Miso Glazed Tofu On Stilts Dengaku Food

TOFU DENGAKU (TOFU WITH MISO GLAZE)

Steps:

• Turn the oven to broil.
• Wrap tofu in paper towel and leave until paper towel has soaked through. Repeat a couple of times to remove excess water.
• Slice tofu in half in thickness and in 4 slices lengthwise.
• In a mixing bowl add red and white miso, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sake, dashi and grated ginger and mix well.
• In a pan over high heat, add tofu slices and fry each side for about 2 minutes, until they are golden brown.
• Transfer the tofu onto a sheet tray and brush a good amount of mixed sauce on top of each slice.
• Broil for 3 1/2 to 4 minutes, until dark brown.
• Transfer to a plate and top with sesame seed and scallions. Serve.

STEAMED EGGPLANT WITH MISO SAUCE (NASU DENGAKU)

Steps:

• Score the eggplants.
• Pour enough oil to come 1/3 of the way up a pan or wok. Heat until a cube of bread browns in 12 seconds.
• Halve the eggplant lengthwise. Lower carefully into the oil. Cook until browned.
• Transfer the eggplant into a steamed basket.
• Place basket over a pan of simmering water. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Serve with the dressing.
• For the dressing: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until combined.

MISO-GLAZED TOFU STEAKS WITH BEANSPROUT SALAD & EGG STRANDS

Steps:

• Prepare the beansprout salad. Put the beansprouts in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 2 mins, then drain well and leave to cool, tossing with your hand from time to time to speed up the cooling. Combine with the pepper, radishes and spring onion.
• To make the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients except the oil until the sugar dissolves. Trickle in the oil slowly while whisking to emulsify. Stir the dressing through the beansprout mixture and chill until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.
• Drain the tofu, wrap the whole block in kitchen paper, and press gently to absorb excess moisture. Unwrap and cut in half across the middle, then in half again diagonally, to create four triangles. If using 2 packs, you will end up with 8 smaller triangles.
• To prepare the tofu glaze, place the miso paste in a cup and add 2 tbsp of boiling water. Whisk with a fork until completely smooth. Pour into a pan that the tofu will fit into in a single layer. Add the mirin and soy sauce, stir and bring to the boil. Add the tofu to the sauce and simmer for 15 mins, turning the tofu carefully halfway through.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Carefully lift the tofu from the sauce and place on the tray. Cook in the oven for 15 mins, then turn off the oven and leave the tofu in to keep warm. Meanwhile, to thicken the glaze, raise the heat to a medium boil, stir occasionally,until syrupy. Set aside.
• To make the egg strands, beat together the eggs and mirin with 2 tbsp cold water and a large pinch of salt until well mixed, but not frothy. Heat a medium non-stick pan over a low-medium heat and add the oil, spreading it over the surface with a spatula. Pour in a quarter of the egg mixture and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan, forming a very thin omelette. Cook for about 4-5 mins until the top is dry and the bottom is set but not too brown. Carefully remove from the pan (no need to flip) and place on a plate. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, adding a touch more oil if the pan seems dry. Stack the omelettes on top of each other and cool. Don't worry if they rip or buckle, but do stack them up as flat as possible. Once cool enough to handle, roll them up carefully into a tight sausage and slice thinly with a sharp knife.
• Remove the tofu from the oven and spoon a bit of glaze over the top of each piece, spreading with the back of a spoon. (If the glaze has cooled completely and is too thick, reheat slightly until spoonable). Reserve any remaining glaze to finish.
• To assemble, arrange the beansprout salad on a plate. Place the tofu steaks on top of the salad and scatter with the egg strands, peanuts and pea shoots. Finish with a drizzle of the glaze.

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.