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Because it is reputed in legend that the Japanese fox has a passion for fried "tofu" - how he managed to first taste it is never explained-this slightly sweet "tofu"-and-noodle dish is fancifully called "kitsune udon" or fox noodles.
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What You Need:
(To Serve: 6)
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A 6-ounce cake of tofu (soybean curd), fresh, canned or instant, sliced in ¼-inch-thick pieces
Vegetable oil
A 14-ounce package Futonaga udon (wide noodles), or substitute 1 pound No.2 spaghetti
Salt
1 cup niban dashi
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Japanese all-purpose soy sauce
MSG
6 cups ichiban dashi
2 scallions, including at least 3 inches of the green stems, sliced into thin rounds
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Translate this recipe:
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| How To Cook: |
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1. If you want to rid the tofu of excess moisture, thus making it firmer, place the slices side by side on a flat plate. Cover with foil and place a 1-pound pan, casserole or small cutting board on top. Tilt the plate so that the water drains off. Set aside for at least 30 minutes, then pour off the accumulated water and pat the tofu dry with paper towels.
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2. Pour enough vegetable oil into a heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet to come about 1½ inches up the sides of the pan. Set over high heat until the oil registers 350° on a deep-fat thermometer.
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3. Drop in 6 or 8 slices of tofu at a time and fry them for about 1 minute, turning them over with tongs or chopsticks until they are brown on all sides. Drain the fried tofu on paper towels. Then with the tongs or chopsticks, dip them one at a time in a bowl of hot water to rid them of any remaining oil, and drain again on paper towels.
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4. In a 3- to 4-quart pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Drop in the noodles, return the water to a boil, and cook them uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft.
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5. Stir in 1 tablespoon of salt, cover the pot, and turn off the heat. Let the noodles rest covered for 5 minutes, then drain them in a colander, and run cold water over them for 5 minutes. Drain again and set aside.
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6. In a 1-quart saucepan, combine 1cup of niban dashi with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce. Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil over high heat. Then add 1/8 teaspoon of salt and a sprinkle of MSG. Drop in the tofu and boil over high heat for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the liquid has cooked down to about 1/3 of a cup. Set the tofu and its liquid aside off the heat.
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7. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine 6 cups of ichiban dashi with 1 tablespoon sugar, 2½ teaspoons salt and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Stir thoroughly, bring to a boil, and add the noodles.
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8. Return to the boil and serve at once. Pour the broth and noodles into 6 serving bowls, top each serving with a few pieces of the sweetened tofu and garnish with the sliced scallions.
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NOTE:
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If you prefer subtler flavor, omit cooking the tofu in the sweet sauce (step 6). Instead, cut both the tofu and scallions lengthwise into long, narrow strips.
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After the noodles have been reheated in the broth, transfer them to serving bowls, and leave the broth in the pan. Add the scallions and tofu and bring back to the boil, then divide the contents of the pan equally among the bowls of noodles.
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