あらかね豆腐
Arakane dōfu
Rough-Iron Tofu
English Interpretation
Serve tofu as it is, without doing anything to it, rough and unadorned. Like crude iron — plain and strong. Eat with salt alone, or with soy sauce.
原文 · Original (1782)
豆腐を何もせずして、粗くありのままに供するべし。荒き鉄のごとく、素朴にして力強き様なり。塩のみか、あるいは醤油をして食べよ。
Transliteration
Tōfu wo nani mo sezu shite, arokuku ari no mama ni kyō suru beshi. Araki tetsu no gotoku, soboku ni shite chikarazuyoki sama nari. Shio nomi ka, arui wa shōyu wo shite tabeyo.
Notes & Annotations
Arakane (あらかね/荒金) literally means 'rough metal' or 'unrefined iron,' used here as a poetic epithet suggesting simplicity and strength.
English Recipe
Ingredients
-
firm tofu 豆腐 1 block (350 g)一丁 Cubed roughly
-
salt 塩 for serving
-
soy sauce 醤油 for serving
Method
Serves 2
1. Press firm tofu lightly — just enough to remove surface water.
2. Cut into rough cubes of varying sizes, about 4–5 cm.
3. Arrange on a simple ceramic plate with no garnish or embellishment.
4. Serve at room temperature with nothing more than a small dish of salt or soy sauce on the side.
Arakane ('rough iron') celebrates tofu in its most unadorned state. The name evokes simplicity and quiet strength — the essence of the ingredient itself, without flourish or refinement. This is tofu at its most honest.
1. Press firm tofu lightly — just enough to remove surface water.
2. Cut into rough cubes of varying sizes, about 4–5 cm.
3. Arrange on a simple ceramic plate with no garnish or embellishment.
4. Serve at room temperature with nothing more than a small dish of salt or soy sauce on the side.
Arakane ('rough iron') celebrates tofu in its most unadorned state. The name evokes simplicity and quiet strength — the essence of the ingredient itself, without flourish or refinement. This is tofu at its most honest.