煮ぬき豆腐
Ninuki dōfu
Simmered-Through Tofu
English Interpretation
Simmer tofu in dashi, soy sauce, and sake. Cook over low heat, reducing until the liquid is gone. The flavor soaks all the way through the tofu — delicious.
原文 · Original (1782)
豆腐を出汁、醤油、酒にて煮るべし。弱火にて煮詰め、汁気の尽くるまで煮抜くべし。味、豆腐の中まで沁みて旨し。
Transliteration
Tōfu wo dashi, shōyu, sake nite niru beshi. Yowabi nite nitsume, shiruke no tsukuru made ninuku beshi. Aji, tōfu no naka made shimite umashi.
Notes & Annotations
Ninuki (煮抜き) means 'simmered out/through' — cooking until the liquid is gone. The technique intensifies flavor by driving seasoning deep into the tofu.
English Recipe
Ingredients
-
firm tofu 豆腐 1 block (350 g)一丁
-
dashi stock 出汁 200 ml
-
soy sauce 醤油 3 tablespoons
-
sake 酒 2 tablespoons
-
mirin 味醂 1 tablespoon
Method
Serves 2
1. Cut firm tofu into large pieces (about 4 × 5 × 2 cm).
2. Combine 200 ml dashi, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sake, and 1 tablespoon mirin in a heavy pot.
3. Add the tofu in a single layer. Bring to a simmer.
4. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered, occasionally spooning the broth over the tofu.
5. Continue until the liquid has almost completely reduced and been absorbed — this may take 30–40 minutes. The tofu will darken as it absorbs the seasoning.
The name 'ninuki' means 'simmered through/out' — the liquid is cooked away entirely. What remains is tofu with deeply concentrated flavour all the way to the centre.
1. Cut firm tofu into large pieces (about 4 × 5 × 2 cm).
2. Combine 200 ml dashi, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sake, and 1 tablespoon mirin in a heavy pot.
3. Add the tofu in a single layer. Bring to a simmer.
4. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered, occasionally spooning the broth over the tofu.
5. Continue until the liquid has almost completely reduced and been absorbed — this may take 30–40 minutes. The tofu will darken as it absorbs the seasoning.
The name 'ninuki' means 'simmered through/out' — the liquid is cooked away entirely. What remains is tofu with deeply concentrated flavour all the way to the centre.