Japanese fried tofu patties get a severe enhance of umami from the dashi-based broth on this Simmered Ganmodoki recipe. With store-bought or frozen home made ganmodoki, you’ll be able to put this gentle, satisfying dish on the desk in simply 35 minutes. {Vegan-Adaptable}
I’m at all times in search of nutritious, balanced, and engaging meals that I can get on the desk rapidly on a weeknight. One dish that matches the invoice is Simmered Ganmodoki (がんもどきの含め煮), or Japanese deep-fried tofu patties gently cooked in a easy but savory broth.
As working mother and father with schedule-packed youngsters, we depend on meal-prep and freezer-friendly elements. Ganmodoki are available in Japanese markets; they’re additionally simple to make from scratch and freeze for future meals like this! My complete household loves this gentle and savory dish. I hope you’ll give it a strive, too!
What’s Ganmodoki
Ganmodoki (がんもどき) are deep-fried tofu patties initially invented as a dish in Japanese Buddhist vegan delicacies generally known as shojin ryori (精進料理). It was mentioned to style like goose and thus named gan (goose) + modoki (pseudo). Quick ahead to at present, these scrumptious bean curd fritters are gaining recognition worldwide as a protein-rich meals favored by vegetarians and vegans.
All of it begins with a pack of medium-firm tofu (agency is just too robust) that’s pressed, mashed, and blended with colourful minced greens and seaweed. It binds collectively with out cornstarch, utilizing both crushed eggs or vegan mountain yam (nagaimo or yamaimo) that you just peel and grate. The tofu combination is fashioned into small patties, then deep-fried till golden brown.
You could have tried making my recipe for home made ganmodoki. They style so recent and scrumptious produced from scratch, with a pleasing texture that may’t be beat! You may learn my Ganmodoki weblog put up to be taught extra about them.
Whether or not home made or store-bought, these tofu patties are extremely handy and versatile, as they freeze properly and are meal-prep pleasant. Serve them sizzling dipped in a bowl of soy sauce with grated ginger or pack them in a bento lunchbox. They’re additionally a nutritious addition to nimono (simmered meals) like Simmered Ganmodoki.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Cooked in an umami dashi-based broth, simmered ganmodoki is each gentle and satisfying. This recipe is:
- Fast — Prepared in 35 minutes utilizing store-bought or frozen home made patties.
- Straightforward — Parboil the tofu patties and simmer in dashi broth. It couldn’t be easier!
- Nutritious — They’re chock-full of protein, greens, and sea greens. I added minced carrots, edamame beans, shiitake mushrooms, and hijiki seaweed in my recipe. You would additionally use burdock root, lotus root, inexperienced beans, wooden ear mushrooms, kombu strips, and black sesame seeds.
Components for Simmered Ganmodoki
You’ll want tofu patties, Japanese soup inventory, and some pantry elements for the simmering broth:
- Ganmodoki: Purchase them at a Japanese market or make them from scratch. I like utilizing frozen home made ganmodoki, which you’ll prepare dinner straight from frozen with out thawing first!
- Dashi: Japanese soup inventory supplies the umami spine to this dish. Make commonplace Awase Dashi forward of time, or use a handy dashi packet to save lots of time. You may substitute Vegan Dashi for vegan/vegetarian. I don’t advocate dashi powder (see why beneath).
- Soy Sauce, Mirin, Sugar, and Salt: These pantry elements provides seasoning and stability to the broth. You solely want a couple of pinch or tablespoon of every.
- Komatsuna: You want simply 1 oz of this inexperienced vegetable to present the dish a pop of coloration and extra vitamins. For those who can’t discover it, substitute spinach, bok choy, or your favourite inexperienced vegetable.
The right way to Make Simmered Ganmodoki
- Blanch the komatsuna in boiling water. Minimize it into bite-sized items to serve on the facet later.
- Parboil the ganmodoki in the identical water to take away the surplus oil.
- Simmer the ganmodoki within the dashi and sugar, with out the lid, for quarter-hour.
- Add the soy sauce and mirin to the broth. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Flip off the warmth. Serve instantly, or allow them to sit within the broth some time to soak up extra taste.
Substitution Ideas and Variations
You may adapt this recipe to experiment with different elements as properly.
- Any ingredient appropriate for simmering will work right here. For a protein-forward dish, strive atsuage (deep-fried tofu), Japanese fish desserts and fish balls (nerimono 練り物) from an oden set, and even hard-boiled eggs. Plant-based choices embrace daikon radish, konnyaku (konjac jelly cake), kombu, or mochi-filled fried tofu pouches.
- Whereas I used komatsuna, you’ll be able to select any inexperienced vegetable that you just like. Strive one other leafy inexperienced vegetable like spinach or bok choy. Relying on what’s in season, you possibly can use inexperienced beans, snow peas, snap peas, asparagus, or broccoli florets. Be certain that to blanch the greens till crisp-tender.
- Substitute lemon zest as a garnish if you happen to don’t have yuzu zest.
Recipe Ideas and Methods
- Use actually good dashi. I can’t stress this sufficient! Dashi is the important thing to the simmering broth’s scrumptious taste, so good high quality is essential. You may make commonplace Awase Dashi (with kombu and katsuobushi) utilizing a handy dashi packet in 3 minutes or from scratch in 20 minutes. Vegans and vegetarians could make a shiitake and kombu Vegan Dashi in half-hour. Dashi powder doesn’t produce the standard of dashi wanted and is unsuitable right here.
- Put together chilly brew dashi prematurely. Take into account making chilly brew dashi for excellent taste and comfort. A protracted, light steeping time truly extracts probably the most taste. The prep is tremendous simple with largely inactive time. Steep your batch of chilly brew Vegan Dashi and Awase Dashi on the counter for two–3 hours within the summertime and 4–5 hours within the wintertime. It retains for 3–5 days within the fridge, and you should utilize the leftover dashi in different recipes.
- Use the identical boiling water to blanch the komatsuna and parboil the ganmodoki.
- Cool the ganmodoki within the broth. For deeper umami, flip off the warmth after simmering and let it cool on the countertop. This permits the patties absorb the scrumptious dashi flavors!
The right way to Retailer
- To Refrigerate: Let cool utterly. Maintain it in an hermetic container and retailer it within the fridge for as much as 3 days or within the freezer for as much as a month. Don’t freeze beforehand frozen ganmodoki.
- To Reheat. For the most effective outcomes, gently reheat the leftover simmered ganmodoki on the stovetop or microwave, however don’t overcook it.
What to Serve with Simmered Ganmodoki
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Simmered Ganmodoki
Japanese fried tofu patties get a severe enhance of umami from the dashi-based broth on this Simmered Ganmodoki recipe. With store-bought or frozen home made ganmodoki, you’ll be able to put this gentle, satisfying dish on the desk in simply 35 minutes. {Vegan-Adaptable}
Components
Stop your display from going darkish
Directions
To Simmer the Ganmodoki
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In a pot (I used a 2.75-QT Staub spherical pot), mix 2 cups dashi (Japanese soup inventory) and 1½ Tbsp sugar. Combine and put aside.
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In the identical boiling water you used to blanch the komatsuna, parboil 8 ganmodoki (Japanese fried tofu patties) for 10–15 seconds to take away any extra oil. Tip: For those who‘re utilizing ganmodoki from the freezer, you’ll be able to add them frozen with out thawing first.
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Switch the ganmodoki to the pot with the dashi utilizing a fine-mesh strainer. Then, activate the warmth to medium and convey it to a simmer.
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As soon as simmering, skim the scum and foam from the floor. Simmer gently, uncovered, for quarter-hour.
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After quarter-hour, add 2 Tbsp soy sauce and 2 Tbsp mirin. Optionally, you’ll be able to add 1 pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt, however I didn‘t use any this time. Stir gently, then simmer for one more 10 minutes. The Simmered Ganmodoki is now able to serve. Alternatively, you’ll be able to flip off the warmth and let it cool on the countertop. Tip: Like different Japanese simmered meals (nimono), letting this dish cool within the broth permits the savory dashi flavors to soak into the patties.
To Serve
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Serve the Simmered Ganmodoki sizzling in particular person bowls. Reheat it if you happen to let it cool within the earlier step, however be certain that to not overcook it.
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Ladle a small quantity of the simmering broth into every bowl. Garnish with yuzu zest and the blanched komatsuna. Get pleasure from!
To Retailer
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You may maintain the leftovers in an hermetic container and retailer for 3 days within the fridge or for as much as a month within the freezer. Don’t freeze beforehand frozen ganmodoki. Reheat the leftovers earlier than serving, however don’t overcook it.
