So to continue with the kinpira theme, here is a konnyaku kinpira with shiitake and sesame.
Konnyaku, konjac, yam cake, devil’s tongue jelly… all names for a unique, yet versatile, Japanese ingredient. Konnyaku is a firm, gelatin substitute made from the corm of the konjac plant. It has very little flavor but a really cool texture. You can buy it in the tofu section of nearly any Asian grocery. (A word of warning; konnyaku can pose a choking hazard for young children and elderly, since it is very chewy, and does not break down like regular gelatin-based products.).
These kinpira keep well and are great for bentos. They also taste better the next day. Let’s make konnyaku kinpira!
What you need
- Ingredients
- 1 package of konnyaku
- 3 shiitake (reconstituted dried shiitake is the best)
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp shoyu
- 1 Tbsp mirin
- 2 Tbsp dashijiru (I use the shiitake dashijiru for this)
What to do
Step 1 – Unwrap and rinse the konnyaku.
Step 2 – Carve out bite-sized chunks of konnyaku with a spoon, or tear into pieces with your fingers. I find a spoon works the best. Boil in a pot of water for 5 minutes; strain, rinse and cool.
Step 3 – Slice the shiitake and cut off the stems.
Step 4 – Heat the sesame oil in a sauté pan. When the oil is hot, slide the konnyaku and shiitake in from the side. The water in the konnyaku can cause the oil to sputter, so do this slow and carefully. Toss to coat everything with the oil. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes.
Step 5 – Add the rest of the ingredients, stirring constantly.
Step 6 – Continue to cook on high heat until the liquid is absorbed. The shoyu can burn, so keep an eye on it, remembering to stir and coat the ingredients. Turn off heat and transfer ingredients to a flat dish to cool. Serve with toasted black sesame seeds.
Variations
You may add a seeded dried red chili to spice the dish up a bit, or thin sliced carrots to give it more color. I’ve used the dark konnyaku, flavored with hijiki, but the white konnyaku works just as well. You can also use shirataki, which is the noodle version of konnyaku.
If you’ve tried this kinpira, or any variation of it, please share your experiences in the comments. Let me know how it goes! This one is quick and easy to make.
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What a great site!!!! I really love the step by step instructions, so simple and easy to follow!!! Props to you.
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I am not to familiar wicth this, iwould like know more abaut how fenefic to my diet and how use ?
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cheers, just made this and it’s tasting pretty awesome.
I didn’t do chunks though, i did thin strips – konyaku, carrot, and gobou (japanese root vegetable).
Also would definitely recommend at least a very small amount of red chilli pepper. I just used a half a one, and it adds a lot of character.
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