Agedashi Tofu
Crisp-edged fried tofu sitting in a warm, savoury dashi broth with grated radish and spring onion. A light Japanese dinner that comes together in about 40 minutes.
Published 1 Oct 2026Tested by Hina Ikram
Ingredients
Equipment: Medium frying pan or small wok, small saucepan, slotted spoon, kitchen paper, fine grater
Method
Wrap the tofu in a clean tea towel or a few layers of kitchen paper, set a plate on top and weigh it down with a tin. Leave it to press for 15 minutes so the surface dries out and fries crisp.
Meanwhile, put the water and kombu in a small saucepan and warm over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Take the kombu out just before the water starts to boil, as it turns bitter if boiled.
Bring the kombu water to a gentle boil, add the bonito flakes and turn off the heat. Let them sink and steep for 2 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve. You need about 350 ml of dashi.
Return the dashi to the pan with the soy sauce and sugar. Warm over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then keep it hot but not boiling.
Squeeze the grated radish lightly to remove excess water. Pat the pressed tofu dry and cut it into 6 even cubes or thick rectangles.
Spread the starch on a plate. Roll each piece of tofu in it until evenly and thinly coated, then shake off the excess. Fry straight away, as the coating turns gummy if it sits.
Heat the oil in the frying pan over medium-high heat until a pinch of starch sizzles at once (about 180°C). Lower in the tofu in batches, leaving space between pieces.
Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning every minute or so, until all sides are pale golden and the coating feels firm and crisp. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Divide the tofu between two deep bowls. Pour the hot broth around the tofu, not over it, so the crust stays crisp for a little longer.
Top each bowl with a mound of grated radish, a little ginger, spring onions and chilli flakes. Serve at once with rice.
Cooking tips
- Pressing the tofu properly is the key step. Wet tofu spits in the oil and the coating will not crisp.
- Coat the tofu only when the oil is hot. Starch left on damp tofu turns sticky and slides off.
- Keep the broth hot but below a boil, and add it just before serving. The coating softens slightly in the broth, which is how the dish is meant to be.
- Fry in batches if the pan is small. Crowding drops the oil temperature and gives greasy tofu.
Substitutions
- No kombu or bonito: simmer 350 ml light vegetable stock with 2 dried shiitake mushrooms for 10 minutes, or dissolve 1 tsp dashi granules in 350 ml hot water. Note that this changes the flavour and the bonito-free version suits vegetarians.
- Potato starch can be replaced with cornflour. Cornflour gives a slightly thinner crust.
- Mooli can be replaced with a small amount of grated white turnip, or leave it out and add extra ginger.
- For a touch of sweetness in the traditional way, replace the sugar with 1 tbsp mirin if you use it.
Serve with
Serve in deep bowls with steamed rice, a simple cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar, and hot green tea. For a bigger meal, add a bowl of miso soup or sautéed greens.
Storage
Fried tofu and broth keep best separately. Refrigerate in covered containers for up to 1 day. The coating will not stay crisp.
Reheating
Warm the broth on the stove until steaming. Re-crisp the tofu in a hot dry pan or oven at 200°C for 5 to 6 minutes, then pour the broth around it.
Nutrition per serving, estimated
Not shown for this recipe because it can’t be estimated reliably (for example, oil absorbed during deep frying varies a lot).
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