4: Simulating Oysters (Tofu with Korean Dressing)

My favorite sushi bar makes these fantastic raw oysters. Now the oysters part is just ok; what makes the dish for me is the way they dress them. They are served on the half shell, sitting in this sweet, tangy spicy mixture ponzu, sesame oil, and gochoojang, the Korean chili paste. You pick up the shell and pour everything into your mouth and your tongue explodes with flavor.

I've made sushi at home using raw fish from the Korean market but raw oysters are a bit too intimidating for me. I don't know how to pick out a good one and am afraid to death of eating a bad one. I've been thinking for several weeks about what might make a good substitute for oysters so that I can enjoy this delectable treat at home and have finally settled on tofu.

Tofu may seem like an odd choice but the oyster's qualities I was hoping to simulate included the soft texture, mild flavor with a hint of salty fishiness, and that could be portioned into the correct serving size - a single mouthful.

I began with firm tofu, cut into bite sized pieces, and boiled it in a pot with a tight fitting lid which is essential for softening the tofu to the right consistency. To infuse it with a mild fish taste, I used dashi, a simple Japanese broth made from dried anchovies and kombu (dried seaweed), as the liquid. (If you need measurements, it is about two cups water, five large dried anchovies, and a 1" x 2" piece of kombu.)

In the serving dish, I poured in about a quarter inch of ponzu (came to about 1/4 cup). You want to have enough liquid that you can scoop it up into the spoon when you pick up the tofu. I sprinkled in a teaspoonful of sesame oil, but this is really to taste. Start with a small amount as sesame oil can quickly overpower most dishes. You can always add more.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tofu from the broth to the dressing. Top each piece with a squirt of watered down, seasoned gochoojang. Garnish with slivered green onions and carrots and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

When eating, you want to simulate pouring the oyster floating in dressing so when you scoop up a piece of tofu, be sure to also get a lot of the dressing and gochoojang.

This first attempt was pretty good but it wasn't quite right. Next time I think I'll add some Thai fish sauce to my broth to give the tofu just a bit more fish flavor. My proportions weren't exactly right on the vinegar and sesame oil. I'm looking forward trying many more times to get it exactly right!