On days when temperatures and humidity soar, appetites and energy wane. That’s when restorative hiya yakko comes to the rescue. In its simplest configuration, it’s a block of chilled, silky tofu drizzled with soy sauce and topped with condiments.
Meaning “cube shaped,” the term “yakko” is derived from the white, square-shaped crest that adorned the sleeves of servants who attended to high-ranking samurai in the Edo Period (1603-1868). Blocks of tofu cut to resemble the crest became a popular dish among Edo (the former name of Tokyo) townspeople, and hiya (chilled) yakko remains a favorite hot-weather dish today throughout Japan.
My version of the dish, dashi yakko, includes a salsa-like topping made from fresh chopped myōga (Japanese ginger), cucumber, eggplant and blanched okra that is known as “dashi” in Yamagata Prefecture (stock is referred to as dashi-jiru in the region).
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.