Sesame Tofu (胡麻豆腐, Goma-dofu)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small square nagashikan mold, or a small glass container
• •Heavy saucepan
• •Wooden spatula
• •Fine whisk
• •Wet knife for cutting

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the mold

   Rinse a small square mold, nagashikan if you have one, with cold water and leave it wet. A small glass container or loaf pan works. The water film helps the goma-dofu release cleanly later, and clean edges matter here because there is no garnish mountain to distract the eye.

2. 2

   Mix the kuzu

   Crush the kuzu starch until no hard pebbles remain, then whisk it with the cold water in a heavy saucepan. Kuzu must begin cold or it clumps at the first touch of heat. Stir until the liquid feels smooth under the whisk, with no grit dragging along the bottom.

3. 3

   Add sesame paste

   Whisk in the white sesame paste and salt until the mixture is even and pale beige. Scrape the sides and bottom of the pan, because nerigoma is heavy and likes to hide in corners. If it is not evenly mixed now, the finished block will taste patchy instead of cleanly of nuts.

4. 4

   Cook and stir

   Set the pan over medium-low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spatula, reaching every edge of the bottom. At first it will look thin and unpromising. Then it will thicken suddenly, turn glossy, and pull away from the pan in slow folds. Lower the heat and keep stirring for 8 to 10 minutes after it thickens, until the paste is elastic and heavy. This patience is everything: undercooked kuzu sets weakly and tastes chalky, while fully cooked kuzu sets smooth and clean.

5. 5

   Set the block

   Scrape the hot paste into the wet mold and smooth the top with a damp spatula. Tap the mold gently on the counter to settle any trapped air. Press a piece of plastic wrap or damp parchment directly on the surface so it does not dry as it cools.

6. 6

   Chill thoroughly

   Let the mold cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until firm and cold all the way through. Do not hurry it in the freezer. Freezing gives a coarse, weeping texture, and goma-dofu should cut like a quiet custard, not crumble.

7. 7

   Cut and serve

   Run a wet knife around the edge, turn the block out, and cut it into four neat squares. Wipe and wet the knife between cuts so each face stays smooth. Set one square in each small dish, add a small dab of wasabi, and spoon over a little vegetarian dashi or dipping sauce only if you want it. The sauce should frame the sesame, not cover it.

Chef Tips

• •Use real kuzu if you can. Potato starch will thicken, yes, but it gives a glassier, simpler set and misses the clean elasticity that makes goma-dofu what it is.
• •Japanese nerigoma is the right sesame paste here. Tahini can be a sensible stand-in if it is very smooth and not bitter, but it is looser and sometimes sharper, so taste before you commit the whole pan.
• •Keep the heat moderate and the spatula moving. Kuzu thickens all at once, and the bottom of the pan will catch if you admire your own courage for too long.
• •Serve small portions. A neat square with empty space around it looks generous and eats correctly. Too much turns this quiet dish heavy.

Advance Preparation

• •Goma-dofu should be made at least 3 hours ahead so it chills completely and cuts cleanly.
• •It keeps one day refrigerated, covered directly on the surface. After that the texture begins to weep and lose its quiet smoothness.
• •If serving with vegetarian dashi, make it a day ahead from konbu and dried shiitake and chill it. For this dish, that is honmono, not a compromise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 160g)