Agedashi Dofu — Crisp Tofu in Kombu Broth

1. 01

   Drain and pat the tofu

   Unwrap the tofu, pour off any liquid. Wrap the whole block in clean kitchen paper or a lint-free cloth and let it sit on a plate under a light weight (a chopping board, say) for 10 minutes. This pulls out surface moisture. You want it dry enough to crust properly when it hits the oil.

   ~10 min
2. 02

   Cut and dredge

   Cut the dried block into 8 cubes (roughly 5cm each). Pour the potato starch into a wide, shallow bowl. Roll each cube in the starch, shaking off excess — you want a thin, even coat, not a batter. Set them on a plate.

   ~5 min
3. 03

   Heat the oil

   Pour oil into a deep pan or wok and bring to 170°C. Use a thermometer — you can't guess this one. It should shimmer, but not smoke. If it smokes, you've gone too hot; let it cool a bit.

   ~5 min
4. 04

   Fry the tofu in batches

   Slide 4 cubes into the oil. They should sizzle immediately but not violently. Fry for 3–4 minutes until the outside is pale gold and crisp all over. You're not browning it dark — pale and crunchy. Drain on paper. Repeat with the second batch.

   ~8 min
5. 05

   Make the dashi

   While tofu fries, pour 600ml water into a pot. Add the kombu strip and bring slowly to just below a boil — small bubbles at the edges. Once it steams, turn off the heat immediately. Let it sit 2 minutes, then add the soy sauce and mirin. Taste; adjust if needed. It should taste clean and salty-sweet, not overpowering.

   ~5 min
6. 06

   Finish and serve

   Grate the daikon on a fine microplane directly into a small pile. Finely slice the spring onion on the bias. Grate the ginger fresh into another small pile. Divide the fried tofu among 4 shallow bowls, ladle the hot dashi around it (not over — let people taste both temperatures), then scatter the daikon, spring onion, and ginger on top. Finish with a light pinch of dried yuzu peel. Serve at once.

   ~2 min

First bite: tooth-shattering crust against a warm, almost molten centre. Then the broth hits — deep, salty-sweet kombu umami. The raw daikon cuts through with pepper and crispness. Ginger adds a sharp warmth. The yuzu peel gives a final floral, slightly bitter note that makes you want another spoon. It's a four-temperature, four-texture conversation in one bowl.

• ·Patience with the oil temperature — too hot and the crust burns before the centre warms; too cold and you'll fry tofu sponges instead of crisping them.
• ·Pat the tofu dry twice if you can. Moisture is the enemy of crunch.
• ·Grate the daikon fresh at the last second. Sitting daikon weeps and loses its sharp bite — and that's half the point.