Tofu Shoten’s Golden Sand Tofu
Image description: A dark grey stone plate holds two pieces of Golden Sand Tofu on a wooden table against a white wall backdrop. Photograph: Sava Goto.
Recipe and photograph by Sava Goto from Tofu Shoten.
At Tofu Shoten, I make fresh Japanese-style tofu in small batches from scratch. I make different varieties such as silken, fried, smoked tofu and tofu balls called ganmo and I always like to see what dishes people cook using my tofu at home.
Golden Sand Tofu was created circa 1700. When the dish was created, eggs were still a very luxury ingredient in Japan (and in this recipe symbolise gold leaf), while tofu was starting to become a bit more accessible. At the time, a recipe book was published as a way to introduce people to tofu, and this recipe was included in that book. It has a subtle and delicate flavour and is a textural delight. Even now, with eggs and tofu being everyday ingredients, the dish still feels luxurious.
I personally like this dish because it appears really simple, but the preparation is more involved. I think this is a very Japanese approach to cooking as it is a bit of a process and requires some attention to detail. The flavour is subtle, but I like its delicate texture and that the tofu is still the hero.
This dish pairs nicely with sake or light wines.
Serves 4 to 5 people as an appetiser/cold starter or side dish.
Method:
Press the tofu overnight in the fridge with a weight on it.
Drain the excess water and use a food processor or suribachi to blitz until smooth.
Add the egg whites and mix well.
Add a splash of dashi and season with salt to taste. Make sure to taste it as the size of the egg and water content of the pressed tofu can vary.
Spread the tofu paste on a tray lined with baking paper. Make sure to select a tray that fits in your steamer.
Mash the boiled egg yolks and season to taste with salt and sugar. Then pass them through a sieve to create a light and fluffy ‘golden sand’ texture, directly onto the tray of tofu paste.
Very lightly press the sieved yolk with a flat spatula.
Steam for 15-20 minutes with a lid on.
If you don't have a steamer, you can just use a pot with a little bit of water in it, placing the tray on a plate or bowl.
Let it cool down and slice.
Ingredients:
450g momen (semi-firm) tofu
2 egg whites
4 hard-boiled egg yolks
Salt, to taste
Sugar, to taste
Splash of dashi