Chilled Silken Tofu with Ginger and Scallions Japanese Hiyayakko

Hiyayakko (冷奴) is a traditional Japanese dish that consists of fresh cold tofu served with various seasonings and toppings. It’s incredibly simple, but at the same time, it’s absolutely delicious and one of those dishes common during Japan’s scorching summers as an appetizer, dessert, or small snack. This dish is so ubiquitous in Japan that people say no recipe is needed (meaning you just put whatever you feel like or whatever you have on hand on top and you are done, its like saying you dont need a recipe for a ham and cheese sandwich) ;D

The dish itself is basically fresh tofu or silken tofu topped with chopped scallions, grated ginger, and a bit of soy sauce… that’s it! Tofu doesn’t really taste like much on its own, so it’s all about texture. If you add honey or caramel, it becomes a dessert. If you add a bit of the saltiness from soy sauce and some aromatics like in this recipe, it takes on a whole new savoury dimension, and serving it cold makes everything even more delicious.

I’ve included in the notes more traditional hiyayakko seasonings and toppings. This is a delicious light snack at pretty much any time of day, and it’s very much part of the Japanese way of serving meals as several small dishes that you can enjoy, this would be one of them, easy to make and delicious. Ready for the “recipe”? Let’s go! ;D

Chilled Silken Tofu with Ginger and Scallions Japanese Hiyayakko

Servings: 2
Time: 10mins
Difficulty: Easy
Rating: ★★★★★
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This is literally just seasoning tofu, its light, super nutritious and quite delicious if i say so myself ;D

Ingredients

Silken Tofu – 2 Packages
Chives – 4 Tablespoons (Finely Chopped)
Ginger – 1 Tablespoon (Grated)
Soy Sauce – 2 Tablespoons

Directions

You can cut the cold tofu into small cubes (more common with silken tofu) or mash it a little (more common with fresh tofu, which tends to be even softer).
Finely chop the spring onion and grate the ginger.
Place the tofu on a plate or in a bowl, cover with half the spring onion and ginger, followed by 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and that’s it, ready to eat! Enjoy!

Notes & Tips: The ideal way to make hiyayakko is with fresh soft tofu, but if that’s not available, it must be made with silken tofu (or soft tofu). Tofu commonly comes in two formats: a more pressed and firm tofu which is common nowadays, and silken tofu which, since it’s not pressed, is very creamy with a texture like a soft pudding, that’s what you need to use for hiyayakko.

The seasonings are also to each person’s taste. I personally like my hiyayakko with a bit more scallions and ginger and less soy sauce. As with all things, adjust to your liking.

Note that I’ve given normal quantities, typically it’s a full package of fresh tofu (about 5.3 oz / 150g) per person, but that might be too much for one person, so you can also adjust that to your taste ;D

Here are more popular seasonings and toppings for hiyayakko, in addition to scallions, ginger, and soy sauce: bonito flakes (katsuobushi), tenkasu (tempura bits), ponzu, mentsuyu, cooked okra, abura-age (fried tofu), daikon (radish), yuzu kosho, kimchi, grated carrots, chili oil, chili crisp, dulse flakes, chopped nori, sesame seeds, furikake, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, ume paste, oni karashi (Japanese mustard), fried onions, and natto.

Look for packages labeled “silken tofu” or “soft tofu” in the refrigerated section or shelf-stable section of Asian markets or well stocked grocery stores. The texture should be very delicate and custard like, not firm.

Also make sure your tofu is well-chilled for the best experience. Some people even pop it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before serving (but don’t freeze it solid as this changes the texture).

This recipe for Chilled Silken Tofu with Ginger and Scallions Japanese Hiyayakko was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Hiyayakko Tofu Frio Temperado Japonês foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.