Goma-dofu

The temple dish that contains no soya bean at all: white sesame ground to a smooth cream and set with kudzu starch into a trembling, ivory block of astonishing richness and silken texture, the most refined creation of Japan's Buddhist shojin kitchen, served cool with a dab of wasabi and a thread of soy

Origin: Mount Koya, Japan

From the journey of Sesame.

Goma-dofu is called a tofu but holds no soya bean: it is sesame 'tofu', a masterpiece of shojin ryori, the vegetarian temple cuisine of Japanese Buddhism. It is most associated with Koyasan (Mount Koya), the monastic centre of the Shingon sect in Wakayama, where the monks have made it for centuries and where it is sold to pilgrims to this day. The technique is patience itself: sesame is ground for a long time to release its oil and become a smooth cream, combined with kudzu (the starch of the kudzu vine) and water, and then stirred over heat without pause until it thickens into a glossy paste that sets, on cooling, into a block of remarkable silkiness and a deep, nutty richness that needs no animal fat to achieve. White sesame gives the classic pale version; black sesame makes a dramatic grey one. Sesame, known in Japan as goma, runs through the whole of the country's cooking, but nowhere is it raised so high as in this quiet temple dish.

Ingredients

Sesame tofu

  • 80 g white sesame seeds, plus a few black sesame seeds to garnish
  • 50 g kudzu starch (kuzuko), or substitute potato starch
  • 500 ml water (or light kombu dashi for depth)
  • 1 pinch salt

To serve

  • 2 tsp wasabi paste
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce or a little sweetened soy (for drizzling)

Method

  1. Toast the white sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes until pale gold and fragrant. Cool slightly.
  2. Grind the sesame in a suribachi (Japanese ridged mortar) or a small blender for several minutes, working patiently until it breaks down past a powder into a smooth, oily, spreadable paste, almost a sesame butter.
  3. In a heavy saucepan, whisk the kudzu starch into the cold water until fully dissolved with no lumps. Whisk in the sesame paste and the salt until smooth.
  4. Set the pan over medium-low heat and stir constantly and firmly with a spatula, reaching into the corners, as the mixture heats. It will thin, then suddenly begin to thicken and turn glossy and translucent.
  5. Once thick, keep stirring vigorously over low heat for a further 8 to 10 minutes; the paste will become heavy, smooth, and elastic, pulling away from the base of the pan. This long cooking is what gives the proper texture.
  6. Wet a square mould or small loaf tin with water and scrape in the hot paste, smoothing the top and tapping out air bubbles. Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 3 hours until firmly set.
  7. Turn out and cut into squares with a wet knife. Serve cool, each piece topped with a little wasabi, a few black sesame seeds, and a thread of soy sauce poured around.

Notes

Goma-dofu is best eaten within a day of making, as the kudzu set firms and dries over time. Kudzu (kuzuko) gives the authentic, uniquely elastic and glossy texture and is worth seeking out; potato or arrowroot starch will set it but with a softer, less springy result. For a striking variation, use black sesame, which gives a smoky-grey block traditionally served with a dab of sweetened miso. A pinch of sugar in the mix gives the dessert-leaning version eaten with kuromitsu (black sugar syrup).

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