Simmered Koya Tofu (高野豆腐の含め煮, Kōya-dōfu no Fukumeni)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide shallow pot
• •Wooden drop-lid (otoshibuta), or a circle of parchment
• •Small bowl for soaking

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the tofu

   Put the koya tofu in a bowl and cover it with warm water, about 120 F to 140 F, for 10 minutes, or until each block feels soft all the way through. Warm water wakes the dried tofu evenly without toughening the outside. Press the center with your finger; if it still feels firm or chalky, give it a few more minutes.

   The soak is not a formality. A hard center cannot drink the seasoned dashi later, and fukumeni depends on the seasoning going in, not sitting outside.
2. 2

   Rinse and squeeze

   Change the water once or twice, rinsing the tofu gently until the water runs clear. Then place each block between your palms and press out the water without twisting. You're clearing away the stale dried taste and making room for dashi, but the tofu is tender now, so treat it like something that can bruise.

3. 3

   Cut the blocks

   Cut each block in half crosswise, or into triangles if you want a more formal bowl. Keep the pieces even so they season at the same pace. This is quiet knife work, but it matters: even pieces reach tenderness together, and the bowl looks calm before anyone tastes it.

4. 4

   Season the dashi

   In a wide pot, combine the dashi, mirin, sugar, usukuchi, and salt. Bring it just to a simmer and taste it. It should be slightly sweeter and saltier than you would drink, because the tofu will take the seasoning inside and soften the edge.

   Use usukuchi if you can. It seasons firmly while keeping the broth pale, which is part of the character of this dish.
5. 5

   Simmer gently

   Lay the tofu pieces in a single layer in the seasoned dashi. Set a wooden drop-lid, otoshibuta, directly on the surface, or use a circle of parchment with a small hole in the center. Simmer quietly for 15 to 18 minutes. The drop-lid keeps the pieces bathed in broth without stirring, and stirring is how soft tofu corners become rubble.

6. 6

   Rest in broth

   Turn off the heat and let the tofu rest in the broth for at least 20 minutes. This is when it truly finishes. As it cools a little, the texture settles and the seasoning moves inward. Serve warm or at room temperature with a spoonful of the broth and a small green vegetable beside it.

Chef Tips

• •Buy koya tofu that smells clean and faintly nutty, not stale or oily. Dried ingredients keep, but they do not live forever, and old tofu will announce itself no matter how fine your dashi is.
• •For a meatless table, use konbu and dried shiitake dashi. That is honmono in the temple tradition, not a compromise, and it suits koya tofu beautifully.
• •Do not squeeze the simmered tofu before serving. Press it only enough to move it from pot to bowl. The broth inside is the dish.
• •This is better after resting. Make it in the morning for supper, or the day before, and let the tofu sit in its broth where the seasoning can finish its slow work.

Advance Preparation

• •The dish can be made one day ahead and refrigerated in its broth. Bring it back gently to room temperature or warm it over low heat without boiling.
• •Ichiban dashi can be made two days ahead and kept refrigerated. For temple-style dashi, soak konbu and dried shiitake overnight, then warm gently and strain.
• •Blanch the snow peas or spinach just before serving if you want the green color at its clearest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 165g)