Agedofu, simple fried tofu, the easy way

Crispy around, creamy inside, bathing in its sweet soup… it’s a Japanese cuisine classic.

We can buy it fried in all supermarkets here, and reheat. That’s not the same. Frying yours is much more delicious.
It can be done with softer silky tofu, but semi-firm and firm cotton tofu (momen dofu) is easier to manipulate with this recipe.
Do it in 2 times : put tofu to drain and start the soup. Then, after 30 minutes, you need 5 minutes to do the rest.

Prepare the tofu :
Place the whole block (I used half) on a plate, cover with a second plate, and put a can of 1kg or a pot on the cover. After 15 minutes, discard the water that got out of the tofu. Let it 15 more minutes.
Cut cubes of 3 cm. Prepare a saucer with katakuriko (potato starch) or corn starch.

Fry the tofu
In a small thick bottom pan, heat 5 millimiters of oil. Coat each cube of tofu in the starch. Put them in the pan. Then turn them in turn. When you’ve done the 6 sides, it’s OK. Place the cubes on a grill covered with 1 layer of kitchen paper. Turn them too to absorb excess oil. You can keep hot a few minutes in oven-toaster at 120 degrees.

Tsuyu soup :
Bring fish flakes (I take a mix) and water to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes on low heat. Let sit 30 minutes. Add soy sauce, salt and mirin (or honey if you don’t have any) to taste, reheat together.

Pour the soup around the hot fried tofu. Garnish with negi leeks and shichimi (7 spice mix). Serve at once !
2 cubes is a very small serving. You’ll see another recipe soon…