Koya-dofu Soboro Don (Freeze-Dried Tofu Rice Bowl)
高野豆腐のそぼろ丼 · Koya-dofu no Soboro Don
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Soboro don is a Japanese rice bowl topped with a crumbly, seasoned mince, and this version stretches the pork with koya-dofu, a freeze-dried tofu that soaks up dashi, sugar and soy sauce beautifully. Blitzed into fine crumbs, the tofu blends right in with the meat, so children who are wary of tofu happily eat it without noticing. The topping is soft, gently sweet and easy to scoop up with a spoon, which is exactly why it goes down so well 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.
- 6.8 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.
- 15 gcarrot
- 30 gground pork
Seasonings
- 3 gvegetable oil
- 22.5 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.
- 1.4 gsugar
- 3 gsoy sauce
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.
Directions
- 1
Soak the koya-dofu in water to rehydrate it, then squeeze it out well. Finely chop it in a blender or food processor.
- 2
Finely dice the carrot.
- 3
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the carrot and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- 4
Add the ground pork and the koya-dofu from step 1 and sauté, then add the dashi stock, sugar and soy sauce and keep sautéing until the flavors are absorbed.
- 5
Spoon the mixture over freshly cooked rice.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 394.5 kcal | 789 kcal | 394.5 kcal |
| Protein | 13.8 g | 27.6 g | 13.8 g |
| Fat | 11.1 g | 22.2 g | 11.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 61.5 g | 123 g | 61.5 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | 2.1 g | 1 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Calcium | 54 mg | 108 mg | 54 mg |
| Iron | 1.4 mg | 2.7 mg | 1.4 mg |
| Potassium | 228 mg | 456 mg | 228 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 394.5 kcal | 13.8 g | 11.1 g | 61.5 g | 1 g | 0.5 g | 54 mg | 1.4 mg | 228 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 789 kcal | 27.6 g | 22.2 g | 123 g | 2.1 g | 0.9 g | 108 mg | 2.7 mg | 456 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.
