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1
Place the kanpyo strips in a large bowl and add cold tap water to submerge and moisten them.
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2
Pour off all the water and sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of salt over the strips, then rub them in order to soften the fibers and also to clean the strips.
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3
Rinse under cold running tap water to remove the salt.
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4
Drain the strips and soak them in a bowl of cold water overnight.
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5
The next day, drain the kanpyo strips and transfer them to a medium pot.
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6
Add enough water to cover them by 2 inches.
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7
Cook, covered with a dorp lid (see Notes) or a parchment paper disk, for 15 minutes, or until the strips are firmly done.
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8
To check, extract one strip and gently press it with your thumbnail.
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9
A sharp nail mark should be left on the surface (overcooking at this stage turns the strips unpleasantly soft so they tear easily).
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10
Drain the kanpyo strips, discarding the cooking liquid.
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11
Pour the sugar and soy sauce into the cleaned cooking pot and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spatula.
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12
When the sugar is dissolved, add the kanpyo strips and cook them over medium-high heat, turning the strips frequently with a pair of cooking chopsticks (spiky metal tongs can puncture the gourd strips and damage them).
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13
When the cooking liquid is almost all absorbed, add the sweet cooking wine (mirin) and cook until it is almost all absorbed and the strips are coated with a layer of glossy, syrupy sauce.
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14
Drain the kanpyo strips in a strainer, discarding the cooking liquid.
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15
Turn the strips over several times to cool them off quickly.
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16
Store the kanpyo in the refrigerator or freezer.
