Kani Kabocha Tofu Gratin (Crab and Kabocha Gratin With Tofu Cream Sauce) Recipe
by Naoko Takei Moore
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Easy
One of the most beloved Japanese donburi dishes, oyako don gets its name from oyako (parent and child) and don (short for donburi, or rice bowl), as the dish brings together chicken and egg. Instead of the traditional sliced chicken thigh, I actually prefer this version made with minced chicken. The texture is delicate and the soft eggs blend beautifully with the chicken and mushrooms.
I like to serve with a generous sprinkle of good-quality katsuobushi (bonito flakes) over the rice before scooping the chicken and egg mixture on top – it creates such a magical combination of flavours. The toppings are flexible, but I usually go with mitsuba (Japanese parsley) and sansho (Japanese mountain pepper) for egg dishes, or a pinch of yuzu-flavoured chilli pepper for a nice aromatic kick. Shichimi togarashi, pickled ginger or your favourite herbs also work well.
Chicken and egg are both excellent sources of protein that are believed to help build qi (vital energy), making this dish great for both physical and mental recovery. Ginger and shiitake are thought to support digestion and gently warm the body. It’s a nourishing bowl for a good recharge.
Recipe extracted from Simply Donabe, by Naoko Takei Moore published by Quadrille Images © Matt Russell
Ingredients for Kani Kabocha Tofu Gratin Cream Serves: 4
- 300 g medium-firm tofu
- 60 ml pure soya milk
- ½ tbsp kudzu starch
- 2 tbsp Saikyo miso or other sweet white miso
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp sea salt
Ingredients for Kani Kabocha Tofu Gratin Donabe
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 250 g kabocha squash, skin thinly peeled, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) cubes
- 150 g shimeji mushrooms, trimmed
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tbsp sake
- 2 tbsp water
- ½ tbsp Shio-Koji , or more to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 220 gcrab meat
- 50 g Gruyère cheese, grated, or more to taste
To serve Kani Kabocha Tofu Gratin
- lemon zest
- chopped dill
How to make Kani Kabocha Tofu Gratin
- Preheat the oven to 240°C/460°F (220°C/430°F fan).
- To make the tofu cream, place the tofu in a shallow tray and top with a flat tray or small cutting board. Add a weight 1–1.5 times the tofu’s weight and let it sit for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture. Drain the liquid and pat the tofu dry with a paper towel.
- Whisk the soya milk and kudzu starch in a small bowl until smooth.
- Combine the tofu, miso, olive oil, salt and the soya milk mixture in a food processor. Process until very smooth.
- Heat the olive oil in a donabe over medium heat. Add the kabocha and mushrooms and sauté for about 2 minutes until the mushrooms are soft. Add the garlic and fennel seeds, and sauté another 2 minutes. Add the sake and water, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid is mostly reduced. Add the shio-koji and some black pepper and stir. Turn off the heat.
- Top with the crab meat and spread the tofu cream, followed by the cheese, evenly in layers over the top. Bake in the oven, uncovered, for 20–25 minutes until the surface is golden brown and bubbling.
- Mix the lemon zest and dill and sprinkle over the top to serve.
- FLAVOUR VARIATION: The tofu cream sauce is versatile – you can add meat or keep it completely plant-based by omitting the crab and using plant-based cheese. Some of my other favourite combinations are sautéed spinach and chicken, or corn and short pasta.
About the author
NAOKO TAKEI MOORE is a Japanese home-cooking expert who teaches cooking classes in Los Angeles, California. Her company, toiro kitchen, sells donabe and Japanese artisan products, with a mission of promoting donabe in the U.S.
