Ingredients for 4 Two 14-cm Long Datemaki

Ingredients　4Servings（バット20×16×3㎝）

Firm tōfu (木綿豆腐 / Momendōfu) 150 g
Eggs (卵 / Tamago) 3 (large)
Light soy sauce (うすくち醤油 / Usukuchi shōyu) 1/4 tsp
Salt (塩/ Shio) 1/4 tsp
*Reduced amazake (煮詰めた甘酒 / Nidzumeta amazake) 100 g

Tools
Reed–brand (“リード” in Japanese) baking paper (“クッキングペーパー” in Japanese)
Oni-sudareh (鬼すだれ)
Baking tray (20 cm×16 cm×3 cm)

An oni-sudareh is a type of makisu – the bamboo mat used to make makizushi. Compared to a typical makisu, an oni-sudareh is made with larger bamboo rods that are triangular in cross section. When it is used to make datemaki, an oni-sudareh forms striations in the surface coming into contact with the oni-sudareh.

 

*Reduced amazake is amazake that has been heated to reduce its water content and enhance sweetness. As an example of how this is done, 400 g of fairly thick amazake would be heated to reduced it to 300 g, at which point it should be the consistency of jam.

 

How to Make

1. Drain the tōfu of excess water by wrapping it in baking paper and placing a plate on top. Let the tōfu rest in this condition for about an hour to bring its weight down to 120 g from 150 g.
2. Place the tōfu, eggs, light soy sauce, salt, and amazake into a mixing bowl and use a hand-held mixer, or similar device, to blend the contents to a smooth consistency.
3. Line a baking tray with baking paper, pour in the contents of the mixing bowl, and smooth the surface.
4. Preheat an oven to 180℃. Place the baking tray into the oven for 25 minutes. The tōfu-egg mixture will be done when the surface is dry and you can stick a bamboo skewer into the mixture and pull it out with no obviously uncooked material clinging to it. While the tōfu-egg mixture is still warm, cover the tray with a cutting board, then flip the cutting board and tray together, so the cutting board is now on the bottom. Peel off the baking paper.
5. Place the oni-sudare on top of the tōfu-egg mixture and flip, so that the tōfu-egg mixture is now on top of the oni-sudare. Remove the cutting board. Position the oni-sudare so that the individual rods making up the oni-sudare extend left and right. You are going to roll up the tōfu-egg mixture. To help this process, it is useful to make shallow (about 5 mm) cuts in the tōfu-egg mixture, parallel to the rods in the oni-sudare and spaced 2-3 cm apart.
6. Begin rolling by picking up the edge of the oni-sudare closest to your body and rolling forward. When you complete the roll, keep the oni-sudare in place and use rubber bands to hold the roll together. Cool the roll by standing it up, on-end, on a plate. Water will come out of the roll. Drain this off.
7. After the roll has cooled for about one hour, cut it into easy-to-eat rounds.

 

Significance of Datemaki as an Osechi Dish
Datemaki are a part of osechi ryōri because of their color and shape. Datemaki are yellow and yellow is seen as symbolizing wealth. They are also rolled. In the past, important writings and paintings were created in the form of makimono, or scrolls, which were tools and products of scholarship. Osechi ryōri includes various dishes that are rolled because of this symbolism.

Recipe Developed by Machiko Tateno

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