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1
Prepare the dengaku miso. Combine miso, sake, mirin, and sugar in a small saucepan. Set over low heat and simmer, stirring continuously, for 3 minutes until the mixture tightens, turns glossy, and the alcohol smell dissipates. The paste is ready when it holds a slow ribbon from the spoon and the raw edge has left the aroma.
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2
Prepare the principal ingredient. For tofu: press firm tofu under a weighted board for 30 minutes, then cut into pieces and skewer. For eggplant: halve, score the flesh in a crosshatch, salt for 15 minutes, rinse, and pat dry, then skewer. For konnyaku: dry-fry in a hot unoiled pan until the surface is squeaky and beginning to colour, then skewer. Each substrate must be dry to the touch before grilling.
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3
Grill the skewered pieces over direct fire or on a hot grill pan, turning once, until both sides carry light grill marks and the surface is sealed and dry. Tofu and konnyaku should feel firm when pressed lightly at the centre; eggplant flesh should yield and begin to soften.
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4
Apply the dengaku miso. Spread a thick, opaque layer generously over one face of each piece — the coating must be substantial and fully cover the surface, not merely a film. This is where the dish lives or dies: too thin an application yields a pale, flavourless crust; a cooked miso base that has not been pre-simmered will not integrate and will scorch unevenly.
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5
Place the miso-coated skewers under a broiler or pass them close over fire. Hold until the miso surface bubbles, darkens at the edges, and caramelizes to a deep amber-brown. Pale miso at this stage is insufficient — the caramelized colour is the marker of the dish's character. Remove promptly once the surface blisters and colours; the miso can tip from caramelized to burnt within moments.
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6
Finish and serve immediately. Scatter poppy seeds or toasted sesame over the caramelized miso. Place a kinome leaf or a small amount of yuzu zest on each piece according to season. The dengaku is served on the skewer.