Hatto (Buckwheat Rice-Flour Diamonds with Perilla Miso)

Prepare the junen miso first.

Sort stones or debris from the whole perilla seeds and spread them in one layer in a dry skillet.

Toast the seeds over medium-low heat while shaking continuously.

As soon as five or six seeds pop and smell nutty, turn off the heat and transfer to a wide plate.

Grind the toasted perilla until its oil releases and a fine paste forms.

Grind in the sugar and miso thoroughly, then add sake to make a thick junen miso that drops slowly from a spoon.

Mix the buckwheat and rice flours in a large bowl.

Add only 1.5 cups boiling water gradually while stirring with chopsticks. Once cool enough to handle, knead and add only as much remaining water as needed for an earlobe-soft dough that does not stick.

Roll the dough evenly to 3 to 5 mm thickness on a board lightly dusted with rice flour.

Cut into 4 cm strips, then cut diagonally to make diamonds about 4 cm across.

Bring plenty of water to a boil and add the diamonds in batches so they do not stick.

Once they float, boil 1 minute more to cook out the raw flour, then drain in a sieve.

Divide the boiled hatto among four plates while warm and coat with the junen miso or serve it alongside.

Serve immediately before the dough firms.