This is such a pretty dish! I love cooking with tofu. It’s a good protein that goes unnoticed by most shoppers. It can be transformed into something spectacular if it’s seasoned and dressed up the right way. Tofu dengaku is the proof and what’s even better is that making this recipe is not that hard and it is fast! The flavors are nutty, sweet and salty very rooted in that strong umami taste from the miso.
You know, the word dengaku has a double meaning: 1. It is used for dishes that are grilled over a fire (such as nasu dengaku – eggplant with miso). 2. Are rustic celebrations or ‘field entertainments’ with ritual dances and music.
You can make this dish sweeter if you only use white miso paste or saltier using the red type. I will use half and half as I find it a nice balance and combination. This way of doing it isn’t traditional by any means, chopped scallions are not on tofu dengaku in Japan and the addition of grated ginger and radish to the glaze is not conventional. But, I must admit that I did the radish because of the lack of Dashi, one of the ingredients in the original traditional recipe. But with the ginger and scallions, it does have a nice depth of flavor.
The broiling helps the sauce to settle on top and it thickens with the grated radish on top as well. The tofu sticks will come out with the miso glaze bubbling and looking a gorgeous golden brown. The hardest part is having to wait a few minutes to let them cool down!
Ingredients
1 block firm tofu, drained 2 tbsp white miso paste 2 tbsp red miso paste 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp brown sugar 1½ tbsp mirin 1½ tbsp sake 2 tbsp grated radish 1 thumb size ginger, finely grated 1 scallion, finely chopped ½ tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Turn the oven to broil. - Wrap tofu in 3 layers of paper towel and leave until paper towel has soaked through. - 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, and grated ginger/radish 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 3½ to 4 minutes, until dark brown. - Transfer to a plate and top with sesame seed and scallions.
Serve immediately.
