海老豆腐
Ebi dōfu
Shrimp Tofu
English Interpretation
Grind shrimp thoroughly and combine with sieved tofu. Mix well and steam in a steamer. Let cool, cut into pieces, and serve with a thin sauce. The color is a pale pink, like that of shrimp.
原文 · Original (1782)
海老をよく擂り潰し、豆腐の裏漉ししたるものと合はすべし。よく混ぜて蒸し器にて蒸すべし。冷ましてから切り分け、薄き餡を掛けて出すべし。色、海老の如く薄紅なり。
Transliteration
Ebi wo yoku suri-tsubushi, tōfu no uragoshi shitaru mono to awasu beshi. Yoku mazete mushiki nite musu beshi. Samashite kara kiri-wake, usuki an wo kakete dasu beshi. Iro, ebi no gotoku usubeni nari.
Notes & Annotations
Ebi (海老/蝦) means shrimp or prawn. This could be either an actual shrimp-tofu combination or a vegetarian modoki (imitation) — the myōhin grade suggests considerable artistry either way.
English Recipe
Ingredients
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silken tofu 豆腐 1 block (350 g)一丁 Sieved smooth
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raw shrimp 海老 100 g, shelledProcessed to a paste
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dashi stock 出汁 200 mlFor sauce
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light soy sauce 薄口醤油 1 tablespoon
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kuzu starch 葛粉 1 teaspoonFor sauce thickening
Method
Serves 3–4
1. Shell 100 g raw shrimp and process to a smooth paste in a mortar (suribachi) or food processor.
2. Press silken tofu and push through a fine sieve.
3. Combine the shrimp paste and sieved tofu. Mix until the colour is an even pale pink.
4. Pour into a lightly oiled mold or container. Steam for 20–25 minutes until set.
5. Cool, then cut into elegant rectangles or rounds.
6. Make a light sauce: 200 ml dashi, 1 tbsp light soy, 1 tbsp mirin, thickened with a kuzu slurry.
7. Serve with the warm sauce ladled over the cool tofu.
The dish gets its name and beauty from the shrimp, which tints the tofu a delicate pink. The result is somewhere between a savoury custard and a terrine.
1. Shell 100 g raw shrimp and process to a smooth paste in a mortar (suribachi) or food processor.
2. Press silken tofu and push through a fine sieve.
3. Combine the shrimp paste and sieved tofu. Mix until the colour is an even pale pink.
4. Pour into a lightly oiled mold or container. Steam for 20–25 minutes until set.
5. Cool, then cut into elegant rectangles or rounds.
6. Make a light sauce: 200 ml dashi, 1 tbsp light soy, 1 tbsp mirin, thickened with a kuzu slurry.
7. Serve with the warm sauce ladled over the cool tofu.
The dish gets its name and beauty from the shrimp, which tints the tofu a delicate pink. The result is somewhere between a savoury custard and a terrine.