So I tried a new recipe to use up my remaining half-block of konnyaku. I’m not sure if I like the flavor of this, but I sure do like the texture better (well, the best out of my tried recipes so far). The recipe is for konnyaku no miso ni (こんにゃくの味噌に) and I adapted it from Obachan’s post. For some reason, her konnyaku endeed up prettier than mine, but I think thats because of the miso we used. Speaking of miso, I’m trying to get used to miso (and sesame) in large amounts. This dish had a little too much umami for me, but with rice I gradually got used to it. Even when I eat miso (soup), the miso taste isn’t as strong! Maybe I put too much in…
Bottom: Grapes, pickled jicama, konnyaku no miso ni
Top: rice, pretzels, melon mochi, coffee candy
こんにゃくの味噌に
- 1/2 block konnyaku
- 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp miso
- 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp sugar (to taste)
- 1/2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 20 mL dashi stock
- 1/2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
Drain water off of konnyaku and blanch for about 5 minutes. Take konnyaku out, rinse with cold water. Tear konnyaku into small chunks. In a pan, add and heat the vegetable oil. Add konnyaku and fry for a few minutes. Add miso and heat until the miso is browned. Add the red wine vineger (can sub with sake), sugar, mirin, soy sauce and dashi stock (can dissolve dashi granules in water). Simmer until the liquid has thickened, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat to high and coat konnyaku with miso glaze, shaking the pan. Transfer to plate and sprinkle with roasted white sesame seeds.
Looking back on the ingredients now, I realize why the sauce was so watery! I accidentally didn’t halve some of the liquid ingredients! Don’t worry, the amounts listed above are the correct ones.
The jicama was delightfully crunchy, but too sour for my tastes. I’ll try to add some sugar in, but I’ll also try to reuse the ume-su (plum vinegar), since it was so hard to find and so expensive! Pickled carrots maybe?
Grapes were all miso-y because I underestimated the sauce on the konnyaku.
Tea for today is Samurai Mate Chai/White Ayurvedic Chai & MateVana/Roobis Chai Blend. That’s right, I have four different teas going on in there! I added less than a teaspoon of sugar to it. The first steep still had too much cinnamon for me (I’m looking at you Samurai Mate/White Ayurvedic!), but the second and third steeps were great! I filled this with tea at home, and don’t want to have to bring two teas to work to refill. Thankfully though I haven’t had to refill yet!