Hiyayakko is cold Tofu salad widely eaten in Japan during hot weather. Basic Hiyayakko is eaten simply with chopped green onion and Katsuo dried bonito flakes drizzled with soy sauce. If you like to eat Hiyayakko throughout the whole summer, that might be a bit boring. We will show you three more ways to arrange Hiyayakko here.
Tuna (canned) and mayo is a popular filling for Onigiri rice balls as well as sandwiches in Japan. Then why not using it as a topping on Tofu too? The richness of tuna-mayo compensates for Hiyayakko being mild or plain. We also added chopped Shiso leaves to give some refreshing flavor to the tuna mixture. If you want some kick, add Shichimi red pepper on top.
Another topping uses semi-dried baby anchovy. The anchovy is cooked in sesame oil at low heat to make it nice and crispy. Mixed with plenty of chopped green onion and aromatic grated ginger root, this is a flavorful and tasty one for cold Tofu.
Cucumber and Umeboshi pickled sour plum topping is tangy and crunchy and it’s a perfect cold salad for summer. Because Umeboshi is sour and salty, it can be used as a seasoning when mixed with other ingredients. Remove any excess moisture from cucumber beforehand so the salad doesn’t get too watery.
Drizzle soy sauce or Ponzu sauce over each dish before serving. Hiyayakko is a nice side dish for dinner or an appetizer with a cold drink. Hope you will enjoy different ways to eat cold Tofu this summer!
(Each topping is about 2 servings.)
Hiyayakko (Cold Tofu Salad) 3 Ways
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Ingredients
- 1 block Tofu 14 oz (400 g)
- soy sauce
- Ponzu sauce
Tuna Salad Topping
- 3 Shiso leaves
- 3 Tbsp canned Tuna
- 1 Tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
Crispy Baby Anchovy Topping
- 3 Tbsp semi-dried baby anchovies
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp ginger root grated
Cucumber and Plum Topping
- 1 cucumber small
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 Umeboshi pickled sour plum
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- For Tuna Topping. Chop Shiso leaves. Mix tuna, Shiso, and mayo in a bowl. Put the tuna mixture on Tofu and top with some soy sauce.
- For Baby Anchovy Topping. In a frying pan, put sesame oil and anchovies, and cook at medium low heat until crispy. Remove from heat, add thinly sliced green onion and grated ginger. Put the anchovy mixture on Tofu and top with some soy sauce.
- For Cucumber and Plum Topping. Slice cucumber very thinly. Sprinkle salt and let sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze out water. Remove the pit from the pickled sour plum and chop its meat to make a paste. Combine cucumber, plum paste, and sesame seeds. Put the cucumber mixture on Tofu and top with some soy sauce.
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