Agedashi tofu

Name: Agedashi tofu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Japan
Ingredients: 400 g momen tofu (Japanese firm tofu); 4 tbsp potato starch (katakuriko) or cornflour; Neutral oil, for frying; 300 ml kombu and shiitake dashi; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp mirin; 5 cm piece of daikon, grated and squeezed; 2 spring onions, sliced; Fresh ginger, grated; Nori flakes or vegan bonito flakes (optional)

Local name: 揚げ出し豆腐

Also written: agedashi dofu

Tofu that is crisp outside and silky inside, sitting in a sweet-savoury dashi broth with grated daikon and spring onion.

Published on 9 October 2025·Updated on 26 September 2026

Vegan#tofu#dashi#fried#starter#izakaya

Photo: Daderot , CC0

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 30 min
Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium

Method

Wrap the tofu in a tea towel and place a weight on top for 15 minutes to drain. Cut into 6 cubes.
Bring the dashi, soy sauce and mirin to a gentle simmer. Keep warm.
Heat 3 cm of oil to 170 °C. Roll each tofu cube in the starch just before frying.
Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until lightly golden and crisp. Drain on a rack.
Arrange the tofu in bowls and pour the hot broth around it, not over it.
Top with the daikon, ginger and spring onion. Serve at once to keep the crunch.

For a plant-based dashi, steep 10 g kombu and 3 dried shiitake in 500 ml cold water overnight, then heat without boiling. Use tamari labelled wheat free for a gluten-free version, and check the mirin label, as some contain wheat.

The techniques this recipe uses

Drain and rinse
Canning liquid clouds a sauce and salts it blind: rinse until the water runs clear.

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Nutrition per serving

Calories: 400 kcal
Protein: 36.9 g
Fat: 17.8 g
Carbohydrate: 27.5 g
Fibre: 5.7 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the starch coating slide off the tofu in the oil?

There was still moisture on the surface. Pressing under a weight removes the water inside, but each cube still needs blotting with kitchen paper right before it is rolled in starch. Coat and fry immediately: if the tofu sits, the starch rehydrates into a sticky paste.

What tofu should I use if I cannot find momen?

Ordinary firm tofu works, though the inside will be grainier and less silky. What to avoid is Japanese silken tofu in a tub, which breaks apart as soon as you roll it in starch and disintegrates in hot oil.

Can the broth be made in advance?

Yes, dashi seasoned with soy sauce and mirin keeps for three days in the fridge. Reheat it gently to a bare simmer only: a proper boil drives off the kombu aroma and leaves the broth tasting flat.

How to cook tofu so it is never bland
Why tofu is not a meat substitute but a carrier of flavour, and traditional Asian techniques to give it real depth and texture.
Umami without meat in China, Japan and Korea
Fermented pastes, kombu and dried shiitake, tofu and high heat — four sources of flavour that stand in for meat in Chinese, Japanese and Korean cooking.
Japanese vegetarian cooking, beyond sushi
Learn to make dashi without bonito, tell the forms of tofu apart, and build a Japanese vegetarian meal from small plates.

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