Japan — shojin ryori sesame techniques from Zen Buddhist temple kitchens, Kamakura period; systematised in Eiheiji and Kenchoji temple kitchens
Buddhist vegetarian cuisine (shojin ryori) developed sophisticated protein and fat strategies to provide nutritional completeness without animal products. Among the most technically refined is the use of sesame seeds (goma), walnuts (kurumi), peanuts (rakkasei), and pine nuts (matsu no mi) as flavour bases, fat sources, and texture carriers. The goma tofu (芝麻豆腐) of shojin ryori is the paradigm: sesame seeds are soaked, ground in a suribachi to a very fine paste, then cooked with kuzu starch and water to create a white, silky set block that mimics the texture of kinugoshi silken tofu while providing the rich, nutty flavour of sesame. The goma-ae (sesame dressing) technique applies the grinding principle more broadly: toasted white sesame is ground until 60–70% broken (not to a paste), then seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, and mirin to create a coating sauce for blanched vegetables. Kurumi (walnut) dengaku involves grinding walnut to a rough paste with miso and mirin, then applying as a dengaku glaze to grilled tofu or eggplant. In each technique, the fat in the seed or nut is the energy and flavour carrier that replaces the fat function of animal protein in the shojin kitchen. The key principle: seeds and nuts must be freshly toasted before use — the volatile aromatic compounds that define their flavour are generated by heat and dissipate rapidly.
Toasty, nutty sesame depth carrying the flavour of blanched vegetables or forming a silky block that dissolves on the tongue — animal fat's absence is never felt
{"Freshly toasted sesame is dramatically more fragrant than pre-toasted — toast in a dry pan, stirring continuously, until individual seeds begin to pop","Goma tofu technique: the sesame paste must be strained through cloth before cooking with kuzu to remove fibre that would produce a grainy texture","Goma-ae grinding: stop at 60–70% broken seeds — full paste produces a heavy, coating sauce; the coarse grind preserves textural interest","Fat from seeds and nuts provides the caloric density in shojin cooking that animal protein provides elsewhere — a functional substitution, not a compromise","Kuzu starch is the only correct setting agent for goma tofu — cornstarch produces a different, inferior texture without the characteristic translucent elasticity"}
{"A small amount of tahini (high-quality pure sesame paste) can substitute for freshly ground goma in an emergency — but the flavour profile is slightly different as tahini uses hulled seeds while Japanese goma is unpeeled","Shojin goma tofu is traditionally formed in a long, flat rectangular wooden mould (nagashi-bako) — the mould creates the clean rectangular slices that stack precisely on a lacquer tray","Walnut dengaku achieves greatest complexity when the walnuts are very briefly blanched before grinding to remove bitterness, then re-toasted lightly — the blanch removes tannins without sacrificing flavour"}
{"Using pre-ground sesame for goma-ae — the volatile aromatics are already half-dissipated; freshly ground from whole seeds produces dramatically better flavour","Adding soy sauce to goma tofu mixture during cooking — the salt disrupts the kuzu starch network formation; season only after the tofu has set and cooled"}
Tsuji, S. — Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art; Shojin ryori documentation from Eiheiji and Kenchoji temples