# Tofu Dengaku (Grilled Tofu Dressed With Sweet Miso Paste) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Tofu Dengaku (Grilled Tofu Dressed With Sweet Miso Paste)

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Iga food culture area

## Main Ingredients Used
Firm tofu, Soup stock, Dengaku miso

## History, Origin, and Related Events
The Iga region, surrounded by mountains, used to be an area where seafood was scarce. Therefore, tofu, made from processed beans, was a crucial source of nutrition. Tofu is believed to have originated in China and was introduced to Japan by Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty. During the Heian period, the aristocracy is said to have eaten tofu, which was referred to as "okabe" in a wives' tale. However, it wasn't until the Edo period that tofu became widely available to the general public. At that time, farmers had a custom of dancing to taiko drums in the rice paddies during rice planting and festivals. This dance, known as "dengaku-mai" (dengaku dance), is said to have inspired the name "tofu dengaku." The Iga region is the birthplace of Kan'ami and Ze'ami, who are associated with Noh drama. The dance resembles a skewered tofu dancer dressed in white and dancing on a one-legged stick. It is thought to have been named "tofu dengaku" because the skewered tofu resembles the Takashoku dance, in which the dancers are dressed in white and dance with a single stick. Shisei Tanigawa mentioned the word "dengaku" in his "Wakun Shiori" (Book of Japanese Precepts). According to the book, "The name 'dengaku' is derived from the fact that it resembles the appearance of a dengaku master dancing on a pole.” That's why the name has remained unchanged from the late Edo period to the present.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
Dengaku is a dish that is typically served on special occasions such as New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, and cherry blossom viewing parties. In the past, households used to have a dedicated stove to grill the dengaku over charcoal, but this tradition has faded over time. Nowadays, dengaku has become a regional specialty of the Iga area and is mainly served at restaurants.

## How to Eat
Dissolve miso and sugar together. Slowly mix in the mirin, a sweet cooking rice wine, until the mixture is smooth. Taste it and adjust the seasoning as needed by adding some broth. Cut the tofu into bite-size pieces and grill them on both sides using a skewer. Then, coat the tofu with the miso sauce on both sides and sear them. Depending on the season, you can use different types of miso, such as kinome miso in spring or yuzu in winter, and green laver, sesame seeds, and green onions in other seasons.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
Dengaku is also served in school lunches in Iga and Nabari cities. There are also restaurants in Iga City that serve dengaku, some of which have been in business for over 200 years.

## Ingredients
- Firm tofu: 2
- Dashi broth: Appropriate quantity
- Bamboo skewers: 80 to 100
- Mixed miso: 4 tbsp.
- Sugar: 1 to 3 tbsp.
- Mirin (Sweet cooking rice wine): 1 to 3 tbsp. (Sweetness may be adjusted according to the taste of miso)
- Mushrooms: As desired
- Green laver, Sesame seeds, Green onion, etc.: Appropriate quantity
- Yuzu miso (Soybean paste): To taste

## Recipe
1. 1. Mix miso with sugar and a little mirin.
2. 2. Knead the mixture well over heat and adjust the sweetness with broth if it is too thick.
3. 3. Wrap the tofu in a dish towel and place a weight on top to evenly drain off the water. When removing the water, drain the tofu in hot water and then cool it before use to prolong its shelf life.
4. 4. Scrape the drained tofu horizontally and cut it into pieces shaped like clappers, about 5 to 6 cm long and 1 cm wide.
5. 5. Thread the tofu onto bamboo skewers, about 25 cm long, and grill both sides using 5 skewers. Dip the skewers in soybean paste, sear briefly, and serve. In spring, use kinome miso; in winter, use yuzu; and in other seasons, use green laver, sesame seeds, and green onions as seasoning.

## Provider Information
provider : “Mie no Aji Sensai Mansai” (Mie Food Culture Research Association)

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