Miso Konnyaku
My simplified home version of Japanese konnyaku dengaku — chewy konjac skewers glazed with a simple sweet miso sauce.
Servings: 12 skewers
Ingredients
- 250 g konnyaku block
- 2 tablespoons white miso used light miso
- 6 tablespoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oil for pan-frying
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds for garnish
- Salt for washing
- Skewers
Instructions
- Slice — Cut into strips about 2–3mm thick, long enough to bend and thread onto skewers. Alternatively, cut into 1-inch blocks and score the surface lightly in a crosshatch pattern so the sauce has somewhere to go.
- Wash the konnyaku — Wash the sliced pieces in salted water, then rinse well. This removes the faint ocean-y smell. Pat completely dry with a paper towel.
- Make the sauce — Mix together the miso, mirin, and sugar until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
- Thread the skewers — Fold each strip and thread onto skewers like you're sewing through the konnyaku. This gives more surface area for the sauce to cling to.
- Pan-fry — Heat a pan over medium heat with a little oil. Add the konnyaku and pan-fry each side for about 1 minute until you see slightly white, cooked edges. Make sure they are completely dry before they go in or the oil will splatter.
- Glaze — Using a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of miso sauce over the top. Cook for 1 minute, flip, brush the other side, and cook for another minute. If your pieces are on the thinner side, go easy on the sauce — it's bold and can overpower quickly.
- Serve — Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve warm. That's it!
Video
Notes
- The sauce ratio is 1 part miso : 3 parts mirin with a little bit of sugar. This recipe makes enough sauce for 250g of konnyaku — if using other ingredients that absorb sauce more easily, use less or it may be too salty.
- Pat dry the konnyaku after rinsing.
- When the miso sauce hits the hot pan it will splash — keep a lid nearby!
- If you are using a large pan where all the skewers fit in one go, your cooking time will be reduced quite a bit.
- Konnyaku is available in most Asian grocery stores, usually in the tofu/chilled section.