Dengaku Recipes

NASU DENGAKU - MISO GLAZED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Slice eggplant in half and using a knife, score the inside in small squares.
• In a pan over high heat, add oil and put the eggplant skin facing down.
• Cook for a few minute until skin is brown. Turn the eggplant over and cover with a lid. Cook until eggplant is cooked through (about 3 to 4 minutes).
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix miso, mirin, sugar and sake.
• Cover a cooking tray with foil and place the eggplant on top. Brush miso dengaku mix on top of each eggplant until all the surface is coated.
• Put in the oven and broil for 4 minutes. The miso mix should be bubbling when you take it out of the oven.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and serve hot.

DENGAKU

Steps:

• Take tofu wrap it in paper towel, place in microwave for 1 minute. This will help pull the water out of it. Remove paper towel, pat down tofu with paper towel then cut it into domino sized pieces. In a sauce pan heat oil then add tofu cook until it browns then turn it and cook again until that side browns. Remove Tofu, place on paper towel to drain excess oil. In same sauce pan heat up the Rice Wine mix in sugar until it dissolves. Mix in Miso paste, turn off range/stove top and keep mixing until well blended. If it's still lumpy, no worries. Once it's mixed turn on range again add tofu and cook on high for 1 minute or so. Plate the tofu, then drizzle sauce over it.

TOFU DENGAKU

Steps:

• Bring 1 1/2 tablespoons sake just to boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Mix in white miso and 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix in yuzu and shiso, if desired. Set white miso sauce aside.
• Bring remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sake just to boil in another small saucepan. Remove from heat. Mix in red miso and remaining 6 teaspoons sugar. Set red miso sauce aside.
• Combine 4 cups water and dashi-kombu in medium saucepan. Bring just to simmer over high heat, then immediately remove broth from heat (to prevent dashi-kombu from becoming bitter). Add bonito; let stand until bonito settles at bottom of pan, about 20 minutes.
• Strain broth into large saucepan. Mix in soy sauce and mirin. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Set broth aside.
• Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Cut tofu into 2 x 1 x 1/2-inch rectangles. Add tofu rectangles to broth and simmer over medium-low heat 10 minutes to flavor tofu. Using slotted spoon, carefully remove tofu rectangles and place on prepared baking sheet. Cool tofu. DO AHEAD: Sauces and tofu can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Preheat broiler. Starting at 1 short end of tofu, insert skewer through center, extending to opposite short end. Repeat with remaining tofu and skewers. Brush half of tofu pieces (top only) with red miso mixture. Brush remaining tofu pieces (top only) with white miso mixture. Place sheet of foil over exposed portion of skewers to prevent burning. Broil tofu 6 to 8 inches from heat source until golden brown and charred in spots, watching closely, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove foil. Transfer skewers to platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

BROILED TOFU WITH MISO (TOFU DENGAKU)

Steps:

• Pat tofu dry with paper towels, then wrap in fresh paper towels and put in a microwave-safe dish (see cooks' note, below). Microwave at high power 30 seconds. Pour off any liquid and wrap tofu in fresh paper towels. Microwave 1 or 2 more times for 30 seconds each time, pouring off any liquid, until tofu feels firmer.
• Preheat broiler.
• Stir together miso, sugar, and sake in a small saucepan. (If miso mixture is very thick, stir in 1 tablespoon water.) Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until bubbling, glossy, and the consistency of ketchup, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Cut tofu in half horizontally and arrange, cut sides up, on a cutting board. Cut each half into 6 squares (pieces might not be perfectly square).
• Arrange tofu on a foil-lined broiler pan, cut sides up, and broil about 2 inches from heat until a crust just forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven and spread crusted side of each square with about 3/4 teaspoon miso mixture. Broil until tops are just bubbling and starting to color, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Skewer each square with 1 two-pronged pick or 2 parallel straight picks. Sprinkle with seeds.