真のケンチン
Shin no kenchin
Formal Kenchin
English Interpretation
Drain tofu well and crumble finely by hand. Cut burdock, carrot, shiitake, and konnyaku each into thin strips. First stir-fry the vegetables in sesame oil, then add the crumbled tofu. Season with soy sauce and sake, and stir-fry carefully until done. Arrange in a dish and garnish with kinome. This is proper kenchin.
原文 · Original (1782)
豆腐を能く水切りし、手にて細かく崩すべし。牛蒡、人参、椎茸、蒟蒻をそれぞれ細く切り、胡麻油にて先づ野菜を炒め、後に崩したる豆腐を加へ、醤油、酒にて調味し、丁寧に炒り上ぐべし。器に盛り、木の芽を添ふ。これ正式のけんちんなり。
Transliteration
Tōfu wo yoku mizukiri shi, te nite komakaku kuzusu beshi. Gobō, ninjin, shiitake, konnyaku wo sorezore hosoku kiri, goma abura nite mazu yasai wo itame, nochi ni kuzushitaru tōfu wo kuwae, shōyu, sake nite chōmi shi, teinei ni iri-aguru beshi. Utsuwa ni mori, kinome wo sofu. Kore seishiki no kenchin nari.
Notes & Annotations
Shin (真) is the formal/standard level in the calligraphic trio shin-gyō-sō. This represents kenchin at its most meticulous — likely with more careful ingredient selection, precise cutting, and elegant presentation.
English Recipe
Ingredients
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firm tofu 豆腐 1 block (350 g)一丁 Crumbled by hand
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burdock root 牛蒡 50 g, julienned
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carrot 人参 50 g, julienned
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shiitake mushrooms 椎茸 3, rehydrated and slicedDried shiitake, soaked
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konnyaku 蒟蒻 50 g, thin strips
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sesame oil 胡麻油 1 tablespoon
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soy sauce 醤油 2 tablespoons
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sake 酒 1 tablespoon
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young sansho leaves 木の芽 garnish
Method
Serves 3–4
1. Press firm tofu well, then crumble finely by hand — not mashed smooth, but broken into small, irregular pieces.
2. Prepare the vegetables: julienne 50 g burdock root (gobō), 50 g carrot, slice 3 rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, and cut 50 g konnyaku into thin strips.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large pan. Stir-fry the burdock first (it takes longest), then add carrot, shiitake, and konnyaku. Cook 3–4 minutes.
4. Add the crumbled tofu. Stir-fry over medium heat, breaking up any clumps.
5. Season with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sake. Continue cooking until the moisture evaporates and the mixture is dry and fluffy.
6. Serve mounded in bowls, garnished with kinome.
This is shin (formal) kenchin — named after Kenchō-ji temple in Kamakura. The 'formal' designation means every cut is precise, every vegetable uniform, and the seasoning restrained. Compare with the simpler kusa (informal) version at No. 8.
1. Press firm tofu well, then crumble finely by hand — not mashed smooth, but broken into small, irregular pieces.
2. Prepare the vegetables: julienne 50 g burdock root (gobō), 50 g carrot, slice 3 rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, and cut 50 g konnyaku into thin strips.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large pan. Stir-fry the burdock first (it takes longest), then add carrot, shiitake, and konnyaku. Cook 3–4 minutes.
4. Add the crumbled tofu. Stir-fry over medium heat, breaking up any clumps.
5. Season with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sake. Continue cooking until the moisture evaporates and the mixture is dry and fluffy.
6. Serve mounded in bowls, garnished with kinome.
This is shin (formal) kenchin — named after Kenchō-ji temple in Kamakura. The 'formal' designation means every cut is precise, every vegetable uniform, and the seasoning restrained. Compare with the simpler kusa (informal) version at No. 8.