Koya Tofu Braised with Shitake and Vegetables

Koya-Dofu To Hoshi Shitake No Taki Awase

This dish features koya tofu (pronounced dofu in this context) - a freeze-dried tofu attributed to the Buddhist monks at Mt. Koya near Osaka.

The koya tofu is available as shelf stable dry cubes:

When reconstituted in warm water, the koya tofu softens and becomes resiliently and absorbent. In fact, they resemble small latex sponges!

Another uncommon ingredient in this dish is gobo (burdock root). I'm wondering how gobo is cultivated to allow it to grow to a full yard in length?

In this dish, the koya tofu is braised with shitake mushrooms, lotus root, gobo, carrots, and snow peas. Gently seasoning the dish with soy sauce, sake and sugar allows the textures and flavors of the tofu and vegetables to remain distinct and clear.