Ajitsuke Age (Seasoned Fried Bean Curd) (Frozen)

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

Ajitsuke Age is also called inari age, and is a classic Japanese delicacy made with seasoned fried bean curd. Ours come from Osaka, and will arrive frozen, and ready to eat. These are pockets of deep-fried tofu, seasoned with sugar, mirin (or sake), soy sauce, and a dashi-based broth. It’s soft and fluffy in texture, and sweet and slightly savory in flavor.

PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS

Ajitsuke Age is usually used as ingredient for Inari Sushi, or Inari Rolls. You can also serve it over rice or noodles. A classic way to use it is as ingredient in Kitsune Udon.

A FOX’S FAVORITE

Ajitsuke inari age is commonly used as an ingredient in “kitsune udon,” which literally means “fox noodles” in Japanese. According to one theory, aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch) is often depicted as a fox’s favorite food in Japanese folktales, so people began to call the udon noodle soup topped with tofu pouch “kitsune udon.” Another theory claims that people call aburaage “kitsune” because the color of the deep-fried tofu pouch resembles that of a fox’s fur. This makes sense because “cook until fox color” is a figurative term for “cook until golden brown” in Japanese recipes.

Storage Instructions

Keep frozen. Once thawed, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and consume within 2-3 days.