Fu: Savoring the Tastes and Textures of Japan’s Traditional Vegan Wheat Protein

Fu is a traditional Japanese food made from wheat gluten. Spongy and protein-rich, it absorbs the flavors of other ingredients, making it a versatile and nutritious addition to everything from soups to simmered dishes to stir-fries. As it is plant-based, it has long been a staple in shōjin ryōri, Buddhist vegetarian cuisine.

Fu is made by mixing wheat flour into a dough to create gluten, which is then kneaded and washed in water to remove the starch. The resulting elastic mass is combined with different ingredients and baked, steamed, or deep-fried to make different types of fu.

The ancestor of fu is thought to be a food called menchin, which Zen monks studying in China purportedly brought back to Japan during the Muromachi period (1333–1568). Early on, wheat was a rarity and fu was typically only eaten at temples, shrines, and the imperial court on special occasions. With the start of the Edo period (1603–1868), improvements in wheat farming and transportation made the grain more readily available, and fu became a more prominent part of the diets of regular people.

Just as for Buddhist monks in the past, people today enjoy fu as a healthy food that is high in protein but low in calories. Below we look at the three main types of fu: steamed or boiled nama-fu, baked yaki-fu, and deep-fried age-fu.

Nama-fu

This type of fu typically contains other ingredients like yomogi (mugwort), sesame seeds, and various flours made from millet or glutinous rice, which produce a range of colors, tastes, and textures. Nama-fu is steamed or boiled and is chewy in texture. It comes in a variety of shapes and styles, such as rectangular dengaku enjoyed with sweetened miso paste or formed into decorative items resembling things like spring blossoms and autumn leaves that add seasonal zest to home cooking as well as traditional multi-course kaiseki cuisine.

Nama-fu resembling seasonal items like mushrooms, autumn leaves, and slices of lotus root. (© Pixta)

Yaki-fu

Yaki-fu is made by adding wheat flour to gluten and then baking the concoction, allowing it to be stored for long periods without spoiling. It readily absorbs broths and marinades while retaining its chewiness, making it a popular addition to soups, hotpots, and simmered dishes A small variety called komachi-fu is often added to miso soup, and the round kuruma-fu, which is made by wrapping multiple layers of fu around a stick before baking it, and flat ita-fu make hardy substitutes for meat in stews and fried dishes.

The amount of wheat flour added to the gluten determines the consistency of yaki-fu, with more producing heavier and less making lighter types. Other varieties of yaki-fu include colorful, flower-shaped hana-fu, rolled uzumaki-fu, and large, bun-like manjū-fu. There are also numerous regional variations.

Kuruma-fu with Okinawa-style stir-fried vegetables. (© Pixta)

Age-fu

Age-fu is also made by mixing wheat flour and gluten, but instead of being baked it is fried, with the final product having a round, oblong appearance not unlike a small baguette. It is most closely associated with northern Miyagi and southern Iwate Prefectures, with a popular variety known as sendai-fu served in the katsudon style over rice and topped with egg.

Aburafu-don made with sendai-fu is a filling, healthy treat. (© Pixta)

Fu Spinoffs

The starch-rich residue leftover when fu is made is also put to use. Mixed with water and left to ferment for around two years, it solidifies into a mochi-like texture when steamed. It is mixed with powdered kudzu root to make kuzumochi, a popular dessert in the Kantō area that is savored with sweetened soybean powder (kinako) and Japanese brown sugar syrup (kuromitsu).

Kuzumochi. (© Pixta)

Related article

• Getting to Know the Many Different Faces of Japanese Fu

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)