Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional (8 page)
Read Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional Online
Authors: Miyoko Nishimoto Schinner
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BOOK: Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional
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Yield: 6 to 12 servings depending on appetites
Sushi rice should not be refrigerated after being made, as it turns hard. If you are not serving it soon, cover and leave at room temperature until serving time. Sushi rice can be made several hours in advance.
To make hand-rolled
nigiri-zushi
for your sushi party, you will need the following:
nigiri-zushi
for your sushi party, you will need the following:
Toasted sheets of nori, cut in halfWasabi
(Japanese horseradish; available in powdered form as well as in prepared tubes)Soy sauce
Also, sugar is the standard sweetener for the sushi vinegar, since it is a sweetener with no inherent flavor. If using a liquid sweetener as a substitute, be sure to use one that is very mild in flavor, such as rice syrup, or FruitSource.Here is a basic recipe for cooking sushi rice, followed by suggestions for serving “okonomi-zushi, ” or sushi-as-you-like-it, at home. It makes an ample amount of rice, since this is the meal and not a grain supplement to other dishes. Invite some friends and have a sushi party! (For a family meal, cut the portions in half)
In addition, you will need some or all of the following for fillings:
Avocados, cut into strips (delicious!) Cucumbers, cut into sticks (preferably Japanese; if using the English variety, peel and seed)Thin slices of grilled or sautéed eggplant (not traditional, but good)Carrot sticks, cooked in a little water with a dash or two of soy sauce and mirin or sweetenerFresh shiitake, cooked in the
ni-mono
style (see page 125)Burdock root, cut into matchsticks and cooked in the
ni-mono
style (see page 125)Fresh shiso leaves—fragrant and wonderful!Natto mixed with soy sauce and green onionsKaiware (daikon sprouts—delicate but spicy)Thin strips of smoked tofu (not traditional, but it works)Blanched asparagusBlanched spinachWakame, juliened and tossed in a little sesame oil and sea saltPickled ginger
To serve, line all the filler ingredients on a large platter or two. Provide small individual plates for each person to place his or her soy sauce and wasabi. Each person then takes a piece of nori, places a couple of tablespoons of rice on one end, applies wasabi lightly (if desired), then adds a filling of choice. The nori is then wrapped to form a cone (see illustrations). It is then dipped in the soy sauce and devoured with gusto! Serve icy cold Japanese beer and/or green tea along with it and have a vegan sushi feast.
3 cups white or brown rice
3 cups water for cooking white rice, or 4½ cups water for cooking brown rice
cup sugar, rice syrup, or FruitSource1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon sea salt
cup rice vinegar6 to 12
abura-age
(fried tofu pouches), page 21 (depending on size; they should be about 2 x 3-inches ; if large, cut in half)
abura-age
(fried tofu pouches), page 21 (depending on size; they should be about 2 x 3-inches ; if large, cut in half)
1 cup
Konbu Dashi
(Konbu Stock), page 54
Konbu Dashi
(Konbu Stock), page 54
2 tablespoons mirin
2 to 3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons FruitSource, or sugar, or 5 tablespoons rice syrup
Cook the rice in the water according to the basic instructions on pages 38 and 39. Follow the sushi rice recipe on page 48 for making sushi vinegar with the 1 tablespoon mirin, the sea salt, and vinegar, and adding it to the rice.
To make the seasoned
abura-age
(fried tofu pouches), place the age pouches along with the konbu stock, 2 tablespoons mirin, soy sauce, and sweetener in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the age pouches have absorbed the flavor. Let cool before handling. Remove the age pouches from the remaining liquid. Split open into pockets. Fill each pouch with sushi rice.
abura-age
(fried tofu pouches), place the age pouches along with the konbu stock, 2 tablespoons mirin, soy sauce, and sweetener in a pot with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the age pouches have absorbed the flavor. Let cool before handling. Remove the age pouches from the remaining liquid. Split open into pockets. Fill each pouch with sushi rice.
This was a favorite food of mine as a child—sweet sushi rice wrapped in a tasty age pouch; great finger food for picnics or lunch boxes.
Yield: 6 servings
Soups and Stews
A
lmost every Japanese meal is served with some type of soup. The most common is
miso-shiru,
or miso soup, a deceptively simple broth with a myriad possibilities for
gu
(the savory items that are cooked in the miso broth). Next to miso soup is
suimono,
literally water soup, a rather delicate and clear Japanese version of consommé. In addition, there are heartier stews and a famous custard soup made with eggs, for which I present vegan versions.
lmost every Japanese meal is served with some type of soup. The most common is
miso-shiru,
or miso soup, a deceptively simple broth with a myriad possibilities for
gu
(the savory items that are cooked in the miso broth). Next to miso soup is
suimono,
literally water soup, a rather delicate and clear Japanese version of consommé. In addition, there are heartier stews and a famous custard soup made with eggs, for which I present vegan versions.
All of these soups and stews derive their delicate flavor from the broth used. Although broths from
bonito
shavings (tiny dried fish) are commonly used, full-flavored vegetarian broths are also made from konbu, a thick sea vegetable, and dried shiitake.
bonito
shavings (tiny dried fish) are commonly used, full-flavored vegetarian broths are also made from konbu, a thick sea vegetable, and dried shiitake.
A visitor to Japan or a Japanese restaurant will find that soups, with the exception of
chawan-mushi
(egg-custard soup) are served without spoons. The small bowls are simply lifted to the lips and sipped without the aid of any utensils, except perhaps chopsticks to get at some of the gu.
Basic Miso Soupchawan-mushi
(egg-custard soup) are served without spoons. The small bowls are simply lifted to the lips and sipped without the aid of any utensils, except perhaps chopsticks to get at some of the gu.
-Miso-Shiru (or)
O
-Mi-
O
-Tsuke
This most simple and basic soup can be absolutely gratifying and satisfying. Although it is extremely simple in its preparation, it has endless possibilities due to the various types of miso available and the ingredients that can be added. Vegetables, tofu, or sea vegetables are simmered briefly in the stock, and the miso is added at the end. The whole process can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, depending on what type of
gu
or savory ingredients you use. The most important rule to remember for preparing the tastiest, and in fact the most healthful, miso soup is to add the miso last after the heat has been turned off. This preserves the delicate flavor of the miso, and also the friendly bacteria in the miso that are killed by high heat. It is almost impossible to give exact proportions for the amount of miso to stock, since miso varies greatly in saltiness and flavor. Dark miso is generally saltier and heavier in flavor than light miso. Misos made with rice or barley are sometimes sweeter. There are also some misos with a reduced salt content or even added broth; all of this will affect the amount to be added. Thus, it is always better to start off with the lesser amount and increase it as needed to taste. Generally speaking, ¼ to ½ cup of miso is added to a quart of konbu or shiitake konbu stock.
gu
or savory ingredients you use. The most important rule to remember for preparing the tastiest, and in fact the most healthful, miso soup is to add the miso last after the heat has been turned off. This preserves the delicate flavor of the miso, and also the friendly bacteria in the miso that are killed by high heat. It is almost impossible to give exact proportions for the amount of miso to stock, since miso varies greatly in saltiness and flavor. Dark miso is generally saltier and heavier in flavor than light miso. Misos made with rice or barley are sometimes sweeter. There are also some misos with a reduced salt content or even added broth; all of this will affect the amount to be added. Thus, it is always better to start off with the lesser amount and increase it as needed to taste. Generally speaking, ¼ to ½ cup of miso is added to a quart of konbu or shiitake konbu stock.
Variations for miso soup include sliced eggplant (simmer in
dashi
[stock] until tender),
Nameko-Jiru
(Dark Miso Soup with Nameko Mushrooms page 62), lotus root, even delicate asparagus. Please, no tomatoes, however—they are not a traditional ingredient and their flavor does not lend itself well to this use.
Konbu Stockdashi
[stock] until tender),
Nameko-Jiru
(Dark Miso Soup with Nameko Mushrooms page 62), lotus root, even delicate asparagus. Please, no tomatoes, however—they are not a traditional ingredient and their flavor does not lend itself well to this use.
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