My friend Mika introduced me to this traditional delicacy enjoyed by Japanese monks, and I’ve been utterly addicted since my first euphoric taste. This chilled sensation is made with sesame (goma) instead of soy. I’ve served this to ardent tofu haters and they have begged on their knees for just one more bite. In Japanese monasteries, the junior monks grind the sesame seeds by hand so the older monks can get their fix. But who has time for that? I use a pure roasted, unsalted tahini or a plain sesame paste (just ground sesame seeds) from a Japanese grocer. This is then blended with kuzu-root powder and a seaweed broth called kombu dashi that is easy to make but requires an hour.
The sesame flavor is the star in this tofu, and sauces can overwhelm it, so plain old tamari and wasabi are my go- to accompaniments for ultimate pleasure. To cook the tofu, you must stir the mixture continuously with the patience of a monk because it can turn on a dime and burn. It takes some work, but is so worth it. I love it so much I may consider being reincarnated as a monk but a senior one. I don’t want to grind all those seeds!