敷き味噌豆腐 Shikimiso dōfu

Miso-Bedded Tofu

#18 尋常品 Commonplace

English Interpretation

Place tofu quietly in a bowl and spread miso underneath, as though laying it down. Pour hot broth over it and serve. The fragrance of miso rises from below — refined.

原文 · Original (1782)

豆腐を静かに器に置き、味噌を敷くが如く、下に塗り敷くべし。熱き汁を掛けて供すべし。味噌の香り、下より立ちて上品なり。

Transliteration

Tōfu wo shizuka ni ki ni oki, miso wo shiku ga gotoku, shita ni nurite shikubeshi. Atsuki shiru wo kakete kyō su beshi. Miso no kaori, shita yori tachite jōhin nari.

Notes & Annotations

Shiki (敷き) means 'to lay down' or 'to spread beneath.' A different approach from dengaku, where miso goes on top — here the miso is underneath. See also recipe No. 36 for the 'tsūhin' version with red miso.

English Recipe

Ingredients

  • silken tofu 豆腐 1 block (350 g)
    一丁 Chilled
  • miso paste 味噌 3 tablespoons
    White or red
  • dashi stock 出汁 250 ml
    Hot

Method

Serves 2

1. Prepare a warm serving bowl or shallow dish.
2. Spread a layer of white or red miso paste on the bottom of the bowl — about ½ cm thick.
3. Gently place a block of chilled silken tofu directly on top of the miso bed.
4. Heat 250 ml dashi until steaming.
5. Pour the hot dashi around (and partially over) the tofu so the miso seeps upward.
6. Serve warm. Eat with a spoon, allowing the miso to blend with each bite.

This is an inverse approach to dengaku: the miso goes underneath rather than on top. The heat draws the miso flavor upward into the tofu from below, creating a more subtle, diffused taste.