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There was a time when I could not stand tofu. Could be you’re in that same place right now.

Whether it was the texture or the two words “bean” and “curd” put together that initially turned me off, I’m not sure.

What I do remember clearly is that whenever I spied pieces of it in a soup or some other dish that I was eating, I would pick each of the little critters out one-by-one and eat everything else.

I did this even during the first several months that I lived in Japan as an English teacher. I mean, I wanted to be a good ambassador for the U.S. and all, but there’s only so much you can ask of a person.

Fast forward to today and I can tell you that some things really are an “acquired taste.”

Because I’m no longer terrified of tofu. I’m a fan of the chunky white stuff now. 

Especially when it’s late summer and still too warm to mess around in a hot kitchen, I look forward to eating a cool and delicious plate of hiyayakko.

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You need only three ingredients for this simple version:  silken tofu (firm), green onions, and a naturally brewed soy sauce from Japan. (Today, I’m using Kikkoman brand tamari, a soy sauce made from soybeans and only trace amounts of wheat, if any.)
Chop your onions and prepare a sharp knife to cleanly slice the tofu.
Layer your tofu slices and sprinkle with onion.
 
Top it with soy sauce.
 .
Almost too simple, right?
This version works great for me, but some hiyayakko fans like to add grated ginger as well. Maybe you will, too; it’s worth trying out.
And speaking of trying things out :

My granddaughter walked in as I was preparing the hiyayakko and wanted to try it. She’s already crazy about sushi, but this is her first taste of tofu served this way …

… Score! She likes it!
And it’s official: this tofu recipe has teenager-tested and approved.

Ah, but will you like it?

Maybe. Maybe not; at least … not this time around.
What food did you used to look at and say “No way!” –  yet now it’s one of your favorite things?