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Unohana (Simmered Okara)
Serves 3–4 · About 30 min
A moist, slightly sweet side dish: okara (soy pulp) stir-fried and simmered in dashi with carrot, shiitake and fried tofu.
① Cut the filling into thin strips→② Stir-fry the toppings→③ Add the okara and stir-fry→④ Simmer with dashi and seasonings→⑤ Mix in the green onions to finish
What to buy
Tofu
Vegetables
Seasonings & dry goods
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How to make it
1
Cut the filling into thin strips
- Carrot: peel and cut into thin strips 3 cm long
- Shiitake: wipe off dirt with a paper towel (don't wash with water). Cut off the stems (the hard part at the bottom) and slice thinly
- Fried tofu (aburaage): put it between paper towels and press hard with your hand to remove the oil on the surface. Cut in half lengthwise, then into thin strips 5 mm wide
- Green onions: Cut from the end into 2–3 mm slices
How to tell it's doneAll the ingredients are thin enough to pick up easily with chopsticks.
Be carefulWhen using a knife, curl the fingertips inward on the hand holding the food (cat's paw).
2
Stir-fry the toppings
- Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pot (or frying pan) over medium heat
- Add the carrot, shiitake and fried tofu, and stir-fry while mixing with a spatula
How to tell it's doneThe carrot is soft enough to bend, and the shiitake are limp.
3
Add the okara and stir-fry
- Add the okara, and stir-fry it with the other ingredients, breaking up lumps with a spatula
- Keep mixing without stopping, scooping and turning from the bottom of the pot
How to tell it's doneThe okara is crumbly, coated in oil all over, and the bean smell changes to a toasty smell.
Be carefulOkara sticks to the bottom and burns easily. Don't stop stirring in this step.
4
Add the dashi and seasonings and simmer
- Add 200 ml water, 1 tsp dashi granules, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp mirin and 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce and mix
- When it starts bubbling on medium heat, turn to medium-low heat and cook off the liquid, stirring from the bottom now and then
How to tell it's doneWhen you drag a spatula across the bottom of the pot, it leaves a path and almost no liquid flows back. But when you pinch the okara with your fingers, it's still moist (not dry).
Be carefulJust before the liquid is gone, it suddenly burns easily. Keep stirring for the last 2–3 minutes.
Be carefulOkara soaks up moisture and gets firmer as it cools, so it's OK to stop when it seems a little too moist.
5
Mix in the green onions to finish
- Turn off the heat, add the green onions, and mix lightly
- Taste it. If bland, add soy sauce 1/2 tsp at a time and mix
- Put in a bowl. It's also good after it cools
ReadyIt's light brown and moist enough that it holds together softly when you pinch it.
Be carefulFor leftovers, once they cool a little (within 1 hour), put them in a container with a lid in the fridge. Don't leave them out at room temperature. Eat within 2–3 days.
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🔪 Cutting & cooking tips
If it didn't work out
It turned dryYou cooked off too much liquid in step 4. Add water 2 tbsp at a time, mix on low heat, and stop when it's moist. Next time turn off the heat a little earlier.
It's watery and mushyIt didn't simmer long enough in step 4. Keep stirring on medium-low heat, 2–3 minutes more at a time, until it leaves a path on the bottom of the pot.
It tastes too beanyThe okara wasn't stir-fried long enough in step 3. Next time stir-fry it well until it's crumbly and smells toasty, then add the liquid.
The bottom burnedYou stopped stirring just before the liquid ran out. Don't scrape off the burnt part; move only the top part to a bowl. Next time keep stirring for the last few minutes.
Too bland or too sweetIf it's bland, add soy sauce 1/2 tsp at a time. If it's too sweet, use 1 1/2 tbsp sugar next time.
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