Agedashi Tofu (Crispy Tofu in Dashi Broth)

Lightly crisp tofu cubes served in a warm, savoury dashi, soy and mirin broth.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 40 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 x 300g blocks firm tofu
  • 4 tbsp cornflour
  • About 500ml sunflower oil, for shallow frying
  • For the broth: 250ml water
  • For the broth: 1 tsp dashi granules
  • For the broth: 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • For the broth: 3 tbsp mirin
  • For the topping: 4 tbsp finely grated mooli (daikon)
  • For the topping: 2 spring onions, finely sliced
  • For the topping: 1cm fresh root ginger, finely grated

Method

  1. Wrap the tofu in kitchen paper, put a plate on top and weigh down with a tin. Leave for 15 minutes to drain, then cut each block into 4 cubes.

  2. For the broth, heat the water, dashi granules, soy sauce and mirin in a small pan, stirring, until simmering. Keep warm over a low heat.

  3. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over a medium-high heat to 180°C. Never leave hot oil unattended.

  4. Pat the tofu dry, dust all over with the cornflour and shake off the excess. Fry in 2 batches for 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until pale golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.

  5. Divide the tofu between 4 small bowls, pour over the warm broth and top with the grated mooli, spring onions and ginger. Serve straight away so that the coating stays crisp.