Tumai Kuru to Shima-Dofu
紅芋と島豆腐·(too-my koo-roo toh shee-mah doh-foo)
Asa to Jushi: Grounding Morning Rhythms
In Okinawa, breakfast is not a polite, delicate affair; it’s a meal built for survival. This undeniably hearty morning bowl relies on two pillars of island cooking: dense, meaty shima-dofu and the vibrant purple sweet potato that sustained generations. You won't find true island tofu in an Ohio supermarket, but wrapping standard extra-firm tofu and pressing it under a cast-iron pan gets you exactly where you need to be. Teaming up with the buttery sweetness of the potato in a savory dashi, this is the exact, unpretentious bowl a grandmother would hand you to brace yourself for the day.
Before you start
Mix the dashi.
If you are using dashi powder instead of homemade dashi, simply whisk 2 teaspoons of the powder into 4 cups of water before beginning the recipe.
Ingredients
- extra-firm tofu14 oz
- Okinawan purple sweet potato3/4 lb
- awase dashi4 cup
- miso paste3 tbsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- scallions1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Press the tofu.
Wrap the drained tofu block tightly in two layers of thick paper towels, set it on a rimmed plate, and place a heavy cast-iron skillet on top for 15 to 20 minutes to squeeze out the moisture.
- 02
Tear, don't slice, the pressed tofu.
Unwrap the dense tofu block and use your hands to tear it into rustic, jagged chunks, then toss them gently with the kosher salt so the uneven edges can act like a sponge for the broth.
- 03
Par-cook the sweet potato.
Place the cubed sweet potato in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 tablespoon of water, cover tightly, and microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes until just tender to a fork.
- 04
Simmer the dashi.
Bring the dashi to a gentle simmer in a medium pot over medium heat, taking care not to let it reach a rolling boil.
- 05
Combine and warm through.
Drop the salted tofu chunks and par-cooked sweet potatoes into the simmering broth, letting them warm together for 3 to 4 minutes.
- 06
Dissolve the miso off the heat.
Turn the heat off entirely, place the miso in a ladle, and use chopsticks to dissolve it into a bit of the hot broth before stirring it fully into the pot.
- 07
Garnish and serve.
Ladle the hot soup into wide bowls ensuring equal parts tofu and potato, then top generously with the sliced scallions.
Notes
The secret is in the prep.
Tearing the tofu rather than cutting it ensures the jagged edges absorb the morning broth. Similarly, microwaving the sweet potato first prevents its starches from turning the beautiful dashi grey and murky.
Sourcing the sweet potato.
Look for pale skin and purple flesh at your local Asian market, often labeled 'Stokes Purple' or 'Hawaiian Sweet Potato'. If unavailable, a Japanese Murasaki or standard yellow sweet potato works flawlessly; just avoid watery orange American yams.
From Cook Okinawan in America.