You would want to spend hot summer comfortably and stay cool with cold food.

Japanese representative summer foods are old Chinese noodles, Somen noodles, chilled tofu, etc. Tokoroten is also one of them.

Today we are going to tell how to make authentic Tokoroten.

What is Tokoroten?

Tokoroten is shredded gelidium jelly. To make it, boil gelidium and pour it into a mold and cool it until it gets solid. Then cut it into thin strips. It features unique flavor and texture that comes from seaweed.

Only those that are made from natural gelidium are called “Tokoroten”, and others that are made from gelidium powder or filamentous gelidium are called “Kanten”.

What is Tentsuki?

Tentsuki is a Tokoroten cutter. Solid Tokoroten block is shredded into thin strips by pressing it in Tentsuki with the attached stick.

How to Use Tentsuki

Use of Tentsuki is simple. First, cut Tokoroten block to the size it can fit in Tentsuki. Then put it into Tentsuki and press out with the attached stick.

It is recommended to have Tokoroten with Sanbaizu (vinegar, soy sauce and mirin mixed in roughly equal proportions). Its refreshing taste will blow off summer heat.

Maintenance of Tentsuki

Tentsuki sold at Globalkitchen Japan are made of bamboo that has high antibacterial effect. If it gets stained, wash it through water and dry it out of direct sunlight. Exposure to direct sunlight may cause crack or breakage.

Also, do not put it in a dishwasher.

For storage, put it in a well-ventilated place without sealing; otherwise, it may get moldy.

Summary

If you can’t get real gelidium, you can use powder agar instead to make Tokoroten. How about enjoying summer in Japanese style with Tentsuki and Tokoroten?