat until everything is cooked through. Add miso, it is easiest if you can incorporate the miso in a strainer into the soup. Cook until the miso is warmed up. Do not allow to boil once the miso is added.

Serve in bowls. Garnish with green onions and shichimi.

Recipe - Inarizushi いなり寿司

Inarizushi are a breeze to assemble and the perfect partner for any outing. These inarizushi were made for a day at the sumo tournament in Ryogoku in Tokyo. Inarizushi is sold either vacuum-packed or in tins. Simply stuff with cooked rice, or if you please, toss the rice with flavorings and then stuff.

12 inarizushi pockets
3 cups cooked rice

optional:
yukari (dried shiso)
takana (dried takana leaves)
pickled takana

Cook the rice as you normally would. Stuff into inarizushi pockets. It helps to open up the pockets with your fingers before stuffing.

The inarizushi in these photos were first tossed with yukari, takana, and pickled takana then stuffed.

Tofu in the Supermarket

Back home in Minnesota, my tofu options are slim pickings. Soft or Firm. That is about it. Imagine then coming to a Japanese supermarket and having all of these options at the supermarket in the tofu section. Fresh tofu, deep-fried tofu (thick and thin), tofu mixed with vegetables and deep-fried (ganmodoki), soy milk, and okara (the lees).

No wonder we eat so much tofu. In the hot summertime we have it as hiyayakko, chilled topped with nothing more than grated ginger and soy sauce, or with some katsuobushi. We love it in soups, miso soup, or in a creamy corn chowder, or in egg drop soup with some vinegar and rayu chili oil for a sweet and sour twist. Tofu is easily put into stir-fries or with ground beef for a mabo dofu. And, the abura-age (thin, deep-fried tofu pockets) can be stuffed with cheese and grilled for a low carb grilled cheese.

Tofu Tasting

Tofu in Japan can be a revelation. Not the bland, odd-textured blocks found outside of Japan, but here you will find a wide array of products including creamy tofu with the rich flavor of soybeans, fried balls of tofu packed with veggies, creamy layers of yuba (soy-milk skin), and much more.

Tofu first appeared in Japan in the 12th century when it was forbidden to eat animal meat in Buddhist temples. Soy products are an integral part of shojin ryori, the vegetarian cuisine that originated in Kyoto and prohibits the inclusion of animal products. 90% of tofu is water, so it is no wonder that Kyoto, famous for its rich water sources, is famous for its tofu.

Traditionally it will be served on its own (hiyayakko) with some yakumi like myoga, grated ginger, katsuobushi and soy sauce. Yakumi translates as “medicinal flavors”, and some of these, like ginger, are said to be good for one’s health. A contemporary version of hiyayakko includes serving it with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt.

We recently did a tofu tasting of two shops in our neighborhood. It was so interesting to see that the taste could be so different.

Tofu is also great for cooling down the body, so as we head into the hot and humid summer, we will be eating more tofu.