Kencho (Yamaguchi Simmered Tofu and Daikon)
Cuisine: Japanese
Region: 山口県
Servings: 4人分
Kencho, also searched as Yamaguchi simmered tofu and daikon, is a regional stir-and-simmer dish from Yamaguchi Prefecture. Firm tofu, daikon, and carrot are fried, then cooked in sake and soy until the liquid reduces to a sweet-savory glaze that goes well with rice and keeps well overnight.
At a glance
Time: about 35 min · Serves 4 · Difficulty: easy · ≈ 140 kcal per serving (estimate)
Kencho, also searched as Yamaguchi simmered tofu and daikon, is a regional stir-and-simmer dish from Yamaguchi Prefecture. Firm tofu, daikon, and carrot are fried, then cooked in sake and soy until the liquid reduces to a sweet-savory glaze that goes well with rice and keeps well overnight.
Ingredients
- Firm tofu (momen) 200 g
- Daikon radish 400 g
- Carrot 40 g
- Neutral oil or sesame oil 2 tsp (about 10 ml)
- Soy sauce 2 Tbsp (about 30 ml)
- Sake 2 Tbsp (about 30 ml)
- Sugar (optional, if you want it sweeter) 1–2 tsp
- Dried shiitake (optional) 2–3 (soaked and thinly sliced)
- Konnyaku or abura-age fried tofu pouches (optional) as needed
Steps
- Wrap the firm tofu in paper towels or a clean cloth, set a light weight on it, and press 10–15 minutes to drain. Peel the daikon and carrot and cut them into ginkgo-leaf (quarter-moon) slices, keeping the daikon thicker and the carrot thinner. If using shiitake, soak and slice them thin; if using konnyaku, parboil it and cut it into easy-to-eat pieces.
- Heat the oil in a skillet or shallow pot and crumble the tofu in roughly by hand. Stir-fry over medium heat 2–3 minutes, until surface moisture cooks off and the tofu smells toasty. Add the daikon, carrot (and any optional ingredients) and fry another 2–3 minutes until everything is coated in oil.
- Pour in the sake and soy sauce (and the sugar, if using) and toss quickly. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat 8–10 minutes, until the daikon is tender and seasoned. Stir once along the way; if it looks dry, add 1–2 Tbsp water.
- Uncover and reduce 1–2 minutes so there is little liquid left and a sweet-savory glaze clings to the ingredients. Taste, adjust with soy sauce or sugar, and plate.
- It tastes just as good the next day, so refrigerate leftovers and reheat them gently before serving, or loosen them with dashi to make kencho soup.
Rate this recipe
Notes
Well-drained tofu is easier to stir-fry and less likely to fall apart. Firm tofu works better than silken.
Yamaguchi home cooks often add taro, abura-age, chicken, or shiitake, so the dish is easy to vary with leftover vegetables from the fridge.
The usual taste is on the sweet-savory, rather concentrated side, made to go with rice. If you prefer it lighter, use 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce and finish with a pinch of salt.
It is commonly made in a large pot and reheated over the following days. It keeps 2–3 days in the fridge and also freezes well in portions.
To turn it into kencho soup, add dashi to the finished kencho, thin the seasoning, and finish it as a hearty miso soup or a clear soup.
Time and temperature
Press tofu 10–15 min and cut quarter-moon slices · Medium heat, fry tofu 2–3 min · Add vegetables 2–3 min · Cover and simmer medium-low 8–10 min · Uncover and reduce 1–2 min
Nutrition
140 kcal · Protein 8 g · Fat 7 g · Carbs 10 g
about 1/4 of the recipe (estimate)
Substitutes
- Firm tofu → frozen tofu (holds shape better)
- Daikon → napa cabbage stems or bok choy ribs
- Sesame oil → neutral oil
- Dried shiitake → fresh sliced shiitake
- Konnyaku / fried tofu → taro chunks or small chicken pieces
Storage
Cool and refrigerate 2–3 days; the flavor is often better the next day. Rewarm gently in a pan, or loosen with dashi to make kencho soup. It also freezes in portions; thaw and reduce briefly again. Tofu weeps liquid, so finish it within a couple of days if you can.
FAQ
- Why does the tofu fall apart in the pan?
- It was usually not drained well, or silken tofu was used. Press firm tofu 10–15 minutes and turn it gently while frying instead of stirring hard.
- The daikon is still hard and the pan is dry?
- The heat was too high or there was not enough liquid. Cover again on medium-low, add 1–2 tablespoons of water, and give thicker slices more time.
- Can I make kencho ahead of time?
- Yes, it is meant for that. Cook a larger batch, chill it, and reheat the next day; the seasoning sinks in further. You can also add dashi and turn it into a hearty miso or clear soup.
- Can I cook it without sake?
- Yes. Sake mainly lifts the bean smell and helps the seasoning sink in. Replace it with the same amount of water plus a pinch of sugar, then adjust the soy sauce at the end.
- How do I make a lighter version?
- Drop the soy sauce to 1 1/2 tablespoons and skip the sugar, then finish with a pinch of salt. It will still go with rice, just with a milder glaze.
Origin and history
Kencho is a stir-simmered dish of tofu with daikon and carrot that is well loved in Yamaguchi Prefecture. It is seasoned a little on the sweet-savory, concentrated side and has been handed down in homes across the prefecture as a simple regional side for rice and a good make-ahead dish.
The mix of ingredients varies by household; taro, fried tofu pouches, konnyaku, chicken, and shiitake are not unusual additions. Making a large pot and finishing it over several days is also a common habit.
This recipe is a basic 4-serving version centered on firm tofu and daikon. Draining the tofu before frying and letting sake and soy sauce soak in makes it easy to reproduce at home. Reduce the liquid a little so the finish is concentrated enough to eat with rice.