News Discussion

RECIPE | Easy Japanese Fall Side Dish: Persimmons with Creamy Tofu

Across Japan, the leaves are starting to turn vibrant shades of yellow, and the glossy orange of ripe persimmons perfectly captures the spirit of fall.

A dish that pairs beautifully with persimmons is shiraae (白和え) — a traditional Japanese side dish in which vegetables are tossed in a creamy tofu-based dressing. The gentle sweetness of the persimmons complements the savory flavor of the sauce wonderfully.

The key to making good shiraae is removing as much moisture from the tofu as possible — this is the most time-consuming step in an otherwise simple dish.

To speed things up, wrap the tofu in paper towels, place it on a plate, and microwave it uncovered for about three minutes. Once cooled, discard the paper towels and crumble the tofu by hand. Then, mix it with the seasonings and ground sesame seeds listed below to make the shiraae dressing.

This version of shiraae features shungiku (春菊, edible chrysanthemum greens), which are in season from autumn to winter and can be found in most supermarkets in Japan. The crisp stems of shungiku complement the sweetness of the persimmons perfectly. If you can’t find shungiku, you can substitute arugula, spinach, or watercress.

There are two key tips for making this dish especially tasty: 1. Because the stems and leaves have different textures and cooking times, boil them separately — start with the stems and add the leaves a little later.

To prevent the dish from becoming watery, try a quick "soy sauce rinse" for the shungiku. After boiling and draining the greens, lightly sprinkle them with soy sauce, then squeeze out any excess moisture. This not only removes extra water but also adds a subtle flavor.

2. When selecting persimmons, choose ones that are slightly firm rather than fully ripe — they hold their shape better and add a pleasant texture. For a fun twist, try garnishing with chopped walnuts or a little yuzu peel.

Ingredients (serves 4)

Instructions
1. Prepare the tofu: Drain the tofu and wrap it in a paper towel. Place it on a microwave-safe plate and heat at 600 W for 3 minutes. Let it cool.

2. Make the dressing: Remove the paper towel and crumble the tofu into a large bowl. Stir in 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce, ¼ tsp salt, and the ground sesame seeds until well combined.

3. Cook the shungiku: Pick the leaves and separate the stems from the leaves. Boil the stems first in lightly salted water, then add the leaves. Transfer the cooked greens to cold water. Cut the stems diagonally into 2 cm pieces, roughly chop the leaves, and squeeze out any excess water.

4. Season the shungiku: Place the drained greens in another bowl, sprinkle with 2 tsp soy sauce, mix well, and squeeze again to remove extra moisture.

5. Prepare the persimmon: Peel the persimmon, remove the seeds, and cut it into sticks about 7–8 mm thick.

6. Assemble the dish: Gently combine the tofu dressing, shungiku, and persimmon. Toss everything together and serve.

1. 1. ripe　（果物が）熟した
   To make a banana split, you need a ripe banana, ice cream, and chocolate sauce.
2. 2. moisture　水分、湿気
   Over the ocean, the air contains a lot of moisture.
3. 3. prevent　防ぐ、妨げる
   Take short breaks during the day to prevent stress.
4. 4. drain　（水を）排出する、水を切る
   The city maintenance workers drained the water tower to clean it.
5. 5. firm かたい、しっかりした
   The pudding will become firm after it sits in the refrigerator for a few hours.

1. 1. What is the most important thing to do to make tasty shiraae? How can you do it more quickly?
2. 2. What are the ingredients for shiraae? Try not to look at the article again.
3. 3. How do you prepare the shungiku?
4. 4. What dishes do you like to eat in the autumn?
5. 5. Tell the ingredients to one of your favorite dishes. Then tell how to make it. It can be a dish that is special to autumn, or it can be an everyday dish.

気がつけば木々の葉が色づき始め、オレンジ色に変わってきました。柿の実のつやつやとしたオレンジ色も、秋を感じる色彩です。

「柿を使って白あえを作ってみましょうか。秋ならではのおいしさよ」と、江上料理学院副院長の江上佳奈美先生がすすめてくれました。

まずは、時間のかかる豆腐の水切りからですよね？

「電子レンジを使うと簡単で、時短になるの」と江上先生。ペーパータオルで包んでお皿にのせ、ラップをかけずに3分ほど加熱しました。そのまま冷めるまでおいてからペーパータオルを外し、手で崩します。調味料とすりゴマを加えて混ぜ合わせれば、あえ衣の出来上がり。

柿に合わせるのは、秋から冬に旬を迎える春菊です。おいしく仕上げるためには2つのコツがありました。葉と茎ではかたさが違い、火の通る時間も違うので、最初に葉と茎を分けて、熱湯には茎を先に入れ、しばらくしたら葉も入れて一緒にゆでます。

その後で江上先生が「仕上がりの味が水っぽくならないように『しょうゆ洗い』をしましょう」。水気を絞った後、しょうゆをまぶして、もう一度絞ります。さらに水気がしっかり取れて、薄く下味もつきます。

柿は熟したものより、かためのほうが向いているとか。滑らかなあえ衣に柿と春菊を加えて、彩りよく仕上がりました。ひなちゃんは鼻を近づけて「ゴマの香りがします～」。春菊の茎のシャキッとした食感が心地よく、柿の甘みと合います。クルミやユズの皮を加えてアレンジしながら、食欲の秋を楽しみたいな。

材料・4人分
柿……2分の1個

春菊……200グラム

木綿豆腐（300グラム）……2分の1丁

すりゴマ（白）……大さじ2

塩、しょうゆ、砂糖

作り方
❶豆腐は水気を切ってペーパータオルで包み、耐熱皿にのせて600ワットの電子レンジで3分加熱し、そのまま冷ます。

❷①のペーパータオルを取り除いて大きめのボウルに入れ、手で崩す。砂糖、しょうゆ各小さじ1、塩小さじ4分の1、すりゴマを加え混ぜる。

❸春菊は葉を摘み取り、葉と茎に分ける。塩少量を加えた熱湯に茎、葉の順に入れてゆで、冷水に取る。茎は2センチ幅の斜め切りに、葉はざく切りにして、かたく水気を絞る。

❹別のボウルに③を入れてしょうゆ小さじ2をふり、全体を混ぜて、もう一度絞る。

❺柿は皮をむいて種を取り除き、7～8ミリ角の棒状に切る。

❻②に④⑤を加えてあえ、器に盛る。