Ebi to soramame no shiraae / prawns and fava beans in tofu dressing

A golden combination of sweet prawns and softly bitter fava beans dressed with tofu dressing and a hint of sesame for a delightful aroma. 

<Ingredients>

Tiny handful prawns (4 botan-ebi spot shrimp in photo)
5 pods fava beans (20-25 beans)
1 tbsp sake (to cook prawns; not in photo)
Pinch salt (to boil fava beans; not in photo)

For shiraae tofu dressing
50-60 g tofu (either momen firm or kinugoshi soft; 55 g momen in photo)
2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
1/4 tsp mirin
1/2+ tsp usukuchi soy sauce


<Directions>
1.

Shell fava beans.
Bring water to boil, add salt, and cook fava beans for 2-3 minutes (2 minutes is usually enough).

Drain.

When cool enough to handle, peel off skin.
Let cool.

2.

Shell and devein prawns as necessary.
Sogigiri slice prawns at a slant into 2-3 sections.

Place in a microwaveable bowl, pour sake, and microwave for a total of 30 seconds or so.

While microwaving, remove from microwave once or twice, flip and move shrimp around  (from outer edge to center) for even cooking and to prevent overcooking.

Let cool. 

3.

Prepare tofu dressing.
Put toasted white sesame seeds in suribachi mortar, and grind finely.

Add tofu, and mash to smooth paste.

Add mirin and usukuchi soy sauce, and mix until smooth. 

4.

When fava beans and prawns cool (at least to room temperature), add to tofu dressing, and gently mix.

<Notes>

• Tofu dressing made with momen firm tofu is crumbly and more substantial compared to dressing made with kinugoshi soft tofu.
• Be careful not to overcook prawns.
• Prawns can be blanched with just enough water to cover and a small amount of sake.
• I usually add a tiny amount of salt to tofu dressing for shiraae, but for this recipe, the sodium content in prawns and fava beans should be enough.
• If using frozen prawns from shops, watch out for the sodium content. Some contain a quite high amount of sodium, which can significantly affect your dish.
• Shiraae is a small dish with tofu dressing. Shira comes from shiro [white], which implies tofu. Ae is from aeru [to dress], as in gomaae dishes with sesame dressing. There is also a dish called kuroae that uses a black (kuro) ingredient in the dressing, which is usually black sesame seeds and sometimes calamari ink.