Japanese Agedashi Tofu Recipe — Crispy Fried Tofu in Dashi Broth

Agedashi tofu is one of the more technically demanding simple dishes in Japanese cooking. The difficulty is not in the individual steps but in the timing: the tofu must be fried to order and served immediately in the warm broth. The crispy potato starch skin begins to soften the moment it touches the liquid. Within 2-3 minutes, the textures change. It's designed to be eaten quickly.

What You Need

• 1 block silken tofu (300-400g) — soft tofu, not firm
• 4 tbsp katakuriko (potato starch) or cornstarch for coating
• Neutral oil for frying (2-3cm depth in a pot)

Broth:

• 200ml dashi
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin

Garnish:

• 2 tbsp grated daikon radish (drain excess liquid)
• 2 tbsp katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• Sliced scallion

How to Make It

Drain the tofu: Remove tofu from packaging. Place on a paper towel-lined plate. Place more paper towels on top with a light weight (another plate). Let drain 20-30 minutes. The drier the tofu, the better the coating adheres. Silken tofu releases a surprising amount of water.

Warm the broth: Combine dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a small pot. Heat to just below simmering. Keep warm.

Cut and coat: Cut drained tofu into 4-6 rectangular pieces. Coat each piece thoroughly with potato starch, patting it in gently. Shake off excess — the coating should be thin and even, not thick and clumpy.

Fry: Heat oil to 180°C (356°F) in a pot wide enough to hold the tofu without crowding. Gently lower each piece into the oil. Fry 3-4 minutes until the exterior forms a thin, crisp crust. The tofu may stick to the bottom initially — let it sit undisturbed until it releases naturally. Turn gently.

The color: Agedashi tofu should be pale — barely golden, not dark. Dark frying indicates the oil is too hot or the frying time is too long.

Drain briefly on a rack or paper towel.

Serve immediately: Place tofu pieces in individual shallow bowls. Pour warm broth over and around. Top with grated daikon, bonito flakes, and scallion.

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The potato starch coating on agedashi tofu slowly dissolves into the broth as you eat, gradually thickening the sauce. If you eat quickly, you get the contrast of crispy coating and warm broth. If you eat slowly, the sauce becomes slightly viscous — equally good, but different. Both are correct.