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Tofu, Japanese Style
by Jackie Miyasaka, from the October 2003 newsletter
In many areas of Japan, tofu is still delivered to homes like milk used to be delivered here. In Kyoto, where my in-laws live, a distinctive horn would signal the arrival of the little tofu truck. Upon hearing the sound, people would run outside to buy a block of tofu. A man and his wife would wake at the wee hours every morning to make their daily batch of fresh tofu and then deliver it by noon. Sadly, this tradition stopped several years ago when they had grown older and the woman fell ill. Now there is no choice but to buy mass-produced tofu at the supermarket and speak of the “tofu man” nostalgically. While mom-and-pop tofu establishments used to be the norm, they are becoming more and more a rarity in Japan.
Tofu came to Japan by way of China, where it is thought to have originated in the eighth or ninth century. Scholars believe that the Chinese adapted the cheese-making techniques of nomads from the north to change soymilk into tofu.
Traditionally, tofu in Japan was made by soaking dry soybeans in water overnight, then mashing them to a pulp, mixing with water, and boiled. Next the mixture is squeezed through a cloth bag to separate the soymilk from the lees (the lees, known as okara, are very nutritious also). A natural coagulant called nigari, a mineral extracted from seawater, is added to the soymilk. When the mixture starts to congeal, it is poured into a wooden mold. When the tofu has solidified, it is cut into blocks. Made in this way, the result is soft and silken tofu. However, if a cotton cloth is used to line the wooden mold and the tofu is pressed with a weight to drain the excess water, more water is pressed out, so the result is firm tofu.
In Japan, the most common way of eating tofu in the summer is uncooked, chilled and topped with grated ginger, thinly sliced scallions, and soy sauce. In the winter, tofu is often simmered in a konbu (kelp) based soup and then dipped into a sauce consisting of soy sauce, grated ginger or daikon radish, shaved bonito flakes, and thinly sliced scallions. It is also eaten fried, scrambled, in soup, grilled, and any number of other ways. Tofu is very versatile.
The Co-op sells quite a variety of tofu products, but the recipes below are based on Island Spring Organic Traditional Firm Tofu, which is a tofu packed in water. If you do not use all the tofu at once, the tofu should be stored in a container with water and the water changed daily.
Agedashi Tofu (Serves 4 appetizer portions)
1 block firm tofu
4 tablespoons grated daikon radish
2 teaspoons grated ginger
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4-1/2 cup flour
Oil for frying
Soy sauce to taste, 2-3 tablespoons total
Wrap tofu in two layers of paper towels and let it set for 5-10 minutes to absorb the excess moisture in the tofu. Cut tofu in half crosswise and then lengthwise so that you end up with four pieces. Dredge the tofu in flour, making sure the tofu is completely covered with flour. Heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry tofu until golden. Put one piece of tofu on each plate and top each with daikon radish, ginger, scallions, and soy sauce.
Tofu Stew (Serves 4)
1 block firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound pork or chicken, cut into slices as thin as possible
1/2 medium onion, sliced thinly
4 scallions, sliced into 2-inch pieces
1 cup fish or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon saké (rice wine)
1 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Put stock, sugar, sake, mirin and soy sauce into a wide-diameter pot. Heat to boiling. Add tofu, meat, onion, and scallions. Simmer 5 minutes, or until all the ingredients are just cooked through and hot. Enjoy a bowl of delicious stew.
Jackie Miyasaka works as a Japanese-English translator in Pullman.
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