Nanohana no Shiro-ae (Tofu-dressed Rapeseed Shoots)
Nanohana no Shiro-ae (Tofu-dressed Rapeseed Shoots) is a traditional Japanese recipe for a classic vegetarian dish of blanched rapeseed shoots marinated in dashi stock and soy sauce that are served in a tofu paste flavoured with tahini, sugar and soy sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Japanese version of: Tofu-dressed Rapeseed Shoots (Nanohana no Shiro-ae).
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The flowering of oilseed rape marks the arrival of spring in Japan and, during this season rapeseed shoots are often served in aemono (cooked salad dishes).
For the Marinade:
300ml dashi stock
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/3 tsp salt
Method:
Warp the tofu in plenty of paper towels then place a large-flat plate on top and press down with a heavy weight. Set aside to press for 12 hours to remove excess moisture from the tofu.
Cut off any hard roots from the young rapeseed shoots then trim the shoots into bite-sized pieces. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil, add the rapeseed shoot pieces and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain, allow to cool then squeeze out any excess moisture.
In the meantime, combine the dashi stock, light soy sauce and salt in a saucepan. Bring just to a boil then take off the heat and set aside to cool.
Add the blanched rapeseed pieces to the cooled marinade and set aside for 5 hours. In the meantime, take the drained tofu, chop up then grind to a paste using a pestle and mortar (traditionally a ribbed mortar known as a suribachi is used in Japan.
Work in the sugar, soy sauce and tahini then grind the mixture once more to combine. Remove the rapeseed stalks from the marinade and drain then place in a bowl and dress with as much of the tofu dressing as needed to coat them. Mix lightly then turn onto a serving dish. Garnish with the black sesame seeds and serve.
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