Tokoroten
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Tokoroten with soy sauce | |
| Type | Wagashi |
|---|---|
| Course | Side dish, dessert |
| Place of origin | Japan |
| Serving temperature | Hot, cold |
| Main ingredients | Seaweed (tengusa, ogonori) |
Tokoroten (心太, ところてん) is a gelatinous dish in Japanese cuisine, made from agarophyte seaweed. It was traditionally made by boiling tengusa (Gelidium amansii) and allowing the mixture to congeal into a jelly.[1] The jelly is then pressed through an extruding device and shaped into noodles. Unlike gelatin desserts, tokoroten has a firmer texture.[citation needed]
Tokoroten can be eaten hot (in solution) or cold (as a gel).[2] Flavorings and garnishes can vary from region to region. In the present day, it is common to eat it with a mixture of vinegar and soy sauce,[3] and sometimes nori,[4] hot pepper, or sesame. In the Kansai region, tokoroten is eaten as a dessert with kuromitsu syrup.[5]
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Tokoroten has been eaten in Japan for over a thousand years.[1] It is thought to have been introduced to Japan from China during the Nara period.[6]
During the Edo period, it was popular during the summer as a snack.[6] It was originally made to be eaten immediately and was commonly sold around factories.[2] In the 17th century, it was discovered that freezing tokoroten would result in a stable and dry product known as kanten (agar).[2][1] While tokoroten can be made from kanten based on seaweeds such as tengusa (Gelidiaceae) and ogonori (Gracilaria), today, commercially produced kanten is mostly made from ogonori.[6]
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