Tofu Shop!

Hey everybody,

One of the best things about living in small neighborhood on the edge of Tokyo (I mean, I still have double-digit storied skyscrapers, it is still the Tokyo area) is all of the small little shops.  There's a little stationary store down the block, plenty of tiny clothing stores.  But my favorite discover so far is this guy:

For those of you that can't read Japanese, that is a Tofu Shop.  Handmade tofu for next-to-nothing prices.  The only problem is that it's only open during the day and not on Sundays, but that's just kind of how Japan works.  And if getting tofu means I gotta jet out of work really quickly once or twice a week to make it before closing (or wake up early on Saturday to make it there before closing), I'm down with that

The tofu maker is there every day, as he probably has been for as long as anyone can remember.  He picks out your tofu for you by himself, and packages it in paper.  Over his shoulder you can see the other products, fried tofu, tofu skin, and all of the other accouterments

The main attraction though, is the basic tofu.  Kinu (soft) on the left, great for simmered dishes or eaten straight; momen (firm) on the right, great for stir-fries.  Both are made fresh daily.  It's only 160yen for a single serving's worth, which is an absolute steal



I've done a ton of different things with these, but for the post I thought I'd keep it simple:  Yu-dofu, simple simmered tofu.  Every Japanese person knows this dish, it's a staple of the season.  Most importantly, it's one of those tofu dishes that lets the subtle flavor and sweetness of the tofu come through--which when you have fresh delicious tofu is definitely a good thing

Take the kinu tofu, and simmer it in dashi stock until warm (5-6 minutes should be fine).  Top with reconstituted wakame seaweed and sliced green onions or other greenery, then season with chili flakes, soy sauce, and yuzu citrus juice.  Serve with the broth and a spoon

Now that's something to make you feel warm and happy on a winter's evening

Noah out