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1
Wrap the momen tofu block in a clean cloth and set a weighted board across it. Press for 30 minutes. The tofu is ready when it feels firm and dense under finger pressure and no further water pools beneath the cloth.
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2
Combine shiro miso, sake, mirin, and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir continuously and simmer until the paste thickens to a consistency that holds a ridge on the spoon without flowing. The dengaku miso is ready when it coats the back of the spoon in a continuous, opaque layer and a drawn line holds its shape.
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3
Cut the pressed tofu into rectangular slabs approximately 2 cm thick. Thread each slab onto a flat bamboo skewer — the flat blade must run parallel to the broad face so the tofu cannot rotate. The skewer sits flush and the tofu shows no tendency to pivot.
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4
Grill the skewered tofu over charcoal (or under a broiler as a compromise) on the first face until the surface is lightly coloured and hot through — the tofu will show faint grill marks and its surface will feel set and dry to a light touch, not yielding or cold.
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5
Turn the tofu. Apply the dengaku miso in an even layer across the upward-facing grilled surface using a palette knife or the back of a spoon. Return to the heat. This is where the dish lives or dies: the glazed face must remain over direct heat until the miso bubbles at the centre, chars at the edges, and releases the unmistakable aroma of caramelised fermented paste — the Maillard browning of the miso is the entire flavour point, not a fault. Remove the moment the glaze is set, fragrant, and darkened at its margins.
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6
Press one fresh sansho leaf into the surface of each glaze while still warm. Serve immediately: the glaze should be glossy and tacky, not dried or dull, and the sansho must be vivid green.