Glossary - Ingredients

Aburaage / Thin Deep-Fried Tofu

Thinly sliced deep-fried tofu, great for all kinds of sides

What is aburaage?

Aburaage / thin deep-fried tofu (油揚げ in Japanese) is thinly sliced tofu with the moisture removed, then deep fried. "Aburaage" (thin deep-fried tofu) can then be grilled and eaten with soy sauce, or used in soups, stews, or on cooked rice. It can also be opened like a pocket and stuffed with sushi rice to make "inarizushi".

Nutrition facts

Aburaage is characterized by its abundance of vegetable protein and calcium. It is also composed of many nutrients necessary for growth, such as iron, magnesium, and niacin. It also contains functional ingredients found in soybeans, such as isoflavones and saponins. Isoflavones have female hormone-like effects, and contribute to preventing osteoporosis and regulating hormone balance. Saponins also have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
However, as aburaage is made by deep-frying tofu in oil, it is high in fat and calories if eaten as-is. For this reason, it is generally consumed after removing the oil by boiling the aburaage in water or pouring boiling water over it.

Storage to prevent food loss

It will expire in 3-4 days after refrigerating. If not using immediately, cut into short pieces before freezing since the oil oxidizes quickly.

Cooking Basics

Tofu (deep-fried) - removing excess oil

Since these days high-quality cooking oils are used for deep-frying, it is not always necessary to remove excess oil. However, remove excess oil if there is an odor, and when you want the tofu to thoroughly soak up flavor. For quickly simmered dishes, place the deep-fried tofu into a strainer and pour boiled water all over it. For inari sushi (sometimes called inarizushi, stuffed fried tofu pouches) and simmered dishes with deep flavor, place the deep-fried tofu into boiling water and allow to boil for about 5 minutes before using.