Agedashi Tofu

Agedashi Tofu is a classic Japanese fried tofu dish served in a warm, savory dashi sauce. The light, crisp coating soaks up the umami-rich sauce beautifully, while the inside stays soft and delicate. It’s one of my favorite izakaya-style tofu dishes to make at home.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Japanese

Servings servings

Calories 302 kcal

Ingredients

1 16 oz block silken or firm tofu drained and cut into inch-sized blocks
6 Tablespoons potato starch more as needed
2 green onions thinly sliced
Grated daikon for serving
2 Japanese eggplants or baby eggplants (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil for frying
Salt

For the sauce

⅔ cup dashi I use basic kombu and bonito flake dashi or dashi made with a dashi packet.
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons mirin

Instructions

Prepare the tofu. Drain the tofu and wrap it in kitchen paper. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to drain the excess moisture. Pat dry well and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Coat the tofu. Coat the tofu blocks evenly on all sides with potato starch. Make sure the potato starch is not wet or clumpy.
Prepare the eggplants (optional). Remove the stem and cut in half lengthwise. Score a criss-cross pattern on the skin side. Cut into quarters lengthwise if the eggplant pieces are thicker than the tofu blocks.
Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt over the cut surface. Let sit until the eggplants start to sweat, about 5-10 minutes. Then pat them dry well. This step reduces the bitterness of eggplant.
Shallow fry the tofu. In a pot, heat ¼ inch of oil. Gently add the tofu. If using, also add the eggplant pieces with the skin side down. Cook, flipping occasionally, until all sides are golden brown. Work in batches if necessary.
Make the sauce. In a saucepan, combine dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. Bring it to a gentle boil, then simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Assemble. In a serving bowl, place fried tofu and eggplants. Gently pour the sauce over them. Top with grated daikon radish and green onions.

Notes

Please note that the nutritional information provided is just an estimate, and accuracy is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 302kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 8gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 1505mgPotassium: 973mgFiber: 9gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 205IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 2mg

Keyword daikon, dairy-free, dashi, eggplants, tofu