Convection Steam Oven Agedashi Tofu
Convection steam recipe summary: Agedashi tofu — pressed medium-firm tofu, dusted in potato starch, steamed then dry-roasted in a convection oven for an even, all-over crust, and served immediately in warm tentsuyu broth. The most consistent of the three methods, and the best for batch cooking.
Servings: 3
Equipment
- convection steam oven
Ingredients
Tofu
- 14 ounces block of medium-firm tofu
- 3 tablespoons potato starch
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- pinch of salt
Tentsuyu Broth
- 1 cup dashi homemade or instant
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional - taste first
Toppings
- grated daikon
- thinly sliced scallions
- freshly grated ginger
- bonito flakes
- Shichimi togarashi optional
Instructions
Press the Tofu
- Remove the tofu from its package and set it on a double layer of paper towels. Cover with more paper towels and place a light weight on top — a small plate or cutting board is enough.
- Press for 15 to 20 minutes. The tofu should feel noticeably firmer, and the paper towels should be visibly damp when done.
Make the Broth
- While the tofu presses, combine dashi, soy sauce, and mirin in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm until just below a simmer. Taste — it should be savory, slightly sweet, and clean. Add sugar only if needed to round. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting.
Preheat Oven & Prepare Tofu
- Preheat convection steam oven to 400°F. Set to combination mode: steam + convection if your oven has it, or plan to manually introduce steam in the first phase (see Step 4). Line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack and brush or spray lightly with neutral oil.
- Cut tofu into 6 to 8 cubes per block. Season with salt.
- Coat evenly in potato starch, shake off excess. Arrange on the wire rack with space between each piece — the rack allows air circulation underneath, which is critical for an even crust.
Steam Phase (5 minutes)
- Place the baking sheet in the oven. If your oven has a steam injection function, activate it for the first 5 minutes. The steam sets the starch coating without drying it out, keeping the interior silky. If your oven doesn't have steam injection, place a small oven-safe pan of boiling water on the rack below the tofu for the first 5 minutes, then remove it.
Dry Convection Phase (12 minutes)
- Switch to dry convection heat at 400°F. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is set, dry to the touch, and very lightly golden. The crust will be paler than deep-fried but more even — no hot spots, consistent color across all surfaces. No flipping required.
Hold If Needed
- For serving guests, finished pieces can be held on the wire rack in the oven at 200°F for up to 10 minutes without significant loss of quality — an advantage this method has over deep- or air-frying.
Assemble & Serve
- Same assembly as the other methods. The convection steam crust is the most even of the three but slightly less golden. Serve within 2 to 3 minutes of plating.