Hiyayakko (Cold Tofu) is perfect as a snack and refreshing as a summertime appetizer.

Food Advertisements by

Ingredients:

• 1 block fresh silken tofu.
• 2 stalks garlic chives
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons bonito flakes

Banno Soy Sauce:

• ½ cup mirin
• 1 ½ cups shoyu sauce
• 6 inch piece of kombu seaweed, wiped clean.

Optional extras:

• Finely julienned shisa leaves
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Daikon
• Red chilli powder

Preparation:

1. To make the banno soy sauce, bring the mirin to the boil in a small saucepan, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
2. Remove from the heat and add the shoyu sauce and the kombu. Leave to cool.
3. Grate the ginger, and slice the garlic chives very finely.
4. Drain the tofu in a colander, and dry it carefully with kitchen paper.
5. Cut the block of tofu into eight equally sized cubes.
6. For each serving place two cubes of tofu into a shallow flat serving bowl.
7. Sprinkle freshly grated ginger in a neat pile in the centre of each cube.
8. Sprinkle the garlic chives on top of the ginger and allow a few pieces to scatter around the plate.
9. Pour a tablespoon of banno soy sauce over each pair of tofu cubes.
10. Just before serving sprinkle the bonito flakes on top.
11. The shisa leaves, sesame seeds, daikon and red chilli powder are optional extras to the recipe. Choose one or at most two of them, and sprinkle them on top as well.