This is the recipe that Sachi invented, the one I mentioned last week. It’s a simple dish that should take no more than 15 minutes to produce; however, a few of the ingredients may not be available to those of you outside Japan, unless you have a good Oriental Foods section at your local supermarket, or have a store specializing in such goods nearby you. If not, then you’ll have to fudge on a few of the ingredients. But if you can do it, this is a fairly cheap, pretty simple, and very delicious dish. I was lucky enough to have Sachi make it for me tonight, and chronicled the process.

The recipe below is proportioned for one person; just multiply for each additional guest. Sachi cooked for two below. Enjoy!

Ingredients (per person served):

• 1 package / 300g Tofu (soft, white variety)
• 150-200g ground hamburger (any other ground meats can be substituted, if you want to try)
• 1 bunch green onions (“negi“)

The following are approximate amounts; you may change to suit taste:

• pinch of red peppers
• 1 tsp. Kim-chi sauce or other hot sauce
• 1 ¹/₂ tsp. Mirin (a Japanese cooking saké), or sweet white wine
• 5-6g sugar (you can use a sugar packet for coffee, or two depending on the size)
• 2-3 tsp. Tsuyu sauce (soy sauce which contains “dashi“; you may add soup bouillon to soy sauce instead)

Directions:

Unpack the tofu, drain liquid, and wrap in paper towels to dry; set aside.

Rinse green onions, cut off and dispose of the root ends, and chop into ¼-inch lengths. Rinse again in colander; set aside (this will look like a lot, but will shrink with cooking).

Put ground hamburger into an non-oiled fry pan; cook on medium-to-high flame until it changes color to brown (not dark brown). After that, keep the flame on medium.

If you prefer the mix to be not-so-fatty: Segregate the hamburger to one side of the pan, then tilt the pan to drain some (but not all) of the fat; collect with a paper towel, which you throw out.

Add the green onions;

Add a pinch of red peppers, and then start mixing;

Add 1 or more teaspoons of Kim-chi sauce or other hot sauce of your liking, mix;

Add 2 teaspoons of Mirin or wine, mix;

Add sugar; mix.

Add 2-3 teaspoons of Tsuyu sauce or Soy/bouillon sauce, and mix.

Taste what you have so far to see how it’s going; add whatever of the ingredients you feel needs to be added.

Unwrap the tofu from the paper towels, and hold in your hand. Be careful–it’ll fall apart easily! Using a knife, gently cut the tofu down the center, then across its width five times, so you have 12 slices; place on a plate and stagger them a bit. You may heat the tofu in the microwave if you prefer a completely hot dish; otherwise, it will be a hot/cool dish (which I prefer).

Then just dish the hamburger-negi mix onto the tofu.

Done!

Eat with a spoon, and have it with beer, sake, shochu, or wine. You might want to add a salad. Yummy!