"Hiryouzu (Fried Tofu Fritter)" is a dish made by crushing tofu, mixing it with vegetables, and deep-frying it in oil. It is also called "Ganmodoki."
Eat it fresh from the pan while still hot, with ginger soy sauce! Or drizzle Kuzu sauce on top for an even fancier touch!
It's vital to dehydrate the tofu properly. If the tofu is not dense enough, add more potato starch to thicken it up.
Please refer to the recipe for Shojin Dashi broth.
Soak the dried Shiitake overnight. Thinly slice the caps. Tear the Shiitake stems and use them too.
2
Wrap the firm tofu in paper towels and place a heavy object on top for at least three hours to dehydrate. The height and width should reduce by half.
3
Soak the Wood ear in 40 degrees Celsius lukewarm water for 20–30 minutes to rehydrate. Drain with a sieve. Remove the tough parts and cut them into long and thin slices.
4
Peel the skin from the lotus root and chop very finely. Cut the carrot into thin slices 2cm in length. Remove the strings from the snow peas and thinly slice them diagonally.
5
Add the Dashi broth, soy sauce, Mirin, Shiitake, black fungus, and lotus root into a pot and bring to the boil. When the liquid has evaporated, add the carrots.
6
Boil the liquid from 5. until it has almost all evaporated, stirring all the while with a spatula. Remove the remaining water with a paper towel and coat the ingredients with potato starch.
7
Blend the tofu and Yamato potatoes with a food processor. Place in a bowl, add potato starch and salt, and mix. Add the ingredients from 5. and mix well.
8
Pour 4–5cm of oil into a small frying pan and heat up. At 160–170 degrees Celsius, fry the ingredients from 7. shaped into round balls, adding the Ginkgo nuts on top.
9
Lightly coat in oil to shape the tofu paste into balls easily. The oil on the surface will allow you to make them nice and round.
10
When the Hiryouzu from 8. are golden brown on the underside, flip them over. When they are golden brown all over and start to float in the oil, they are done.
11
Enjoy straight out of the pan while still hot, with ginger soy sauce. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, you won't be able to stop eating!
12
Add A, to a pot and bring to a boil. Add the Kuzu starch dissolved in water.
13
Pile up the Hiryouzu on a plate, top with the Ankake thick sauce, and enjoy with green vegetables and grated ginger.
