Agedashi tofu
Silky fried tofu in warm dashi-soy broth, topped with grated daikon, ginger and spring onions — a cosy Japanese small plate.
Agedashi tofu is comfort food in miniature: silky tofu coated and fried to a delicate crisp, then spooned into warm, umami-rich dashi. It’s a brilliant starter for a Japanese meal or a light main with steamed rice.
This version makes a clear kombu–bonito dashi and keeps the technique simple — mastering the oil temperature and drying the tofu are the tricks that make it sing.
Ingredients
- 400 g silken tofu
- 70 g cornflour — for coating
- 500 ml vegetable oil — for deep-frying; most remains unused
- 600 ml cold water — for making dashi
- 10 g dried kombu
- 20 g bonito flakes — for dashi and garnish
- 45 ml light soy sauce
- 30 ml mirin
- 15 ml sake
- 5 g caster sugar
- 150 g daikon — peeled and grated
- 2 spring onions — finely sliced on the diagonal
- 15 g fresh ginger — peeled and finely grated
- 0 ml sea salt
Equipment
- deep frying pan or heavy-based saucepan
- fine grater
- slotted spoon or spider
- sieve
- deep-fat thermometer (optional)
Instructions
Make the base dashi: put the cold water and dried kombu into a small saucepan and warm gently over a medium heat until small bubbles appear at the edge — do not let it reach a rolling boil.
Remove the kombu, add the bonito flakes, bring just to a bare simmer for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat and leave to steep for 5 minutes.
Strain the dashi through a fine sieve into a jug and discard the solids. Set the strained dashi aside for the sauce.
Prepare the tofu: drain the silken tofu, cut into eight even cubes and gently pat each piece dry with kitchen paper. Press the wrapped cubes lightly between kitchen paper for 2 minutes to remove surface moisture.
Put the cornflour in a shallow bowl and toss each tofu cube to coat evenly, shaking off any excess.
Heat the vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or heavy-based saucepan until it reaches about 170°C (or a small breadcrumb sizzles immediately). Fry the tofu in batches for 3–4 minutes until the coating is golden and crisp.
Lift the tofu with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper for 1 minute to remove excess oil.
Make the sauce: measure about 200 ml of the strained dashi into a small saucepan, add the light soy sauce, mirin, sake and caster sugar and bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes to meld the flavours.
To serve, pour the hot sauce into four shallow bowls, place two tofu cubes in each bowl and spoon a little extra sauce over. Top with a mound of grated daikon, a small knob of grated fresh ginger, a scattering of sliced spring onions and a few bonito flakes.
Tips
- Dry the tofu well: press gently between kitchen paper for 2 minutes — surface moisture is the enemy of crispness.
- Control oil temperature: 170°C is ideal; if it’s too hot the coating will burn before the centre warms through, too cool and it’ll be greasy.
- Make the dashi ahead: strained dashi keeps in the fridge for 2 days and freezes well — defrost in the fridge before using.
- Fry in small batches so the oil returns to temperature quickly; keep cooked tofu warm in a low oven (80°C) for a few minutes if needed.
- For clearer sauce, pour dashi from the jug slowly and avoid pressing the solids into the sieve when straining.
Substitutions
bonito flakes → dried shiitake (use 10 g) and extend the steeping time by 10 minutes to make a vegetarian dashi
Noticeably differentlight soy sauce → tamari, same quantity, to make the dish gluten-free
Stays closecornflour → plain flour, same quantity, for a slightly less crisp but workable coating
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 240
- Calories
- 6 g
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 700 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use firm tofu instead of silken tofu?
You can, but silken (soft) tofu gives the classic silky contrast with the crisp exterior. Firm tofu will be denser and hold together more easily when frying.
How do I know when the oil is ready if I don't have a thermometer?
Drop a small breadcrumb into the oil; if it browns in about 20–30 seconds with steady bubbling, the oil is ready (roughly 170°C).
Can I bake the tofu instead of frying?
Baking will be less crisp but works: brush the coated cubes with oil and bake at 200°C fan/220°C conventional for 18–22 minutes, turning once.
How long will leftovers keep?
Store tofu and sauce separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the sauce and pour over freshly crisped tofu for best texture.
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