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HIYAYAKO - CHILLED TOFU AND DIPPING SAUCE

Recipe Introduction


Hiyayako [HE-YAH-YAH-KOH] is a summertime favorite among the Japanese. It can be served as either an appetizer or a snack. In many restaurants it is served in a wooden tray with a miniature house in one corner. Dry ice is placed inside the house to help keep the tofu cold and emits litle puffs of CO2 smoke through the house's chiminey.This recipe serves 2.





List of Ingredients



• 1 Tub. Firm Japanese tofu (soy bean curd) in water.
  
• 2 T. Light shoyo (soy sauce).
  
• 1 t. Japanese green wasabi hot mustard.
  
• 2 t. Green onion, white and green parts, very thinly sliced crosswise.
  
• 2 t. Dried bonito fish flakes (optional).
  
• 2 t. Freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  
• 2 t. Japanese Sake or rice wine.
  






Instructions



1. Place the unopened tub of tofu into the refrigerator to cool.
   
   
2. Place all of the ingredients except the tofu, Bonito flakes and wasabi, in a bowl and blend thoroughly. Set in refrigerator to cool.
   
   
3. Prepare two 5" to 6" diameter china bowls (preferably flat shaped with vertical sides) by filling half full of cold FILTERED water and a few ice cubes.
   
   
4. Remove the tofu from the refrigerator, slightly pull open one corner of the tub cover, drain off all of the packing liquid, refill the tub with cold FILTERED water, and completely drain again.
   
   
5. Use a serrated-edge bread knife to slice the tofu, first horizontally through into three equally thick layers, and then crosscut vertically into 1" cubes.
   
   
6. Place equal amounts of the tofu in the bowls prepared in Step 3 and add a few more ice cubes. If the tofu is not almost completely covered by the water, add more FILTERED water.
   
   
7. Pour the chilled dipping sauce of Step 2 into two small (3" diameter X 1" deep) china or glass bowls. Place a 1/2 t. lump of the wasabi on the edge of each bowl.
   
   
8. If the optional Bonito flakes are wanted, sprinkle 1 t. over the sauce in each bowl.
   
   
9. Serve the tofu and sauce bowls together with Ohashi (japanese chopsticks) for eating. Salad forks can also be used for the Ohashi uninitiated.
   
   






Final Comments


Before beginning to eat, mix small amounts of the wasabi mustard into the dipping sauce until the desired degree of spicyness is reached.This dish is very light and is appropriate for any time of day. Iced tea with lemon and simple syrup (for easy sweetening) is a perfect accompaniment. You might want to try a mix of Japanese Green tea and "Twinings" English Earl Gray tea.