精進の海胆田楽
Shōjin no uni dengaku
Vegetarian Mock-Urchin Dengaku
English Interpretation
原文 · Original (1782)
卵の黄身と味噌をよく摺り合はせ、雲丹の色と味はひに似せるべし。豆腐を田楽に切りて焼き、此の偽雲丹味噌を塗りてもう一度炙るべし。精進なれば雲丹を用ゐず。
Transliteration
Tamago no kimi to miso wo yoku suri-awase, uni no iro to ajiwai ni niseru beshi. Tōfu wo dengaku ni kirite yaki, kono nise-uni miso wo nurite mō ichido aburu beshi. Shōjin nareba uni wo mochiizu.
Notes & Annotations
Shōjin (精進) means 'devotion' and refers to Buddhist vegetarian cuisine that avoids all animal products. This recipe is the vegetarian counterpart of No. 43.
English Recipe
Ingredients
-
firm tofu 豆腐 1 block (350 g)一丁
-
egg yolks 卵 2 yolksFor colour and richness
-
white miso 白味噌 3 tablespoons
-
mirin 味醂 1 teaspoon
Method
Serves 2–4
1. Make the mock-urchin miso: mash 2 egg yolks with 3 tablespoons white miso, 1 teaspoon mirin, and a pinch of turmeric for colour. The goal is to mimic uni's orange hue and creamy richness.
2. Cut firm tofu into dengaku pieces and skewer.
3. Grill until lightly browned.
4. Spread the mock-urchin miso generously over the tofu.
5. Return to the grill until the coating puffs and turns golden.
A shōjin (vegetarian) version of uni dengaku (No. 43) — no sea urchin, just egg yolk and miso crafted to evoke it. The 'curious' grade acknowledges the cleverness of the imitation.
1. Make the mock-urchin miso: mash 2 egg yolks with 3 tablespoons white miso, 1 teaspoon mirin, and a pinch of turmeric for colour. The goal is to mimic uni's orange hue and creamy richness.
2. Cut firm tofu into dengaku pieces and skewer.
3. Grill until lightly browned.
4. Spread the mock-urchin miso generously over the tofu.
5. Return to the grill until the coating puffs and turns golden.
A shōjin (vegetarian) version of uni dengaku (No. 43) — no sea urchin, just egg yolk and miso crafted to evoke it. The 'curious' grade acknowledges the cleverness of the imitation.