Recipe(tried): Japanese Grilled Yam Cake with Sweet Miso

KONNYAKU-DENGAKU (grilled yam cake with sweet miso)

Konnyaku is a gelatinous cake made from the starch of the "devil's tongue" plant (a relative of the sweet potato). Konnyaku is almost tasteless but has a distinct characteristic texture (which is somewhat like tough gelatin).

It's used mostly for this quality, and you can find it as an ingredient in many one pot dishes (nabemono). Konnyaku is sold in blocks roughly the size of tofu blocks, but it's also available in noodle form. If you are able to purchase konnyaku blocks or noodles I highly recommend trying it in dotenabe. You can also try this simple recipe, which calls for grilling a block of konnyaku with sweet miso.

1 block konnyaku
2 tablespoons of dengaku miso.

I like using the red dengaku miso for this particular dish as it goes well with the texture of the konnyaku. Cut the konnyaku block cross ways into slabs an inch thick and place them on aluminum foil. Broil each side until the color changes and the konnyaku begins to brown. Now, spread one side of the slabs with the dengaku miso topping and grill again until lightly browned. Serve hot.

DENGAKU MISO (sweet simmered miso)

Dengaku is one of Japan's oldest types of miso cuisine. It consists of grilling various types of skewered foods, then coating the food with a thin layer of sweetened miso and grilling again. Here is how to make the sweet simmered miso used in dengaku.


1 3/4 cups of red or white miso
1/3 cup sake
1/3 cup mirin
3 tablespoons of sugar

Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir with a wooden spatula over a medium flame. When the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat and continue stirring until smooth and thick (around 20 minutes). Let cool and then it's ready to use. Sweet simmered miso can be refrigerated for up to a month.

You can grill many different foods when making dengaku, try grilling mushrooms, leeks, daikon, mochi, green peppers, konnyaku, or tofu. Here are two more tasty dengaku treats...

(Broiled Sweet Potato). Take 1 sweet potato, cut lengthwise, peel and steam (or use a microwave) until just tender, let cool. Now place the slices on aluminum foil under an oven broiler and broil on each side until lightly speckled, spread one side with a thin layer of dengaku miso and grill again until the miso bubbles. Serve hot or cold.

(Broiled Eggplant). Take four Japanese eggplants and split them lengthwise. Broil the eggplants on each side in an oven broiler until the eggplant is nearly cooked through (you can brush on a little bit of sesame oil to keep the eggplant from drying out, this also imparts a nice flavor). Spread dengaku miso on the cut surface side and grill again until the miso bubbles. Serve hot or cold.