Simmered Koya-dofu and Vegetables
高野豆腐と野菜の煮物 · Koya-dofu to Yasai no Nimono
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Koya-dofu is tofu that has been freeze-dried into light, spongy blocks; once soaked, it soaks up whatever broth it simmers in, so every bite is full of sweet, savory dashi. Here it cooks alongside thinly sliced pork, carrot and daikon, with bright green peas stirred in at the end. The soft, juicy texture is easy for even small children to chew, and it is a traditional way to get plant protein, calcium and iron into a mild, comforting dish that children happily eat with rice.
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
- 4.5 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.
- 13.5 gthinly sliced pork (komagire)Small, thin offcuts of pork sold in Japan for quick stir-fries and simmered dishes. Substitute: Thinly sliced pork shoulder or loin cut into bite-size pieces.
- 12 gcarrot
- 21 gdaikon radish
- 2.1 gfrozen green peas
Seasonings
- 37.5 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.
- 1.8 gsugar
- 3.2 gsoy sauce
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- 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.
- thinly sliced pork (komagire) (豚こま切れ肉)
- Small, thin offcuts of pork sold in Japan for quick stir-fries and simmered dishes. Substitute: Thinly sliced pork shoulder or loin cut into bite-size pieces.
- 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 cut it into 1 cm cubes. Cut the pork into 1 to 2 cm wide pieces, and cut the carrot and daikon into thick quarter-rounds (icho-giri).
- 2
Briefly boil the green peas.
- 3
Put the dashi stock, carrot and daikon in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the koya-dofu, pork and sugar, and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
- 4
Add the soy sauce and simmer briefly. To finish, stir in the green peas from step 2.
Sugar has a softening effect on ingredients, so we add it at the start to tenderize everything and let the sweetness soak all the way in.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 66 kcal | 132 kcal | 66 kcal |
| Protein | 5.9 g | 11.7 g | 5.9 g |
| Fat | 2.8 g | 5.7 g | 2.8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4.7 g | 9.3 g | 4.7 g |
| Fiber | 0.9 g | 1.8 g | 0.9 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Calcium | 39 mg | 78 mg | 39 mg |
| Iron | 0.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Potassium | 174 mg | 348 mg | 174 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 66 kcal | 5.9 g | 2.8 g | 4.7 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g | 39 mg | 0.5 mg | 174 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 132 kcal | 11.7 g | 5.7 g | 9.3 g | 1.8 g | 0.9 g | 78 mg | 0.9 mg | 348 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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