Agedashi…doughnuts? Traditional Japanese tofu dish gets a sweet twist from Mister Donut

Official recipe makes us question everything we thought we knew about Japanese food.

Ever since the pandemic, more and more people have been ordering takeout and preparing meals at home. A number of fast food chains have pivoted to cater to this trend, offering hacks and recipes to modify their takeout items, and now Mister Donut is joining the craziness with a new recipe for…Agedashi Doughnuts.

If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it involves agedashi, which means “lightly deep fried” but is commonly associated with Agedashi Tofu, a popular fried tofu dish. Agedashi Tofu (pronounced “Agedashi Dofu”) is known for its salty sweet sticky sauce, which pairs beautifully with the thick fried batter that encases the soft tofu, but how would this work with a doughnut taking the place of tofu?

We decided to find out by trying Mister Donut’s unusual recipe, which requires the following ingredients for one serving:

● Vegetable Oil: A suitable amount for frying
● Mentsuyu (noodle broth): Approximately 20 millilitres (0.7 ounces)
● Grated Radish: 50 grams (1.8 ounces)
● Potato Starch: 1 tablespoon
● Mitsuba: 2 leaves
● Shichimi: A pinch to season
● Mister Donut Pon de Ring: 1

We gathered all the ingredients together, aside from the mitsuba, which we weren’t able to find at the store so we used green shiso leaves instead, and moved on to the four-step preparation process.

Step 1: Separate the Pon de Ring into individual balls and sprinkle the potato starch over them.

Step 2: Fry briefly in oil at 180 degrees Celsius and place on a paper towel to drain.

Step 3: Place in a bowl and top with grated radish and shredded mitsuba.

Step 4: Pour the mentsuyu over the top and add the shichimi seasoning and you’re done!

As you’ve probably noticed, frying the doughnut pieces makes them twice-fried, which adds to the calories, but also adds to the taste. Our first bite was a tentative one, as we wondered what this fusion of flavours would deliver, but the result was surprisingly delicious!

▼ The double-fried method made these soft on the inside and extra crunchy on the outside.

The potato starch gave the doughnuts the same sticky coating as agedashi tofu, which made them taste familiar, but totally different at the same time. The combination of freshly grated daikon radish, fragrant green shiso, salty noodle broth, and spicy shichimi helped to dial down the sweetness of the doughnut and take it towards the savoury spectrum, creating a harmonious blend of flavours.

▼ Check out the official video for the recipe below:

We never thought we’d say this, but if you’re able to get your hands on a doughnut and the above ingredients, we definitely recommend giving it a try! It’s an unforgettable side dish that tantalises the taste buds while confusing the mind, a bit like these imitation octopus balls made with boiled eggs!

Photos © SoraNews24
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