← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 400 g medium-firm or firm tofu
• 4 tbsp potato starch or cornflour
• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Sake
• 2 tbsp Mirin
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Water
• 1 Spring onion, finely sliced
• 1 tsp Sesame seeds (optional)
• 400 g hot cooked Japanese rice, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Wrap the tofu in kitchen paper, set a plate on top and press for 15 min to squeeze out water. Mix the sauce ingredients.
2. Cut the tofu into 8 slabs about 1.5 cm thick and pat dry. Coat each one evenly in starch and tap off the excess.
3. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Fry the tofu for 3–4 min per side, until golden and crisp.
4. Wipe out any excess oil, pour in the sauce and let it bubble for 1–2 min, turning the tofu, until the glaze is thick and shiny.
5. Serve over rice or with salad, topped with spring onion and sesame seeds.

Tips

• Use tamari for gluten-free. A scatter of bonito flakes is traditional but makes it non-vegetarian.
• Coat the tofu just before frying; if it sits, the starch turns gummy.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Just One Cookbook Japanese Cooking 101