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Seasoned Aburage (sesame flavored)

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Here's another dated recipe from the 80's that I still make to this day, seasoned aburage (deep fried tofu pouches). You'll find many different names for this side dish in local cookbooks. Some call it aburage pupu and others even label it as aburage taegu or aburage kimchee. For the most part, the ingredients listed tend to all be the same, it's the measurements that vary. That's because everyone's tastes differ, some may want it to taste sweeter, more garlicky, or spicier. The recipe I'm sharing with you today is how my family likes it, more sesame flavored with just a hint of heat.

By the way, I've been noticing that here on Oahu it's getting harder to find locally made aburage. None of the supermarkets near my home sell it anymore. If I want to make this now I have to drive out to Don Quijote in town. They almost always have Aloha Tofu aburage in stock. The reason why I like to use locally made ones is that they're usually not pre-seasoned like the Japanese imported aburage, plus it just tastes fresher.

Seasoned Aburage (sesame flavored)

If you're not from Hawaii you're probably wondering, how do I eat this? Well, you can serve this by itself as a pupu, but if you're going to do that I suggest adding some thinly sliced sweet Maui onions to it and maybe some hijiki or other type of seaweed as well (I'll share a recipe I have for this at another time). You can also eat the seasoned aburage with hot rice, but mostly what I use this for is a topping to eat with soba noodles. It adds so much flavor to it!

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