Kōya-dōfu Karaage (高野豆腐の唐揚げ, fried freeze-dried tofu)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Medium mixing bowls
• •Shallow tray for potato starch
• •Heavy pot for frying
• •Cooking thermometer, or wooden chopsticks for checking oil
• •Wire rack set over a tray

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the tofu

   Put the kōya-dōfu in a bowl and cover it with warm water for 10 minutes, or follow the package if it asks for a longer soak. It should soften all the way through, with no hard center when you press it. This first soak wakes the tofu and washes away any stale edge from storage.

2. 2

   Press it gently

   Lift each piece between your palms and press out the water without tearing it. Rinse once in fresh water, then press again. You are making room for the seasoned dashi. Leave the plain soaking water inside and the marinade can only sit around the edges.

   Firm hands, not a clenched fist. Kōya-dōfu is porous, and crushing those pores makes the finished pieces dense.
3. 3

   Cut the blocks

   Cut each piece into 3 or 4 bite-size chunks, using a clean downward cut. Irregular corners are welcome here. They catch starch and become the crisp ridges that make karaage satisfying.

4. 4

   Season the dashi

   In a bowl, mix the warm konbu-shiitake dashi with soy sauce, sake, mirin, grated ginger, sugar, and salt. Taste it. It should be a little stronger than soup, because the tofu will soften the seasoning as it drinks.

5. 5

   Marinate the tofu

   Add the cut kōya-dōfu to the seasoned dashi and let it sit for 15 minutes, turning once. The pieces should darken slightly and feel heavy with liquid. Lift them out and press very lightly, just enough so they do not drip. Keep the flavor inside.

6. 6

   Dust with starch

   Spread the potato starch in a shallow tray. Coat each piece well, pressing the starch into the uneven sides, then shake off the loose powder. Rest the coated pieces for 5 minutes. The surface will look a little damp and patchy, which is good. Dry starch falls off in the oil; hydrated starch makes the crust.

7. 7

   Fry in batches

   Heat 2 inches of neutral oil to 170 C, or until a pinch of starch sinks and rises with small lively bubbles. Fry the tofu in small batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp at the edges. Crowding lowers the oil temperature, and then the starch drinks oil instead of setting cleanly.

8. 8

   Drain and serve

   Lift the pieces to a rack, not paper towels, so the bottom stays crisp. Serve with lemon or sudachi and a small mound of grated daikon if you like. Eat while the crust still speaks under the teeth and the center is full of dashi.

Chef Tips

• •Use plain kōya-dōfu, not blocks already seasoned for nimono. The seasoned kind has made the decision for you, and this dish needs to drink its own dashi.
• •Konbu-shiitake dashi is the right stock for a meatless table. Soak 1 piece of konbu and 3 dried shiitake in 2 1/2 cups cold water for several hours, warm gently, pull the konbu before boiling, then simmer the shiitake a little longer.
• •Potato starch gives the clean, craggy crust used for karaage. Cornstarch works in a pinch, but it fries a little harder and less delicate.
• •Do not bury these in sauce. A squeeze of citrus is enough. The seasoning is already inside the tofu, which is where it belongs.

Advance Preparation

• •The konbu-shiitake dashi can be made 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated.
• •The kōya-dōfu can be soaked, pressed, and marinated up to 1 day ahead. Keep it covered in the refrigerator, then drain lightly before dusting.
• •Fry just before serving if you want the crust crisp. Leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated and are good in a bento, though the crust softens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 145g)