Fresh Wheat-Gluten Dengaku (生麩田楽, Nama-fu Dengaku)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Short bamboo skewers
• •Small saucepan
• •Pastry brush or small spoon
• •Grill pan, wire grilling rack, or heavy skillet

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the skewers

   Soak 12 short bamboo skewers in water for at least 15 minutes. Wet skewers scorch less quickly, which matters because the nama-fu only needs gentle browning, not a battle with the fire.

2. 2

   Make the glaze

   Put the aka-miso, white miso, mirin, sake, sugar, and dashi in a small pan. Stir over low heat until smooth and glossy, 3 to 4 minutes. Keep it thick enough to cling to a spoon. If it runs like soup, it will slide off the nama-fu before it reaches the plate.

   Miso burns easily because of its sugar and rice solids. Low heat gives you shine and depth; high heat gives you bitterness.
3. 3

   Dry the nama-fu

   Pat the cut nama-fu dry on all sides. This looks like fussing, but it isn't. A dry surface browns lightly and holds the glaze; a wet one steams in the pan and turns slippery.

4. 4

   Skewer the pieces

   Thread one piece of nama-fu onto each skewer, or two small pieces if yours are narrow. Push the skewer through the center so the pieces sit flat. Even skewering lets you turn them without tearing the soft gluten.

5. 5

   Brown gently

   Warm a grill pan or skillet over medium-low heat and brush it with the oil. Cook the skewers until the edges take on small golden patches, about 2 minutes per side. Don't chase a hard crust. Nama-fu should stay tender and springy, with just enough browning to give the miso something to hold.

6. 6

   Glaze and finish

   Brush the warm skewers with the miso glaze, then return them to the pan for 20 to 30 seconds, glazed side up if possible. You are setting the surface, not cooking the miso hard. The glaze should look lacquered and glossy, never blackened.

7. 7

   Garnish and serve

   Set the skewers on a small plate in an odd-numbered grouping if serving individually, or in a loose row for sharing. Press one kinome leaf onto each glazed piece while the miso is still tacky, or dust with the faintest pinch of sanshō powder. Serve warm or at room temperature, with space left around the skewers.

Chef Tips

• •Buy nama-fu from a Japanese market frozen or fresh, and check that it feels supple, not dry at the edges. If it looks cracked or chalky, choose another package. Sourcing first, always.
• •Aka-miso gives the glaze depth, while a little white miso rounds the salt. Using only white miso makes a gentler glaze, pleasant but not quite the same dish.
• •For shōjin ryōri, use konbu and dried shiitake dashi. Don't use bonito stock and call the dish temple food; the distinction matters, and the vegetarian stock has its own clean strength.
• •Kinome is the best finish in spring. Clap the leaf lightly between your palms before setting it on the glaze, and its citrus-pepper scent wakes up at once. A tiny dusting of sanshō powder works when the leaf is out of reach.
• •Serve fewer skewers than seems sensible. Three on a plate with empty space looks generous and lets the gloss, color, and shape be seen. Leave it room.

Advance Preparation

• •The miso glaze can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Warm it gently before using, adding a few drops of dashi if it has tightened.
• •The skewers can be cut and threaded 4 hours ahead. Keep them covered in the refrigerator and pat them dry again before cooking.
• •Cooked nama-fu dengaku is best the day it is made, served warm or at room temperature. Reheating hard toughens the gluten and dulls the glaze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 125g)