Donabe winter months go on. That was the day to pull out Mushi-nabe — a steamer kind of day. Steamed Shrimp on Tofu from Classic and Modern Japanese Clay Pot Cooking.
These are absolutely ingenious shrimp tofu bites — chopped salted and peppered shrimp mounded on bite size pieces of tofu. Sprinkled with potato starch through a sieve which binds them together, these mini pyramids are steamed on a bed of Napa leaves to prevent from sticking. They can be cooked at the table and ready to eat in about seven minutes.
WHAT WENT IN
FOR THE SHRIMP
— 4 oz peeled and deveined shrimp, rinsed, patted dry, and coarsely minced
— 1 tsp teaspoon potato starch
— 1 egg white
— 1 tsp sake
— pinch of sugar
— pinch of salt
— freshly ground white pepper to taste
TO ASSEMBLE
— 1 x 19 oz package soft tofu, cut into bite size pieces
— potato starch for sprinkling
FOR THE SAUCE
— 2 Tbsp minced scallions, white and green parts
— 1 tsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger
— 1 clove garlic, finely grated
— 1 teaspoon sugar
— 1/2 tsp thinly sliced dried red chilies or red pepper flakes
— 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
— 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
— 1 Tbsp sake
THE PROCESS
1. In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the shrimp and mix thoroughly with your fingers.
2. Line up a steamer either with Napa leaves or parchment paper and place tofu slices on top wider side up.
3. Mound portions of shrimp mixture on top of each piece.
4. Using a sieve, sprinkle potato starch over the top of each piece.
5. Bring the water in a steamer to a rolling boil and steam tofu bites covered for about 8 minutes
6. To make the sauce, combine scallions, ginger, garlic, sugar and chilies in a bowl. Heat sesame oil over high heat until smoking and pour over the aromatics. Add soy sauce and sake to catch some residual heat.
7. Pour the sauce over the tofu bites and serve.
