Kishizu (Kuzukiri and Vegetables with Sesame Miso)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 60 min
- Level
- Medium
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 18
About this dish
Kishizu is a Buddhist vegetarian dish served around Kaga City in Ishikawa Prefecture at funerals, memorial services, and Hoonko observances.
Read more
Kuzukiri, salted wakame, sudare-fu, konnyaku, carrot, udo, and cucumber are prepared separately and cut into long, narrow shapes before being arranged by color as a substitute for sashimi. The konnyaku is scored and lightly cooked with sake and light soy sauce without darkening it. The wakame and wheat gluten are briefly blanched, while the kuzukiri is boiled and cooled. For the sauce, white sesame is ground until it releases oil, then combined with white miso, boiled mirin and sake, sugar, salt, dashi, vinegar, and poppy seeds. A small sauce bowl is placed in the center of the platter so each crisp, soft, or slippery ingredient can be dipped individually, though the sauce may also be mixed through before serving.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Cut the carrot, udo, and cucumber separately into fine matchsticks.
Soak each briefly, drain well, and keep them separate so their colors and textures remain distinct.
- 2Season
Soak the salted wakame to remove the salt, cut it into manageable lengths, blanch it briefly in boiling water, cool it immediately, and drain thoroughly.
- 3Season
Cut the konnyaku in half lengthwise and make 4 to 5 lengthwise slits in each piece.
Cook it lightly in a pan with the sake for konnyaku and light soy sauce, letting moisture evaporate without darkening it. Cool completely, then slice thinly like sashimi.
- 4Heat
Boil the kuzukiri until tender according to its thickness, cool it immediately, and drain.
Briefly blanch the sudare-fu, cool it, and cut it into short rectangular strips.
- 5Season
Work the ground white sesame and white miso together until smooth.
Briefly boil the mirin and sauce sake, cool them, and mix them in with the sugar and salt. Add the dashi gradually to adjust the thickness, then stir in the vinegar and poppy seeds.
- 6Season
Place a small bowl of sesame miso sauce in the center of a wide platter.
Arrange the drained carrot, udo, cucumber, wakame, konnyaku, kuzukiri, and sudare-fu around it so each color and shape remains visible.
- 7Season
Dip each prepared ingredient into the sesame miso sauce at the center.
If serving it pre-dressed, fold in the sauce only just before eating so the kuzukiri and vegetables do not release water into it.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Kuzukiri, wakame, sudare-fu, konnyaku, and vegetables receive separate preparation.
- Finish cue
- Boil the kuzukiri until tender according to its thickness, cool it immediately, and drain.
- Avoid this
- Drain the wakame, kuzukiri, blanched sudare-fu, and vegetables thoroughly so they do not thin the sesame miso sauce.
- Substitution
- Kuzukiri, salted wakame, sudare-fu, konnyaku, carrot, udo, and cucumber are prepared separately and cut into long, narrow shapes before being arranged by color as a substitute for sashimi.
- Storage and reheating
- Cool completely, then slice thinly like sashimi.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official food safety guidance.
This recipe
60min, 18 ingredients
Category median
25min, 8 ingredients
Based on 167 recipes
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