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Daikon to aburaage no nimono
Simmered daikon and fried tofu
大根と油揚げの煮物: daikon and fried tofu pouches simmered in kombu-shiitake dashi
When winter daikon is fat, sweet and cheap in every Japanese market, home cooks from Hokkaido to Kyushu simmer it with strips of aburaage, the thin fried tofu pouches, as an everyday side for rice and grilled food. The radish turns soft and see-through and drinks up a light soy broth, while the tofu soaks up the rest like a sponge. This version uses a kelp and shiitake dashi instead of bonito, so the whole pot is vegan, and it tastes even better reheated the next day. The usual mistake is boiling it hard: the daikon edges crumble and the broth goes cloudy, so keep it at a lazy simmer under a drop lid. Chef's tip: pour boiling water over the aburaage before cutting it, which rinses off the stale frying oil and lets the broth soak in.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the kelp dashi
- 2 ½ cups water
- ⅓ oz kombu
- 1 ⅓ lb daikon radishpeeled and cut into 2.5 cm half-moons
- 2 sheets aburaage (fried tofu pouches)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 spring onion (optional)finely sliced
- 1 pinch yuzu or lemon zest (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put the 2 ½ cups water, ⅓ oz kombu and 2 dried shiitake mushrooms in a saucepan and leave to soak for 20 minutes (or overnight in the fridge). This is your dashi.
20 minStep 2: Bevel the sharp edges of the 1 ⅓ lb daikon radish pieces with a peeler so they don't break up as they cook.
3 minStep 3: Put the 2 sheets aburaage (fried tofu pouches) in a sieve and pour a kettle of boiling water over it. Press gently with a spoon, then cut each sheet into 6 strips.
3 minStep 4: Add the daikon to the dashi pan and bring slowly to a simmer over a medium heat. Just before it boils, lift out the kombu (it turns slimy if boiled). Leave the shiitake in.
8 minStep 6: The daikon is ready when it is translucent all through and a skewer slides into the centre with no resistance. If the middle still looks white and opaque, give it 5–10 minutes more.
5 minStep 7: Turn off the heat and leave everything to cool in the broth for at least 10 minutes; it soaks up flavour as it cools. Reheat gently, slice the shiitake, and serve with a little broth, topped with 1 spring onion and 1 pinch yuzu or lemon zest. It keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does daikon to aburaage no nimono take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of dried shiitake mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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