Crisp Agedashi Tofu in Ginger Dashi Broth

⏱ 40 min · Serves 2

Silky silken tofu wrapped in a shatteringly light potato-starch crust, sitting in a warm pool of savoury dashi and topped with grated daikon, ginger and dancing bonito flakes. It's the izakaya classic, and it's far easier at home than you'd think.

Per serving: 365 kcal · 18.0g protein · 26.0g carbs · 21.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1 block (350g) silken or soft tofu
• 4 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko), or cornflour
• 500ml neutral oil, for frying
• 250ml dashi stock (from 1 tsp instant dashi powder or a kombu-bonito brew)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 5cm piece daikon radish, finely grated and lightly squeezed
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 small handful bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
• Shichimi togarashi, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Drain the tofu, wrap in kitchen paper and set on a plate with a light weight on top. Press for 20 minutes to remove excess water, changing the paper once.
2. Meanwhile, make the broth: warm the dashi with the soy sauce, mirin and sugar in a small pan until steaming and the sugar dissolves. Keep hot but do not boil hard.
3. Grate the daikon and ginger, squeeze the daikon gently, and slice the spring onions. Set aside.
4. Cut the pressed tofu into 6 neat blocks. Pat every face very dry — this is the secret to a crust that sticks.
5. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan to 175C. Dust the tofu generously in potato starch, tapping off the excess, and coat again just before frying.
6. Fry 3 pieces at a time for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until pale gold and crisp. Drain on a rack, not paper, so the bottoms stay crunchy. Repeat with the rest.
7. Divide the tofu between two shallow bowls, pour the hot broth around (not over) the tofu, and top with mounds of daikon, ginger, spring onion and a flurry of bonito flakes. Add a pinch of shichimi and eat straight away.