1.
nama-fu; fresh wheat gluten (soft and chewy)
A traditional Japanese food made from wheat gluten mixed with glutinous rice flour, steamed to produce a soft, chewy texture. Eaten as a refined ingredient in Kyoto-style cuisine, Buddhist vegetarian cooking, and high-end Japanese restaurants.
生麩の田楽。
Nama-fu glazed with sweet miso (dengaku).
京都の料亭で生麩を味わった。
I enjoyed nama-fu at a high-end restaurant in Kyoto.
生麩はもちもちとした食感が特徴だ。
Nama-fu is characterized by its soft, chewy texture.
精進料理では、生麩が肉の代わりに使われることが多い。
In Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, nama-fu is often used in place of meat.
Composed of 生 (fresh; uncooked; raw) and 麩 (wheat gluten). The 生 here signals that the product has not been dried or toasted, unlike 焼き麩 (baked, dry yaki-fu).
USAGE:
A specialty food associated particularly with Kyoto cuisine and 精進料理 (Buddhist vegetarian cooking). Typically sold refrigerated in blocks and has a shelf life of only a few days. Popular varieties include 粟麩 (with millet), 草麩 (with mugwort, green-colored), and 紅葉麩 (autumn-leaf shape). Often grilled with miso glaze (田楽) or served in clear soup as a refined garnish.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 生麩の田楽: grilled nama-fu with miso glaze
- 生麩田楽味噌: miso used to top grilled nama-fu
- 京生麩: Kyoto-style nama-fu (a branded regional specialty)
- 生麩を揚げる: to deep-fry nama-fu
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 焼き麩: toasted, dried wheat gluten — the dry, light counterpart, used in everyday cooking rather than refined cuisine
- 揚げ麩: fried wheat gluten — deep-fried for a crisper texture
- 麩: wheat gluten — the general category term
- 湯葉: tofu skin — another Kyoto specialty made from soy milk; often served alongside 生麩 in refined cuisine