からみ豆腐
Karami dōfu
All-Day Simmered Tofu
English Interpretation
Combine katsuobushi dashi with light soy sauce, adding about twice the usual amount of ginger. Add tofu to this broth and simmer over a low flame all day long. Do not rush.
原文 · Original (1782)
鰹節の出汁に薄口醤油を合はせ、生姜を常の倍ほど多く入るべし。此の汁にて豆腐を入れ、終日とろ火にて煮るべし。急ぐべからず。
Transliteration
Katsuobushi no dashi ni usukuchi shōyu wo awase, shōga wo tsune no bai hodo ōku iru beshi. Kono shiru nite tōfu wo ire, hinemosu torobi nite niru beshi. Isogu bekarazu.
Notes & Annotations
The NDL newsletter describes this as: 'simmer tofu over low heat all day long in soup made from dried bonito and light-colored soy sauce with extra amount of ginger.' The patience required — simmering all day — elevates this simple-sounding dish to the highest grade.
English Recipe
Ingredients
-
soft or medium tofu 豆腐 1 block (350 g)一丁
-
dried bonito flakes 鰹節 15 gFor making strong dashi
-
light soy sauce 薄口醤油 2 tablespoonsLight-coloured soy preserves the pale appearance
-
fresh ginger 生姜 50 g, thinly sliced常の倍 The recipe calls for double the usual amount — the ginger is the point
Method
Serves 2–3
1. Make a strong dashi: bring 700 ml water to a boil, add the katsuobushi, simmer 3 minutes, then strain.
2. Cut the tofu into large pieces, roughly 5 × 5 × 3 cm. Handle gently — the long simmer will soften it further.
3. Combine the dashi and light soy sauce in a heavy-bottomed pot (earthenware is ideal). Add the sliced ginger — use generously, this is the defining feature of the dish.
4. Lay the tofu in the broth. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, then reduce to the lowest possible flame.
5. Simmer, covered, for at least 3 hours — traditionally all day. The tofu slowly absorbs the bonito-ginger broth and becomes intensely flavoured throughout. Check occasionally and add a splash of water if the liquid drops below the tofu.
6. Serve the tofu in the remaining broth. The ginger should be fragrant and pungent — that is the 'karami' (bite) that names the dish.
Patience is everything. The original grades this Superb because of the time required. A slow cooker on low for 6–8 hours is a reasonable modern substitution.
1. Make a strong dashi: bring 700 ml water to a boil, add the katsuobushi, simmer 3 minutes, then strain.
2. Cut the tofu into large pieces, roughly 5 × 5 × 3 cm. Handle gently — the long simmer will soften it further.
3. Combine the dashi and light soy sauce in a heavy-bottomed pot (earthenware is ideal). Add the sliced ginger — use generously, this is the defining feature of the dish.
4. Lay the tofu in the broth. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, then reduce to the lowest possible flame.
5. Simmer, covered, for at least 3 hours — traditionally all day. The tofu slowly absorbs the bonito-ginger broth and becomes intensely flavoured throughout. Check occasionally and add a splash of water if the liquid drops below the tofu.
6. Serve the tofu in the remaining broth. The ginger should be fragrant and pungent — that is the 'karami' (bite) that names the dish.
Patience is everything. The original grades this Superb because of the time required. A slow cooker on low for 6–8 hours is a reasonable modern substitution.