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1
Wrap the silken tofu in a clean cloth and set on a rack over a tray. Place a light weight on top and press for at least 20 minutes. The tofu is ready when no further moisture seeps from the cloth and the surface feels dry to the touch.
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2
Combine the dashi, soy sauce and mirin in a small saucepan. Bring to a quiet simmer over medium heat and hold warm. The broth is ready when it carries a unified, rounded umami scent with no raw alcohol from the mirin.
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3
Cut the pressed tofu into four equal blocks. Sift the katakuriko onto a flat tray. Roll each block in the starch, turning to coat all faces, then shake off every trace of excess. The coating must be a translucent film, not a visible white layer — this is where the dish lives or dies: too thick a coat produces a gummy paste; too little and the crust will not form.
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4
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy vessel to 160 °C. Lower the coated tofu blocks gently into the oil. Fry undisturbed for 1–2 minutes until the starch sets and the surface turns opaque and just holds its shape — no colour at this stage.
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5
Raise the oil temperature to 180 °C. Continue frying for a further 30 seconds until the crust is amber and lacy. Remove immediately with a spider or slotted spoon. The oil should hiss briskly around each block but not spit; steady sizzle indicates sufficient crust formation.
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6
Set each block directly into a warmed deep bowl. Ladle the hot tentsuyu broth around — not over — the tofu immediately. The broth must be hot enough to begin the starch transformation at once. Top each portion with grated daikon, grated ginger, sliced negi and katsuobushi. Serve without delay: the crust will swell and turn gelatinous within minutes, which is the intended and desired outcome.