Steps

1. Wash 3-4 shiso leaves, roll them up, and thinly slice.
   🕒 00:56
2. To help the flavor penetrate, make deep horizontal cuts about 4 times on one side of the 1 piece of thick fried tofu. Aim for approximately 20 cuts to maximize flavor infusion.
   🕒 01:27
3. Heat a little vegetable oil in a frying pan. Place the thick fried tofu cut-side down and grill until golden brown. If you're concerned about excess oil, you can blanch the tofu beforehand. Wipe away any excess oil that splatters during cooking.
   🕒 02:05
4. Grill the other side until also fragrant and nicely browned.
   🕒 02:46
5. In a bowl, combine 1/2 tbsp miso, 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp cooking sake (rice wine), 1 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine), and 1 piece of grated ginger. Mix well to create the miso sauce. We recommend using plenty of ginger.
   🕒 03:08
6. Wipe the frying pan clean of any remaining oil or moisture. [04:00] Pour the prepared miso sauce over the grilled thick fried tofu and let it simmer to coat. Cook until the sauce thickens.
   🕒 03:56
7. Place 2 slices of sliced cheese on top of the thick fried tofu coated with the miso sauce.
   🕒 04:33
8. Cover with a lid and let the residual heat melt the cheese.
   🕒 04:46
9. Transfer the thick fried tofu with melted cheese to a plate.
   🕒 05:00
10. Drizzle any remaining miso sauce over the top.
    🕒 05:19
11. Garnish with shredded nori seaweed and shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice blend) to your liking and serve. The cuts allow the miso sauce to penetrate deeply, resulting in a fluffy and juicy texture.
    🕒 05:34