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Sekai Gohan

Senbei: Japanese Soy-Brushed Rice Crackers Made with Joshinko

Servings 12 crackers

Homemade soy sauce senbei, finished and stacked on a plate
Steps with photos

Ingredients

Ingredient Amount Role
Joshinko (上新粉, non-glutinous rice flour) 7 oz (200 g) The body of the dough
Water ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (150 ml) Brings the flour together into dough
Soy sauce (醤油, shoyu) to taste Brushed on for the savoury, toasty glaze
Water for boiling as needed (a generous potful) Cooks the dough pieces

Steps

  1. 1Mix and knead the dough

    Put the joshinko in a bowl and pour in the water. Mix with your hand until no dry flour is left anywhere in the bowl. Then knead the mass together, pressing and folding it against the side. Stop when the dough feels as soft as an earlobe: smooth, slightly springy and holding its shape.

  2. 2Tear the dough and boil it

    Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Tear the dough into bite-sized pieces and drop them into the water one by one so they don't clump. Boil them for 7–8 minutes. Drain them well; they come out hot, soft and a little sticky.

  3. 3Pound the dough smooth with a wet pestle

    Move the hot pieces into a clean bowl. Wet the wooden pestle with water and knead and pound the pieces together. Dip the pestle in water again whenever the dough starts to cling. Keep going until the torn edges disappear and the dough is smooth and glossy.

    Keep the pestle wet

    A dry pestle grabs the hot dough and tears it. A wet one slides, so the dough stays in one piece and smooths out quickly.

  4. 4Shape twelve rounds

    Preheat the oven to 230°F (110°C). Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Press each ball flat into a thin round 2¾–3 inches (7–8 cm) across. The rounds are ready when they are all the same size and thickness, so they dry at the same pace.

  5. 5Dry the rounds in a low oven

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lay the rounds on it in rows. Dry them at 230°F (110°C) for about 1 hour, turn every round over, and dry for about 1 hour more. If they still are not fully dry, give them another 30 minutes. They are done when they are pale, hard and dry right through, with no browning.

    Finish the drying before you toast

    A round that is still moist inside won't puff in the toaster oven and stays hard and doughy. When in doubt, give it the extra 30 minutes.

  6. 6Toast on foil until golden

    Set a few dried rounds on a sheet of aluminium foil and put them in the toaster oven. Toast for about 5 minutes, turning them over as they colour. Work in several batches instead of crowding them all in at once. Take them out when both sides are golden brown with light brown spots.

    Small batches, frequent turns

    A toaster oven heats close and fast. A few rounds at a time, turned often, brown evenly instead of scorching at the edges.

  7. 7Brush with soy sauce and dry again

    Take the toasted crackers out on their foil. Brush each one with a thin layer of soy sauce while it is still hot. Return them to the toaster oven for 1–2 minutes to dry the glaze, then let them cool. They are finished when the soy is dry to the touch and glossy, and they snap cleanly once cool.