Koya-dofu Ankake Don (Freeze-Dried Tofu Rice Bowl)
高野豆腐のあんかけ丼 · Koya-dofu no Ankake Don
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Koya-dofu is freeze-dried tofu, a traditional Japanese pantry staple that turns spongy and soft once rehydrated and soaks up whatever broth it simmers in. Here it is cooked with chicken thigh, carrot and onion in a lightly sweetened dashi, then thickened with potato starch into an "ankake" sauce that clings to the rice and makes every spoonful easy for small children to eat. Cutting everything into 1 cm pieces keeps the bowl toddler-friendly, and the green peas add a pop of color that helps this one disappear from plates in preschool kitchens.
Wheat-free, but uses soy sauce (made with wheat). Japanese school-lunch allergy menus usually allow it, so check with your doctor. How to read the labels
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 75 griceJapanese short-grain white rice (japonica), which cooks up soft and slightly sticky. The amount listed is for uncooked rice. Substitute: Sushi rice, or another short-grain or medium-grain rice such as Calrose.
- 10.1 gkoya-dofu (freeze-dried tofu)Shelf-stable blocks of freeze-dried tofu that are soaked to rehydrate and soak up simmering broth beautifully. Substitute: Firm tofu, pressed and cubed.
- 30 gchicken thigh
- 15 gcarrot
- 22.5 gonion
- 3.3 gfrozen green peas
Seasonings
- 2.3 gvegetable oil
- 60 gdashi stockJapanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- 2.6 gsugar
- 3.6 gsoy sauce
- 0.1 gsalt
- 2.3 gpotato starch (katakuriko)Japanese potato starch used for thickening sauces and coating fried foods. Substitute: Cornstarch: start with the same amount and add a little more if it is still thin. It thickens a little less than potato starch and needs a couple of minutes at a gentle bubble to reach full thickness.
- 2.3 gwater
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- rice (米)
- Japanese short-grain white rice (japonica), which cooks up soft and slightly sticky. The amount listed is for uncooked rice. Substitute: Sushi rice, or another short-grain or medium-grain rice such as Calrose.
- koya-dofu (freeze-dried tofu) (高野豆腐)
- Shelf-stable blocks of freeze-dried tofu that are soaked to rehydrate and soak up simmering broth beautifully. Substitute: Firm tofu, pressed and cubed.
- dashi stock (だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- potato starch (katakuriko) (かたくり粉)
- Japanese potato starch used for thickening sauces and coating fried foods. Substitute: Cornstarch: start with the same amount and add a little more if it is still thin. It thickens a little less than potato starch and needs a couple of minutes at a gentle bubble to reach full thickness. Read the guide: Katakuriko (Japanese Potato Starch) and What to Use Instead → Guide: japanese-school-lunch.com/articles/katakuriko-potato-starch/
Directions
- 1
Rehydrate the koya-dofu and cut it into 1 cm dice. Cut the chicken into 1 cm pieces. Cut the carrot into quarter-rounds (icho-giri) and slice the onion thinly, cutting the slices to half length. Briefly blanch the green peas.
- 2
Heat the oil in a pot, add the carrot and onion and sauté well. Add the chicken and sauté.
- 3
Add the dashi stock, koya-dofu, sugar, soy sauce and salt, and simmer until everything is soft.
- 4
Stir in the potato starch dissolved in water to thicken the sauce, then add the green peas. Spoon over freshly cooked rice.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 421.5 kcal | 843 kcal | 421.5 kcal |
| Protein | 15.8 g | 31.5 g | 15.8 g |
| Fat | 10.6 g | 21.3 g | 10.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 67.4 g | 134.7 g | 67.4 g |
| Fiber | 1.8 g | 3.6 g | 1.8 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 82.5 mg | 165 mg | 82.5 mg |
| Iron | 1.5 mg | 3 mg | 1.5 mg |
| Potassium | 297 mg | 594 mg | 297 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 421.5 kcal | 15.8 g | 10.6 g | 67.4 g | 1.8 g | 0.8 g | 82.5 mg | 1.5 mg | 297 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 843 kcal | 31.5 g | 21.3 g | 134.7 g | 3.6 g | 1.5 g | 165 mg | 3 mg | 594 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
Ingredients in this recipe
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