Hiyayakko is such a simple dish that it doesn’t really need directions but it’s a great side dish that goes with almost anything so I thought it was worth talking about. It’s literally just tofu, some toppings and soy sauce. The most popular way to eat it is with katsuobushi, myoga, ginger and soy sauce. I like to mix it up every now and then so this time I decided to top it with komatsuna, a little ginger and soy sauce. If you ever get handmade tofu, I think the best way to eat it is simply with grated ginger and soy sauce.
Boil the komatsuna without cutting off the ends. Cook for about about 3 minutes. This makes it easier to keep it together and cut it later.
Drain the komatsuna and cool with cold water.
Grate about 1/2 an inch of ginger. You don’t need a lot, about a 1/8 of a teaspoon per serving.
After squeezing out the water, cut it up into 1 inch wide pieces. 1 stalk is more than enough for 3-5 servings.
Use pieces from different parts of the komatsuna, and top with ginger and drizzle soy sauce on top.
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Naomi Kuwabara was born and raised in California but spent many summers in Japan growing up. She has spent time living in Hokkaido and Osaka, both meccas for Japanese cuisine. Her passion is cooking and sharing her experiences cooking Japanese food with others. Her blog Umamitopia is about her experiences cooking Japanese food. Her greatest inspirations are from her mother and grandmother. Her cooking adventures can be found at http://umamitopia.com.
