Creamy Avocado Tofu
Hakata TonTon, a popular Japanese restaurant in New York City specializing in Fukuoka-style hot pots, recently reopened in a new location and under new ownership — Hand Hospitality, which also operates Korean concepts including Atoboy and Atomix — in Midtown Manhattan. One of the small plates by executive chef Koji Hagihara is this dish, for which he starts with creamy soy milk imported from Japan that he stirs slowly over very low heat, slowly adding seawater until it coagulates into a creamy tofu, which he says is a traditional tofu-making method in Fukuoka.
He pours the tofu into serving vessels, chills them and at service tops them with avocado mashed with sesame oil, plus a little wasabi. It’s served with a side of dashi to pour on top before eating.
“This is a great dish for those who love soft textures,” he said. “The tofu is so velvety and rich, with a melt-in-your-mouth quality. And despite its simplicity the aroma of soy milk is strong and complemented well by the creamy avocado and the hit of umami from the dashi.
Price: $9