Aburaage

Aburaage is one of many different versions of fried tofu in Japanese cuisine. It’s similar to atsuage in that it’s made of firm tofu and is fried without dredging, but unlike atsuage, aburaage is sliced very thin so that, after frying, it consists mostly of just the fried outside. From there, aburaage is often split open to be a little “pouch” that can be stuffed with fillings.

A common usage for aburaage is to make inarizushi, where aburaage is stuffed with vinegared sushi rice.

Other than for inarizushi, aburaage is also used in soups, hot pot, oden, udon, noodle dishes, and more. Kitsune udon is one especially popular dish with aburaage; the name literally translates to “fox udon,” supposedly because of the legend that the mythological kitsune foxes love aburaage.

The sponginess of aburaage makes it soak up the flavors it’s cooked with, which is part of what makes it so great in soup dishes and other broths. Inari age, for example, is made by simmering aburaage in dashi, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar to impart a sweet-and-savory flavor.

To make aburaage, first it’s pressed in cloth or paper towels — ideally for an hour or more —  with either a tofu press or just a heavy object to help drain moisture. Then, it’s fried twice, once at a lower temperature, and a second time at the standard 350-375 degrees to reach its final sponge-y crispiness. Ideally, you can then quickly dunk the aburaage in simmering water right after frying to remove excess oil.

Unlike most fried foods, you can make aburaage ahead of time and then store it in the fridge for days after.

You can get pre-made aburaage at Uwajimaya or, to make it yourself, you’ll find firm tofu in our Grocery department.