Agedashi Tofu

Agedashi Tofu is a hot Japanese appetizer that can be found in restaurants all over Japan. It’s easy to make – tofu is deep fried until golden brown and then topped in a sweet soy based sauce made with grated daikon radish and ginger.

Featured Tofu Vegan

I first tried this amazing dish when I was living in San Diego. I was at an Izakaya – a bar and restaurant that serves a large variety of small plates – think of it as a Japanese Tapa Bar. I would never have thought to order a dish made with tofu – especially when there were so many good looking items to choose from, but my friend ordered some and asked me to give it a try. I cautiously took a bite, and my look of caution turned into total shock. This was tofu??? It was so good that I finished his, and ordered two more servings- one for myself and one for my friend. Since then, I always look for it on the menu.

Agedashi Tofu is easy to make – tofu is squeezed dry, coated with potato starch and then deep fried until golden brown. The tofu is them plated and topped with tsuyu sauce that’s made from Somen-tsuyu that heated up along with daikon radish and ginger.

Agedashi Tofu

Agedashi Tofu is deep fried and crispy tofu that’s served in a delicious tsuyu based sauce loaded with radish and ginger. The crunchy and crispy tofu is soft and fluffy on the inside and the pungent sauce will make you crave more.

It’s important to get rid of the entire moisture in the tofu by pressing it between pieces of absorbent material and putting weight on it. The water slowly drains out and is absorbed by the towels.

PREP	COOKING	YIELD
70 mins	5 mins	Serves 2

PREP	70 mins
COOKING	5 mins
YIELD	Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 small block of soft tofu (175g), cut lengthwise into two pieces
1/4 cup katakuriko potato starch
1/2 cup somen tsuyu
Fresh Ginger root (enough to shred 1 TBSP)
1 3 inch long piece of daikon radish
cooking oil

Instructions:

Peel and grate the daikon radish and ginger. Set aside.

Lay the two pieces of tofu on and absorbent paper towel on a flat surface.

Cover with another paper towel. Cover with a plate and weight it down. Let sit for at least one hour.

Remove the weight and drain off any extra water. Cut the tofu slices into two pieces each.

Coat the tofu in katakuriko. Save 1 tsp of katakuriko for later.

Fry the tofu in cooking oil over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side.

While the tofu is cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat the tsuyu and 1/2 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 TBSP grated ginger and 2 TBSP of grated radish. When the sauce begins to boil dissolve the katakuriko in 1/4 cup lukewarm water and add to the sauce. Stir to thicken and turn down to a simmer

.

After the tofu is cooked and the katakuriko coating is crispy, remove from the skillet and put into a serving bowl.

Top with the hot sauce and serve immediately.

Notes:

When the tofu is pressed, it will shrink and the sides that bear the weight will become smooth. This will lead to the pieces of tofu being very similar in size and in shape.
Be careful when handling not to break or rip the tofu.

Jay H

Jay is a Project Manager for a U.S. Company that does business globally. He has worked and lived in many places and has spent time learning how to cook dishes from around the world. Currently based in Japan, he created the Mountain Plums website during the Covid pandemic as a way to express himself though cooking while staying active.

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Jay H

Jay is a Project Manager for a U.S. Company that does business globally. He has worked and lived in many places and has spent time learning how to cook dishes from around the world. Currently based in Japan, he created the Mountain Plums website during the Covid pandemic as a way to express himself though cooking while staying active.