Tofu with Ponzu Sauce - Hiyayakko Tofu

Kim flies into LA most weekends and occasionally arrives too late to go out for dinner, so I usually prepare a light snack for when she arrives. So last weekend, she came in late and I was working late too and didn't have much time to cook--but I still wanted to prepare something quick and light for a late night snack. Lucky for us, we had all the ingredients to make hiyayakko tofu, a wonderfully light and refreshing Japanese dish of cold soft tofu with a variety of different toppings. This dish is the counterpart to agedashi tofu found in many Japanese restaurants. But unlike agedashi tofu, no frying is required and it's is so easy you can do this in 5 minutes.

Cold Tofu with Ponzu Sauce - Hiyayakko Tofu
Printable Recipe (serves 2)

• 1 package of cold soft tofu (we prefer silken tofu but you can use cotton strained as well)
  
• 1 package of bonito flakes
• 1 package of pickled ginger
• 1 tbs thinly sliced scallions
• Perilla/Shiso leaves
• Optional: fried shallots, roasted sesame, sliced jalepeno
  

Ponzu Sauce

• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs rice vinegar
• 1.5 tbs lemon or lime juice
• 1 tbs mirin
  
• 1 ts sesame oil

Carefully remove cold tofu from container and drain. Slice into small squares/rectangles or what have you and set in serving dish. Keep chilled in fridge if not serving immediately.

In separate bowl, combine the ingredients for the ponzu sauce. It's basically a vinaigrette so adjust the seasoning to suit your tastes.

Top with pickled ginger, scallions, perilla/shiso, jalepeno or whatever ingredient you think might go well. Spoon some ponzu sauce and finally top with the crunchier ingredients such as bonito flakes, fried shallots, or roasted sesame.

A perfect, healthy summer snack or appetizer!

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