Tofu Miso Katsu
For an easy dinner, try this Japanese recipe for crispy fried tofu served with a sweet and savoury red miso sauce.
Introduction
Miso katsu is a speciality of Nagoya, home to the famous Hatchō miso that features in the dish’s sauce. It is exactly what you might guess it is from the name: tonkatsu, smothered in a sauce of dark red miso, dashi and other seasonings. It’s excellent with pork, of course, but it works with basically any protein, and it is a nice match for the mellow beany flavour of tofu.
Ingredients
| 4 tbsp | very dark red miso, such as Hatchōor brown rice miso |
| 4 tbsp | sake |
| 4 tbsp | honey or maple syrup |
| 2 tbsp | mirin |
| 2 tbsp | water |
| ¼ tsp | dashi powder |
| ½ tsp | grated fresh root ginger (optional) |
| a dash of | Worcestershire sauce (optional) |
| 1 block (300–400g/10½–14 oz) | medium or firm (cotton) tofu (smoked tofu is also tasty),patted dry |
| salt, pepper and MSG, to taste | |
| 50g (1¾ oz/scant ½ cup) | plain (all-purpose) flour |
| 100ml (3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup) | water |
| about 100g (3½ oz/1¾ cups) | panko |
| vegetable oil, for frying | |
| sesame seeds, to garnish |
Method
Combine the miso, sake, honey or maple syrup, mirin, water, dashi powder, ginger and Worcestershire sauce (if using) in a saucepan and whisk well, until no lumps of miso remain. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes to cook off the alcohol from the sake. Don’t let the sauce reduce. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Cut the tofu in half to form two rectangular ‘cutlets’, and season each one with a pinch of salt, pepper and MSG. Whisk together the flour and water to make a batter, then dip each tofu katsu into it, then dredge in the panko to coat.
Pour enough oil into a frying pan to come up to a depth of about 5 mm (¼ in), then set over a high heat. When the oil is shimmering and feels hot when you hold your hand above its surface, lower in the tofu katsu and fry for about 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp all over. Drain on paper towels, then slice and serve with the miso sauce spooned over the top. Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy with rice and vegetables.
Reviews
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