Learn how to make Agedashi-Tofu (Deep-fried tofu)-Japanese home cooking class in Tokyo
Do you know how to make Agedashi-Tofu? Crispy deep-fried tofu served in a Japanese dashi broth, Agedashi-Tofu is a very popular traditional Japanese appetizer that you can find at izakayas and Japanese restaurants. It requires deep-frying, but the process is easier than you might think.
I ask every guest who comes to my Japanese home cooking class in Tokyo which dishes they are interested in from Japanese restaurant menus. Most of them tell me that they like ordering Agedashi-Tofu. The outside is crispy, and the tofu inside is very soft; it almost melts in your mouth!
Actually, Agedashi-Tofu is not difficult to make if you don't mind frying. I can show you a simple method and technique on how to make this famous Japanese cuisine at my home cooking classes.
About Tofu
Tofu is a familiar food for us all in Japan and is used in a variety of dishes as well as eaten as is with seasonings. It is not only a source of basic nutrients such as protein and fat but is also attracting attention as a food that regulates the body and helps maintain and promote good health.
History of Tofu
Tofu is believed to have originated in China and was introduced to Japan during the Nara period (710-794) by a Japanese monk who traveled to China on a Japanese envoy's mission to the Tang Dynasty. It was first made by temple priests and then spread to aristocratic and samurai societies with the spread of vegetarian cuisine. In the Muromachi period (1336-1573), tofu finally spread nationwide, and in the Edo period (1603-1867), it was adopted as a food for the common people.
Tofu Production Methods and Types
Tofu is made by mashing softened soybeans with water to create "Go." This "Go" is then strained to make soy milk, which is solidified with coagulants such as bittern.
Cotton (momen) tofu 木綿豆腐:
Cotton tofu is made by adding bittern to soymilk and firming it to a certain degree. The mixture is then poured into a box lined with cotton cloth, weighed down, and allowed to firm while the water is drained off.
Silken (kinugoshi) tofu 絹豆腐:
For silken tofu, the soy milk itself is poured into a box-shaped mold, and a coagulant is added to solidify the soy milk without any weights. Because of this production method, the soy milk used for silken tofu is thicker than that used for cotton tofu.
