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Unohana
Simmered okara with vegetables
Unohana (卯の花): okara soy pulp simmered with vegetables and dashi into a moist side dish
Okara, the soft white pulp left after making soy milk and tofu, is sold for pennies in Kyoto tofu shops, and grandmothers turn it into unohana, named after the white deutzia flowers that bloom in early summer: the pulp is simmered with carrot, shiitake, fried tofu, konnyaku and spring onion in sweet soy dashi until moist and fluffy. It is a side dish for rice and a classic of frugal, high-fibre home cooking. Many homes add a little chicken; this version is vegetarian, with kombu-shiitake dashi. A portion is about 140 kcal. The most common mistake is cooking it dry and crumbly; it should be moist enough to hold together when pressed with chopsticks, so don't skimp on the broth. Chef's tip: dry-fry the okara in the pan for a few minutes first; it loses its beany smell and absorbs the seasoning better.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz fresh okara (soy pulp)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- ½ carrotfinely diced
- 3 dried shiitake mushroomssoaked in 300 ml warm water with the kombu, squeezed, finely sliced
- ⅛ oz kombua 10 cm piece
- 1 aburaage (thin fried tofu)sheet, finely chopped
- 2 ⅞ oz konnyaku (optional)cut into thin strips
- 2 spring onionssliced
- 1 ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp mirincontains alcohol; or 1 extra tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 5 ½ oz fresh okara (soy pulp) in a dry non-stick pan over a medium-low heat and stir for 3–4 minutes, until it looks fluffier and smells toasty rather than beany. Tip it into a bowl.
4 minStep 2: Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in the same pan over a medium heat. Add ½ carrot, the sliced 3 dried shiitake mushrooms, 1 aburaage (thin fried tofu) and 2 ⅞ oz konnyaku and stir-fry for 3 minutes, until the carrot softens.
3 minStep 3: Return the okara to the pan and stir to mix. Add 250 ml of the shiitake-kombu soaking water (discard the ⅛ oz kombu), 1 ½ tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp mirin and 2 tbsp light soy sauce.
1 minStep 4: Simmer on a low heat, stirring now and then, for 8–10 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed but the mixture is still moist and holds together when pressed.
10 minStep 5: Stir in 2 spring onions and cook for 1 minute more. Serve warm or at room temperature; it keeps for 3 days in the fridge.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does unohana take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 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.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of dried shiitake mushrooms?
- Aubergine, diced, same weight.
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