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1
Soak the peanuts in cold water for several hours until fully softened. Drain, then transfer to a blender with the 600 ml of fresh water. Blend at high speed until the mixture is uniformly smooth. Pass through a clean cloth, twisting firmly to extract as much peanut milk as possible; discard the solids. The extracted milk should be pale, opaque, and faintly fragrant — no visible grain should remain.
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2
Dissolve the kuzu starch thoroughly in a small amount of cold water until no lumps remain. Combine the peanut milk, dissolved kuzu, salt, and sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. This is where the dish lives or dies: using a flat wooden spatula, stir the mixture continuously without pause for 8 to 10 minutes as it transforms from a thin, pourable liquid into a thick, translucent, glossy gel that pulls cleanly away from the sides of the pan. Any interruption in stirring will produce lumps that cannot be corrected.
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3
Pour the thickened gel immediately into lightly dampened moulds or a shallow tray. Smooth the surface with a wet spatula. Allow to cool briefly at room temperature until steam subsides, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill until fully set and firm enough to cut cleanly — the block should hold a knife edge without collapsing.
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4
Combine the dashi and soy sauce to form the serving sauce. Taste: the balance should be savoury, clean, and light enough not to overwhelm the peanut character of the tofu.
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5
Unmould the set jimami tofu and cut into neat portions. Serve chilled, accompanied by the dashi sauce, a small amount of wasabi, and roasted sesame seeds. The tofu should feel silky and yielding under light pressure — not rubbery, not collapsing — and hold its form on the plate throughout service.