Komo-dofu (Straw-Wrapped Seasoned Tofu)

Quick answer

Total time: 70 min
Level: Hard
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 7

About this dish

Komo-dofu is an Ibaraki tofu dish.

Blanched tofu is crumbled while hot, packed tightly into food-safe rice-straw wrappers, rested into firm cylinders, removed from the straw, and slowly simmered in a sweet soy seasoning. As the curds compress back together, small channels remain inside and absorb the liquid, while the wrapper leaves a striped surface and a faint straw aroma. Tofu supplied valuable protein when meat was difficult to obtain, but spoiled quickly, so a local account says villagers pooled straw and prepared large batches together. In central Ibaraki it became food for weddings and funerals, often rested overnight after simmering for deeper seasoning.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
firm tofu	4	blocks
soy sauce	1	cup
mirin	0.5	cup
sugar	1	cup
sake	0.5	cup
water	2	cups
untreated food-safe rice-straw wrappers	2	sheets

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Heat

Shake surface dust from 2 untreated food-safe rice-straw wrappers and wash thoroughly under running water.

Sanitize in boiling water for 10 minutes, then spread on a clean rack until cool enough to handle. Do not use decorative straw or straw of unknown pesticide treatment.
2

Heat

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the 4 firm tofu blocks one at a time for 2 minutes each.

Drain for 3 minutes, then while still hot, place in a clean bowl and crumble roughly into pieces no larger than 2cm.
3

Step

Pile half the crumbled tofu lengthwise in the center of each straw wrapper.

Roll tightly into 2 cylinders about 7cm wide and tie each at both ends and the center with cotton kitchen twine. Rest under a light press for 30 minutes to set the shape.
4

Control

Untie and carefully peel away the straw wrappers to release the tofu cylinders.

Combine 1 cup soy sauce, 0.5 cup mirin, 1 cup sugar, 0.5 cup sake, and 2 cups water in a wide deep pot and bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring.
5

Control

Lower the 2 tofu cylinders into the boiling seasoning and reduce to low heat.

Fit a parchment drop lid directly on top and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, spooning liquid over them every 5 minutes. Remove from heat when hot through and evenly brown with seasoning.
6

Finish

Transfer the tofu and seasoning to a shallow sealed container, cool to 4°C or below within 2 hours, and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Before serving, cut the cylinders into 2cm slices, divide among four plates, and spoon 1 tablespoon seasoning over each.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Four blanched tofu blocks pressed into two straw-wrapped rolls
Finish cue: Transfer the tofu and seasoning to a shallow sealed container, cool to 4°C or below within 2 hours, and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
Avoid this: Do not use decorative straw or straw of unknown pesticide treatment.
Storage and reheating: In central Ibaraki it became food for weddings and funerals, often rested overnight after simmering for deeper seasoning.