Chilled Tofu

Tofu with grated fresh ginger, katsuobushi and soysauce

Known as Hiya-yakko in Japan this is a favourite dish for Japanese people on a hot summers’ day. Hiya means “chilled”, and yakko I don’t know. The tofu is served chilled with toppings and soy sauce. So simple and so healthy. Add some rice, a salad, a clear soup and some pickles to make a complete meal of it, or just a salad for a light lunch.

 

Note about tofu: Tofu blocks in Japan come in two textures, silk (soft) and cotton (firm), try to get good quality tofu as it will make a big difference. You can also purchase fried tofu, which is the firmer tofu, that has been fried.

I thank Yoko Nakano for showing me how to make this and sharing this meal with me.

toppings and soy sauce ready to serve

Ingredients:

2 x 300g blocks soft tofu (kinugoshi doufu) “silk” tofu, chilled 

for toppings: 5g dried bonito shaving (katsuobushi)
2 green onions or shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root

To serve:
good quality natural soy sauce (such as Kikkoman)

 

Method:

1.      Place tofu on your hand, rinse under the tap (faucet) then cut directly the tofu into squares while still on your hand.

2.      Place tofu on serving dishes, top with desired toppings, pour over a little soy sauce and eat at once.

Tip: add a little water to the soy sauce as it can be too concentrated straight from the bottle.

Variations: Use “momen” cotton (firm) tofu if you prefer. For the toppings, you like it hot try some finely chopped chilli. A little mustard can also be used as a topping. Combine toppings as you like.

Serves 4



ready to eat