So, your hungry RIGHT NOW, don’t have time to mess about! Well you’re in luck with a quick recipe for a super fast lunch with Japanese elegance. May I present yudofu 湯豆腐. Literally, hot water tofu- with all the fixin’s!
See cheat sheet at the end to eat this in under 10 minutes.

-and don’t forget the tea!

Ingredients

• Boiling water
• Firm unpressed tofu, cut into small blocks- 1/2 block per bowl
• konbu-dashi granules (seaweed stock) about 1 tsp per bowl
  or- water soaked with a piece of konbu

Measure out the exact amount of water you will have in your bowl(s).
Bring to a boil and add the konbu-dashi (available at Asian stores. Make sure there isn’t any surprise bonito/katsuo in the stock).
Add tofu, about 1/2 block per serving.
Boil 5 minutes.
Pour everything into a bowl
Grab a small dish for placing the tofu on when eating.

Dipping sauce

• soy sauce based dipping sauce. AKA tsuyu つゆ.
  Most tsuyu have fish (bonito/katsuo) in it, keep an eye out for a seaweed or mushroom based sauce. This may be easier to find in a Taiwanese or Chinese store/area than Japanese. If you cannot find a fish-free dipping sauce, make your own: 1:1:4 parts = Soy sauce : Mirin : Konbu-dashi

Place in smaller bowl for dipping

Toppings

• grated ginger
• sliced spring onions
• toasted sesame seeds (& crushed optional)
• grated daikon (mooli/giant white radish), optional

Place each topping in their own dish, or arrange on a plate.

Eat

• Dip hot tofu into dipping sauce and place on it’s own small dish. Choose toppings to add to it. CHOW DOWN.

Cheat sheet

• Measure and boil your water (add extra if you’re making a tea). While coming to a boil, cut tofu into blocks. No need to drain the tofu. Get konbu-dashi granules ready.
• Add clean water to tea. Boil the rest with tofu & dashi for 5 min.
• While boiling tofu: grate ginger (& daikon, opt) & slice green onions. Add them to separate dishes with pre-toasted sesame seeds (not a huge deal if they’re not toasted).
• Pour dipping sauce into bowl.
• BEEP BEEP BEEP
• Pour yudofu into your bowl. Take leaves/bag out of tea.
• Take a deep breath and enjoy the tasty simplicity of this meal.
• Wash your dishes when you’re done, you’ll thank yourself later =)