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4

SPECIAL SEASONING INGREDIENTS USED IN JAPANESE COOKING

1 Dark and light Soy Sauce (Sh"yu) Soy souce is brewed from soy beans, wheal, rice, and other ingredients, Dark soy sauce is the mosl common kind; light.colored soy souce conloins fructose, and is ahen used in light-colored dishes. 2 Doshi Doshi bose comes in either powdered or liquid form, and in bonito, kelp, and smoll dried fish flovors, Use dashi 05 stock in cooking. 3 Mlrtn Mirin is a tronsporent, sweet cooking wine mode from glutinous rice, frequently used in Japanese cooking. 4 Crushed Laver (Furigake) This condiment, contoining sesame seeds, finely crushed purple lover (nonl, and bils of dried bonito fillet, comes in mony differenllypes, and is usually miJl:ed into rice or used in making sushi, Use the type you prefer. 5 Miso (Soy Bean Paste) Miso is mode of soy beans, rice, wheot, ond other ingredients. It comes in re!=lular and low-salt types. 6 Mustard This i$ a yellow, piquant paste made from mustard seed powder. 7 Wasabl (Japanese Horseradish) Japanese horseradish root is first ground into a powder, then made into a green, piquant pasle. 8 Seven-Flavor Seasoning (Shichimi-Iogaloshll This seasoning is made from toosted white radish sprouls, Szechuon peppercorns, fennel, pepper leaf, sesome seed, chili pepper, ond pepper.

5

-

2 6

3 7

4 8

HOW TO MAKE DASHI STOCK Doshi siock ploys on important role in Japanese cooking. The freshness and tastiness of a dish often depend to a great extent on the quality of the dashi used. Presented below ore methods for making the two different kinds of deshi:

Doshi I

2/3 to 1 oz. (20-30 g) dried bonito shavings (kafsuobushi; illus. 1 )

5 c. water 1 strip (4 or 1 0 em) dried kelp seaweed

(kombu; iIIus. 2)

Rub the kelp cleon with a cloth, then spread open. Make a series of cuts in the kelp crosswise at 1/2 ( 1 em) intervals; do not, however, cut all the way through. These cuts allow Ihe kelp to release more of its flavor into the siock while cooking; and leaving the kelp in one piece makes it easy 10 remove. Add the 5 cups of wafer to a pOI together with the kelp. Before the center begins to

boil, remove the kelp ond continue to boil. Add the bonito shavings and turn off the heat immediately. After the bonita shavings have settled to the bottom of the pot, filter the stock through a piece of cheesecloth. The doshi stock is now ready for use in light-colored dishes, for ex.omple, Sovory Cup Custard (Chawan Mushi; p. 39). o Whole dried bonito fillets may be baked 10 soften and shoved 10 make the bonito shavings.

Doshi II Add 2- 1 /2 cups water 10 the kelp and bonito shavings used in Dashi I and heat in a pOI . Before the center begins to boil, odd another 2/3 oz. (20 g) of bonito shavings and turn off the heal immediately. Wait until the ingredients have settled, and filter through a piece of cheesecloth. This dashi can be used in dishes with a darker color, such as Chikuzen N i (p.2.4). Use ready-mode dash; for ex.tra convenience(illus. 3).

HOW TO MAKE RICE FOR SUSHI Sushi rice (serves 41 Choose short-groin or sushi rice thai has whole, pure white groins, with no foreign material mixed in, and with 0 minimum of broken grains. Wash 2 cups of the rice (do nol wash and rinse faa long, so as 10 ovoid losing the vitamin 81 conlent in the rice). Drain when the rice is clean, whit., and translucent. Add 1-3/.4 cups water and soak 30 minutes or longer. Cook in on electric rice cooker (or on on electric or gas siove) until done. leave the rice covered and undisturbed for another 15 minutes after turning off tM! heal. Pour the sushi vinegor over the cooked rice while the rice is still hOi, and mix it in with a rice paddle. Fan the rice (either by hand or with on electric fan) while mixing in the vinegor. Do this until the rice is light and fluffy, and the flavor of the vinegar dispersed (ill us. 1). Do not allow the rice grains to ding together in dumps, and do not squish the grains, or the rice will become sticky and pasty (illus. 2). o If you make a large quanlily of sushi rice, transfer the extra rice to another container and cover with a wet doth to preyent the rice from becoming dry and hard. This step is not necessary if making only a small amount for home use.

Sushi vinegar Mix 112 teaspoon salt into 3 tablespoons rice vinegor and bring to a boil oyer low heat. Then add 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar and turn off the heat immediately. The vinegar mixture is ready when the sugar has completely dissolved. Sushi vinegar musl be prepared ahead of time, so it is convenient to make a large amount at once and keep it in the refrigerator for use when necessory. The proportion of sugar ta vinegar can be adjusted according to personal taste. The various brands of sushi vinegar available commercially may also be used (ill us. 3).

Utensils for mixing the sushi rice A wooden container with a lorge, flat bollom can absorb steam and moisture, allowing the rice groins to become springy and glossy. If unayoiloble, a porcelain or stainless steel contoiner may be substituted.

o How to store wooden contoiners Wash immediately after use, and drip-dry (do not dry in the sun). Store in a dark, cool, and dry place. Wipe clean with a dry cloth before the next use.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE UDON NOODLES SERVES 4-5

1/2 c. (130 eel waler 112 T. pO 9) sol! 7 oz. (200 g) low gluten flour (about 2/3 c.) 3 112 oz. (l00 9) high gluten flour (about 1/3 c.) 114 c. low gluten flour

Dissolve the salt in the waler. It should be about as salty as sea waler (IS units on a salinometer; illus. 1 ) . Mix the low gluten flour and high gluten flour together in a large bowl. Add the soil water very slowly 10 the flour as you knead il inlo a smooth dough. Cover with a weI cloth and leove undisturbed for about one hour. Remove from the bowl. Press the dough down with the palm of your hand filius, 2), fold into three paris, then press down again. Repeal the above sleps for 5 minutes (about 3 10 4 times). Place the dough on a counler and knead until of a consistency that is neither too soft nor too firm. Allow to set undisturbed for another 20 minutes. Remove from the bowl and use a rolling pin (preferably one with aboul the same diameter as a broomstick) 10 roll out into a 4-xS- ( l Ox20 em) rectangle. Sprinkle some flour over the top. Roll up the dough on the rolling pin (ill us. 3) to flolten. You will be rolling oul several separate looped layers at once. Press down and roll to

J I 2

lengthen the dough. Spread open the dough on Ihe counter, sprinkle some flour over ii, and again roll up the dough around the rolling pin. Repeat as above 5 more times until the dough is about 1112- (.2 em) thick. Sprinkle liberally wilh flour and fold into 3 or .4 layers. Cut into liS- (.3 em) udon noodles. Again sprinkle liberally wilh flour, and the noodles are ready for use. D Homemade udon noodles have a pleasantly springy texture. They con be either stirfried or boiled, and are very convenient to use. If you do not use them immediately after making them, wrap them in plastic and keep in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for about one week. o for restauronts thaI make udon noodles in large quantities, Ihe dough can be placed in a plastic bag, and a piece of cloth spread on top of the bag. The dough is then stomped on with the feet, rather than kneaded by hand. This makes the gluten in the flour soft and pliable.

To cook udon noodles: fill a pol with water and bring to a boil. Add the udon and wail until the water comes to a second boil. Add I cup of cold water, then cook another minute. Remove the noodles when cooked through, and rinse in cold water.

8

NOTES ON FISH IN JAPANESE COOKING Fish is one of the mainstays of the Japanese diet, especially in the form of sashimi (cut row fish). II is thus extremely importonllo know how to select fish. Freshness is by for the top priority: choose fresh or live fish with bright and clear eyes, and translucent, firm, springy flesh. Soh water fish are Ihe most commonly used (fresh water fish ore seldom eaten row). The fish must be kepi Of a temperature between 37..4F (J0C) and .4 1 F (SoC) 10 prevent spoiloge. (Do nol, however, let the temperature fall below 37..4F (30q, or the fish will freeze. It is olso important to keep the culling boord,

knife, white towels, etc. used in preparing sashimi clean. Wash the fish, remove the entrails, then rinse again in cold water. The fish cannot be rinsed once it has been deboned, since contact with water would wash away the fla .... or, and also make it more vulnerable to rapid spoilage. learning to debone fish is 0 key step in making soshimi. Yau need only refer to the illustrations below and practice several times to master this procedure. Illustrated and explained below are the methods for deboning fish and for preparing fish for pressed sushi with soshimi.

12' Basic Method for Deboning Fish (iUus. 1. 1 2)

SIOrl tutling neor Ihe fins. Hold Ihe knife slightly ongl.d to the I.ft. When you cuI down to Ihe large bone. turn the fish over, repeol this some cut, ond remoye Ihe heod.

Inserl Ihe knife below Ihe belly ond cuI from I.k 10 righI, 011 the way through.

Remove Ihe enlroils ond wash Ihe fish. CUI from Ihe belly 10 Ihe loil.

Ned, cuI from Ihe upper bock fin oreo down. When you hil Ihe moin bone, cui 'rom righl to lek, all the woy through.

Inserl lhe knife into the loil porlion and cut, dawn 10 the bone, towards Ihe head. Remove the fillel.

Insert a knife between Ihe flesh and the skin. Grasp Ihe skin with your left hand. Remove Ihe flesh by pushing the knife in.

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The belly flesh of tuna fish has a high fat conlent, and is the most lender and delicious pori of the fish.

CUi into Ihe area where the loil is join.ed. You can now remove Ihe fillel from one side.

Cut off Ihe small bones in Ihe pOllerior venlrol area, where the dark-colored meal is (or remove the bones wilh a tweezers).

Follow the some procedure to remove Ihe fillel from the olher side. When correclly sliced, it will come off in three pieces.

Tri,., the flesh into a redongle (so that il resembles a block of wood).

CUi off the fish bones from Ihe belly. Repeat on the olher side.

CUi with a soshimi knife as illustrated 10 form flal slices.

16 Preparing Sashimi for Pressed Sushi (illus 13-16)

CUi into slices oboul liS' (.3 em) thick al an angle agoinSI Ihe grain (angle the knife 10 the left, and cuI each slice off with one slroke of Ihe knife).

Again, CUi Ihe back porlion Slices wilh a rounded edge into liS' (.3 em) thick slices at give a three-dimensional on angle ogOinlt the groin effed and are convenient for (the knife lip should be angled use in arrangements. somewhal 10 Ihe ri ghi, Ihen angled bock, so Ihe slices hove a rounded edge).

EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETE JAPANESE MEAL In a formal Japanese dinner, the arrangement of the otensils and the atmosphere they creote are central 10 the meal. The meal itself usually consists of three entrees and a soup: one main dish (for example, soshimi, a broiled food, a fried meol dish, batter.fried seafood, elc.), two side dishes (as a rule, Ihese ore simpler dishes that do nol repeat ingredients used in the main dish), soup (consomme, thick soup, or mise soup), a dish of pickled vegetables, and a bowl of rice. Here is an example of a complete Japanese style meol as a reference: Moln Dish: Assorted Sashimi (see p. 1 2). Side Dishes: Sesame Beef (recipe right); Fresh Fish Steamed with Tofu (see p. 42). Soup: Miso Soup (see p. 1 8) . Pickle: Yellow Pickled Radish (Tokuon) or Pickled Cabbage (see p. 5 1 ) . Rice: Usually white rice with some sesame seeds sprinkled over the top is served; on special occasions, little-of-Everything Rice (see p. 88) or Red Bean Rice (see p. 85) can be substituted.

SESAME BEEf 7/8 lb. (400 9) lean beef 2 T. soy sauce 1 /4 c. rice wine

SERVES A

2 T . mirin (sweet rice wine) 1 - 1 /2 T. white sesame seeds (toasted) cooked broccoli, as desired cooked carrot, as desired

Cut the beef into thin slices and marinate in 1 ahout 30 minutes. Heat a flat-bottomed frying pan, odd 1 tablespoon oil, and stir-fry the beef rapidly until medium-well done. Transfer to a serving dish. Place some cooked broccoli and carrot on the side and serve.

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ASSORTED SASHIMI 6112 oz. ( 180 9) fresh tuna fish fillel

(maguro) 2/3 lb. (300 9) porgy (red sea bream;

10,1 1/3 lb. (150 9) fresh cUlllefish or squid

(iko) sheel purple laver seaweed (no"l halfbeok fish (sayo"l (3- or 8 em long) small gherkin cucumber

.4 cockles (/origol1 2 ark shells (akogoll 114 c. shredded Chinese while radish

(doiNo,,) wasobi (Japanese horseradish) and soy

sauce, 0$ desired

SERVES A Slice the luna inlo 3/8" ( 1 em) ,hick strips. CUi the porgy inlo liS" (.5 em) thick diagonallY-CUI slices. Sel aside.

Remove the head, entrails, outer skin, and membrane from the cullJefish (illu5. I J . Cui in half lengthwise. Make a horizontol slosh in one of the pieces on the interior; do nol cui all the way through (illus. 2). Insert a sheet of nor; inside (illus. 3), ond cut into 318 ( 1 cm) wide strips. Cut the other half 01 the cuttlelish into thin slices, ond roll inlo flowers (see page 103 of "Chinese Appetizers and Gornishes"). Roll the gherkin cucumber inside Ihe halfbeak fish lillet. CUi into pieces. Score the cockles and ark shells (with a croS$hotch cut), wash each separately, and set aside. Soak the shredded white radish in ice water obaut 30 minutes. Drain well before using_ Neatly arrange Ihe ingredients separately on a serving dish. Dip in a mixture of wosobi and soy sauce to eal.

Cutting sashimi is on art; the imporlont things 10 remember are that the knile should be sharp, each cut should be mode in a single slrake, and the resulting piece of fish should be as smooth as a piece of marble. Sashimi should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature between 37.40 and 4 1 F (3 10 SoC), and is besl if eaten Ihe same day it is prepared. If there are leftovers, il is best 10 serve them cooked rather Ihan raw.

If halfbeak fish is unavailable, subslitute any alher fresh salt waler fish.

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FRESH SHRIMP APPETIZER .d live prawns (about 4 1o 4-314

or 1010 12 em) 1 lemon 4 plum leaves (obo; illus. 1) wasobi (Japanese horseradish),

as desired 1 3 T. rice vinegar 1- 1/2 T. water 11/2 T. soy sauce

SERVES .4

Wash the prawns. Remove Ihe heads and blanch in boiling water. Remove as soon as they turn red in color, Ihen soak in ice water. Cui half of Ihe lemon into thin rounds, and quarter the other half. Shell the shrimp and make 2 10 3 sloshes down Ihe bock of eoch; do not cui all the way through (illus. 2). fill a bowl with ice water and ice cubes, then odd Ihe shrimp. Slir the shrimp around in the ice woter with a poir of chopsticks or a spoon for 1 minute (illus. 3), until the flesh of the shrimp becomes firm, and il shrinks and curls up. Place some crushed ice in a serving bowl, then top with the lemon rounds. On top of this place the shrimp and the wasabi. Dip in 1 to eat. Place the plum leaves, the shrimp heads, and the quartered half lemon on a 'small dish and serve on the side.

The shrimp can be wrapped in the plum leaves before eating for variety.

If plum leaves ore unavailable, parsley may be used as a substitute.

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16

FRESH BEEF APPETIZER 1 lb. (450 g) lender leon beef

(or fillet) 1/2 Chinese while radish

(dai.lc:on) 1 12 small red chili pepper 2 green onions 112 onion 2 cloves garlic 1 T. lemal"! juice

2 1 T. soy sauce 1/2 c. dash;

SERVES"

Choose tender lean beef Ihat is bright red and springy 10 Ihe touch. Trim off the sinews and fal (illus. 1). Cui against the grain into Ihin slices filius. 2) , and arrange on a pia Ie. Cover and seal with plastic wrap (illus. 3). Refrigerate 2 hours {Ol 37.4 to 41F or 3 10 5 Qq. Grind 1 into a puree (see p. 42, Fresh Fish Steamed with Tofu), mince Ihe green onion finely, and cut the onion int? half rings. Soak Ihe onion in ice water about 10 minutes. Drain well before using. Puree Ihe garlic. Sprinkle all of the ingredients over the cold beef. To serve, mix 2 well and pour over the beef.

When choosing beef that is 10 be eaten raw, freshness is of the utmosl importance. The beef should be refrigerated at a temperature of 37.4 to 4 1F (30 to 5C). For tastier ond more tender beef, refrigerate for 6 days or more.

The dressing ingredients may, as on alternative, be pureed together, then mixed well with fresh row egg yolk, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

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SERVES 4 MISO SOUP Cut the porgy (or other fresh fish) bones into pieces (illus. 2). Blonch briefly in boiling woter, remove, ond rinse under the top. Put 3- 1/2 cups woter into 0 pot ond bring to 0 boil. Add the shredded daikon and carrot and cook until soft. Next odd the fish bones and bring the soup to a boil. Skim off the foam. Poss 1 through a spoon sieve. Mix thoroughly with a wooden stick or a spoon (illus. 3). Turn off the heat immediately and pour the soup into 0 serving bowl. Sprinkle some chopped green onion over the top and serve.

Tofu and wakame (lobe-leaf seaweed) may be substituted for the fish bones, and dried fish broth for the water. (Remove the heads and entrails from 2/3 Ib or 300g small dried fish. Add 5 cups water and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.)

2/3 lb. (300g) porgy (red sea bream; fall

1/2 c. each: shredded daikon, hredded carrot

1-2/3 oz. (80 g) miso (soy bean paste; illus. 1 )

1/8 t. each: sugar, MSG (optional)

2 T. chopped green onion

.4 prawns ( 1 /3 lb. or 150 g) smoll amount of fresh spinoch,

washed well and blanched in boiling water

.4 slices fish coke (komaboko) small amount of shredded lemon

peel

I 3 1 /2 c. dashi 1 118 I. eoch: salt, soy sauce

PRAWN SOUP SERVES .4 Remove the shell from the body of the shrimp (illus. 1) . Slosh the bock vertically, but do not cut all the way through (illu$. 2). Cut a notch in the center, about 3/8 (1 em) long. Pull the toil oul from the notch and curl 05 illustrated (illus. 3). Blonch in boiling water for about one minute and remove . Place the prawns, spinoch, fish coke slices, and shredded lemon peel in a serving bowl. Bring 1 to a boil and pour into the bowl so it is about 7110 full. Serve. D If spinoch is unavailable, while radish sprouts (koiworeJ may be substituted.

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SERVES A STUFFED TOFU POCKETS CuI off one edge from each 01 the fried tofu pockets (illus. 1 ) . Immerse in boiling water 1 minute to remove the oily odor. Cool by placing in a bowl of cold water. Remove and squeeze out the ellcess moisture. Add 1 and 2 to a pot, cook about 3 minutes, and remove. This is the filling for the tofu pockets. Place the lried tofu pockets in the remaining liquid and cook 2 minutes. Remove and cool. Save Ihe liquid. . . . Open the fried tofu pockets and sluff each wllh some of the fIlling and sauce (illus. 2). Tie the opening shut with a dried gourd shaving, securing it lightly (ill us. 3). Add 3, the pockets, and the mushrooms 10 a pot and bring to a boil. lower the heat and cook until the liquid is reduced to one cup. Add the Chinese peapods and cook briefly. Arrange the pockets, mushrooms, and peopads on a .serving dish, and pour Ihe remaining liquid over the lop. Serve WIth shredded ginger rool. o This dish is especially good for picnics and box lunches.

8 square fried tofu/,ockets 2 oz. (60 g) shred ed chicken 1 oz. (30 g) each: julienned corral,

julienned bamboo shoots. 1 - 1 13 oz. (AO g) julienned burdock

rool (gobo) 2-2/3 oz. (80 g) shirafaki (clear

noodles mode from devil's longue paste), blanched in boiling waler

3 T. sugar, 2 T. soy sauce 1(8 I. salt, 1(2 c. dashi 8 dried gourd shavings (kampyo), 8"

(20 em) each (soaked unlil soh; see p.69 Basic Rolled Sushi)

3 c. doshi, 1/8 I. soh A T. each: sugar, soy sauce A dried Chinese block mushrooms

(shiitake; soaked unlil soh) 8 Chinese pea pods 1 T. shredded ginger rool

PUMPKIN WITH CHICKEN SERves 4 1 pumpkin ( 1 lb. 2 oz. or 500 g) 2-2/3 oz. (80 9) chicken breast

fillel 2 c. dash; 2 T. sugar 3 1. midn (sweet rice wine) 2 T. light-colored soy souce

2 1 ' I. cornstarch ' . 1 /2 t. waler I T. shredded ginger rool

Cut the pumpkin (illus. 1 ) in half and remove the seeds (illus. 2). Remove Ihe skin of 3/a ( 1 em) intervols (illus. 3) and cut into chunks. Remove the skin from the chicken breast fillet and chop the meol finely. Add 1 and the pumpkin chunks to a pol and cook over low heal until completely done (about 15 minutes). Remove from the broth, and arrange in neot rows on a serving dish. Sove Ihe broth. Heat a frying pan, odd 1 teaspoon oil, and stir-fry the chopped chicken. Add the liquid from cooking the pumpkin and bring to a boil. Thicken with 2, and pour over the pumpkin. Top with shredded ginger rool, and serve. D Pumpkins wilh thick flesh are besl for this recipe.

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/( , "7- " ..- I :, ' "....:. . . -

SOY SIMMERED GOLDEN THREAD 1 . 1 /3 lb. (600 gl golden Ih,eod

fish (red coal; or other whitefleshed fish)

1 c. dash; 2/3 c. rice wine 2 T. sugar 1/2 c. light-colored soy sauce 7 oz. (200 9) enoK; (golden

mushrooms) 6 Chinese pea pods Iota I of , 1 /4 c.: shredded carrol,

shredded Chinese while radish 114 lemon

SERVES 4

Cut the fish down to the bone starting from the upper back portion. Turn over the fish and repeal Ihe some cut (illus. I ) . Remove Ihe back Fins (illu5. 2). Continue cutting down to the belly with the lip of the knife. Remove Ihe entroils (illus. 3) and wash the fish. Put 1 in a pol and bring to a boil. Add the fish and cover Ihe pot. Cook over medium heat about 8 minutes, then turn off the heal. Remove the lough ends from Ihe enoki. Blonch Ihe pea pods in boiling water, then place in a bowl of top water to cool. Shred and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan and odd the anoKi, and the shredded carrot and white radish. Stir-fry until soft, then odd 1/.4 cup of liquid from cooking the fish. Bring to a boil, odd the shredded pea pods, and stir. Place the fish and the stir-fried ingredients on a serving dish. Pour the liquid from cooking the fish over the top. Squeeze on a little lemon juice before eating.

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24

113 cake konnyoku (davil's tongue postel 1/3 lb. (150 g) chicken meol (or lean pork) 2 oz. (60 9) bamboo shoots 1.1/3 oz. (40 g) corral 22/3 oz. (80 9) burdock root (gobo)

4 dried Chinese block mushrooms (shiifake) 2 oz. (60 9) lotus roof 1 13 c. water I T. rice vinegor 1.1/2 c. doshi 1-1/2 T. suger 1 T. mirin (sweet rice wine) 21/2 T. soy scuce

5 string beans

CHIKUZEN NI SERVES 4

Cui the konnyoku into slices, and make 0 slit in 'he center of eoch slice (illus. 1). Pull one end through the center (illus. 2). Blanch in boiling waler and set oside. Cut the chicken into chunks. Roll-cut 'he bamboo shoots and carrots. Shove off slices from the burdock root (illus. 3). Soak the dried mushrooms until soft, and make a large crisscross cut in Ihe center of each. Slice the lotus root and cut along the holes to make the slices into on attractive pattern. Marinate the lotus root together with the burdock root in 1 and set aside. Heat a frying pan and odd I tablespoon oil. Stir-fry the chicken and other above ingredients briefly. Add the dash; and bring to a boil. lower the heat and continue to simmer another 15 minutes or so. Add 2 and cook until the sauce is reduced. Finally, add Ihe soy sauce and string beans, and cook until the sauce is again reduced. Serve. D The ingredients used in this recipe may be varied 10 suit individual tasle, for example, Chinese cabbage, taro (dasheen), kelp (kombu) strips tied in knots, wood ears, peas, and so forth can be used.

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SERVES 4 BEEF WITH BURDOCK ROOT Choose fresh burdock root with a firm, moist skin (illus. 1 ) . Scrape with the dull edge of 0 knife to peel (illus. 2), ond wash. Cut into 1 -l/2 (4 cm) sections, then shred with o knife (iJius. 3) or 0 shredder. Soak in 1 to prevent discolorotion. Drain well before use. Add the sesame oil to a frying pan, then put in the shredded beef and shredded burdock rool. Stir-fry over high heot until dry. Add 2 ond continue stir-frying about 3 minutes until the souce is reduced. Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle the toosted white sesame seeds over the top and serve.

Those who like spicy-hot food can stir-fry some shredded red chili pepper with the beef and burdock rool.

This dish con also be refrigerated after cooking and eaten

26 cold.

6 oz. (180 g) burdock roat (gobO) 1 13 c. water

1 T. rice vinegar 1 T. sesame oil

2

7 oz. (200 g) lender beef, shredded

3 1. each: water, soy sauce 4 T. sugar 2 T. oil. 1 T. white sesame seeds, toasted

SIMMERED KOMBUFISH ROLLS SERVES .4 1 strip dried kelp seaweed

(kombu; 2' or 60 em) 2 1 /2 oz. (75 g) small dried fish 2/3 oz. (20 9) dried gourd

shavings (kompyo), soaked until soft (see p. 69, Bosic Rolled Sushi'

2 c. dash; 3 T. soy scuce 2 T. $ugor 3 T. rice wine

Hove all the ingredients ready (illus. 1). Wipe the kelp clean with 0 damp cloth. Cui into pieces about the some length as the small dried fish. Set aside. Soak the small dried fish in water for about 5 minutes. Remove the heads and entrails filius. 2). Place some of the small dried fish in the cenler of eoch piece of kelp (ill us. 3), roll inlo a cylinder, and 'ie tightly with a dried gourd shoving. Place in a small soucepon. Mix 1 until blended. Cook the kelp rolls in 1 vntil the sauce thickens and is olmost completely reduced.

Red chili pepper may be added when cooking for a spicy. hot flavor.

17

/

SERVES A WINTERMELON WITH CRABMEAT Remove the seeds from the wintermelon, cut into '.112-(4 em) cubes, and peel lillus. 1 ) . Blanch in boiling water about 1 minute, remove, and set aside. Soak the dried mushrooms until soft and cut diagonally inlo slices. Pour the dash; into a pot and bring to a boil. Next odd Ihe wintermelon cubes and bring to a second boil over high heat. Turn the heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes, until the wintermelon is cooked through, i.e. soft and translucent. Transfer the wintermelon to a serving bowl. Add the crahmeat and mushroom to the remaining liquid and bring to a boil. Mix in 1, and then 2 to thicken. Pour over the winlermelon, lOp with the minced ginger root, and serve. ::J Fresh crab may be used instead of canned in this recipe. Steam the crabs until done, and remove the meat (illus. 2, 3). Scallops, shrimp, or clams may also be substituted.

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'113 lb. (600 g) wintermelon (wax gourd; togan)

3 dried Chinese black mushrooms (shiitake)

5 c. dashi 1 can crabmeat 112t. salt 1/2 T. soy sauce 1/8 I. MSG (ajinomoto; optional) 3 T. cornstarch 2112 T. water '.1/3 1. minced ginger root

BROILED RIVER TROUT SERVES .4 4 river troul (ayuJ (1 lb. or 450 g) 4 melol skewers 1 16" or 40 em tongl 4 T. salt 2 shorl metol skewers (6" or 15 em

long) 1 (2 lemon

Point the head of the river Iroul 10 the right and the belly towards you. Inserl a skewer in each, entering 01 the eye (illus, 1 ) , and making the :oil portion slick up, so thol the fish looks 0$ though suspended in a swimming poslure (illus. 2). Rub solt onto the fin and toil portions of the fish as 0 garnish. Sprinkle 1 18 teaspoon salt over the body. Skewer the fish logether in pairs with the shorter skewers (illus, 3) to facilitate turning the fish over. Preheat the oven 10 3500 10 400f (1770 10 204q. Broil the fish on the upper rock of the oven about 5 minutes, until it is cooked through and the skin is golden brown. Remove the skewers ond ploce the fish in a serving dish. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top, ond eot while hot. To eot, first flatten the fish by pressing down on it with a pair of chopsticks. Turn the fish so the bock is focing upwards, ond press down 0 few times. RemovinQ the heod and center bone will make the fish even easier to eot. o .Acording to Japonese custom, the belly of fish must foce the guest when serving this dish; plocing it otherwise would be considered impolite. ;:) Mackerel pike, porgy, or other fresh fish moy be used in this recipe. 29

SERVES 4 BROILED FRESH EEL (Unagi Kabayaki) Wash the eel and cut off the head and tail (inus. 1 ). Cut into 4 equal portions and set aside. Ploce 1 in a bowl, then odd the eel pieces to marinate. Remove after 30 minutes. Put the remaining liquid in a pot, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and set aside. Insert the skewers just between the skin and Hesh of the eel, spiraling the fish araund the skewer (ill us. 2). Oil a baking rock, and place the skewered eel on tap (ill us. 3). Place on the upper shelf 01 the oven and broil at 450F (232C). Baste the eel with the leftover marinade os the eel is brailing (about 3 ta 4 times). Broil about 6 minutes until both sides are golden brown. Remove the skewers, brush some honey on the eel for extra flavor, and sprinkle with toasted white sesame seeds or ground Szechuan pepper. Serve.

11 you do nol have an oven, the eel can be charcoal grilled. See p. 43, Spinach with Sesame Paste, for instructions

on how to toast white sesame seeds.

30

fresh eel (vn09i; about 14" or 35 cm long, 1 lb. or 450 9 nel weight)

2 T. sugar 6 T. soy sauce 4 T. m;r;n (sweet rice wine) dash each: ginger root juice, rice wine 8 melal or bamboo skewers 1 I. honey 1 T. white sesame seeds, loasled

or liB t. graund Szechuan pepper

BROILED CHICKEN KEBABS (Yakitori) SERVES .4 1 4 oz. (400 9) chicken leg meat 1 small onion

or three green onions 2 green peppers, seeded 1/3 c. eoth: soy souce, mirin

(sweet rice wine) .4 T. sugar 1 T. flour 1 /2 lemon

Cut the chicken leg meat, onion, and green peppers into 3/4 (2 em) cubes. On bamboo skewers, skewer the onion, green pepper, and chicken cubes (illus. 1 ) alternately until the skewer is full. Top with a piece of onion to secure Ihe kebob (illu5. 2). Quarter the lemon. Bring 1 to a boil, then allow to cool. Morinate the kebobs in the souce for 1 0 minutes. Remove . Heat the oven 10 450F (232q and broil the kebobs on the top shelf for 4 minutes. Turn over and brush on some of the leftover marinade. Broil another 4 minutes, until the meat is golden brown. Serve. n The kebobs can also be charcoal-grilled (illus. 3). Brush on the marinade as the kebabs are grilling. Grill until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown. Before eating, ground Szechuan pepper, ground black pepper, or sevenflavor seasoning (shichimi-fogaroshll may be sprinkled over the kebabs, according 10 individual preference.

31

32

SERVES 4 BROILED FISH PICKLED IN MISO IMisoyaki) Wash the fish. Cure in salt for 30 minutes. Wash the salt off the fish, then sprinkle 1 tablespoon rice wine over the fish, and dry. Wrap in one layer of while cheesecloth (illus. 1 ) . Mix 1 thoroughly and allow the fish to pickle in it (illus. 2) for about one day. Open the cheesecloth and remove the fish steaks (illus. 3). Rinse clean. Broil in the oven under medium heat (350 to 400 F or 17r to 204C) until done, about five minutes. Squeeze on some lemon juice before serving. D Other types of fish that do not have too many bones may be used in this recipe, such as oil fish, cod, or slate cod croaker, etc. D The fish may be pickled in the miso for 2 to 3 days, but no more than 3 days; otherwise the fresh flavor of the fish will be absorbed inlo Ihe miso paste. The some is true when pickling vegetables.

2 marlin (kajikll sleaks (2/3 lb . 0' 300 9)

1/8 I. salt 1 square cheesecloth 1 4 oz. (400 g) white miso 3 T. mirin (sweet rice wine) 2 T. each: rice wine, sugar 1 /2 lemon

68995 5 T. dash; 112 I. salt 2/3 I. light.colored soy sauce 2/3 I. sugar

JAPANESE EGG ROLL SERVES 4 Crock Ihe 6 eggs into a bowl and beat lightly. Gently mix in I until well blended (do not beat until foomy).

Heal " flol-bottomed frying pon. lightly oil the bottom, using o wad of cotlon or cheesecloth. Pour about 3 tablespoons of the eS9 mixture into the pan. fry into 0 thin layer of &g9 over low heat. Roll up the egg "pancake" with 0 poir of chopsticks (illus. 1). Place near the edge of the pon. Oil lhe bottom of the pon ogcin, odd 3 tablespoons of the 8g9 mixture, and fry into another thin 899 pancake. The second egg pancake will be attached 10 the first; wrap Ihe second oround the firsi. Again place it near the edge of the pon (illus.2). Repeat this process until the egg mixture is used up. When complete, the egg roll should sland about 1 - 1 f2 (3cm) high. Place on a bamboo sushi mat (sudore; illus. 3), and roll lightly. Allow to cool, cui, and arrange in a serving dish. Serve.

Cooked shredded eel or other cooked foods may be added 10 Ihe egg mixture for variety.

33

34

3

SERVES .4 STUFFED CHICKEN ROLLS CUi down 'he middle of eoch chicken leg, and remove the bone (illus. 1/. Carefully (ulth. chicken with linked slices so thol a large sheet a chicken of even thickness results (itlus. 2). Morinate in 1 12 teaspoon solt and 1 teaspoon rico wine for 15 minutes, Quarter the gherkin cucumbers lengthwise and scrape aul the seeds. Cook 1 until soft. cube, and sel oside.

Add I and 2 10 a pot and cook 2 minutes, so thol the flovors ore well absorbed. Beal tha 8g9s lightly and odd 10 the pol. Stir constantly unfil lhe 8g9 becomes firm. Allow to cool. This is the filling. Spread open the chicken and sprinkle on some flour. Add 1 12 of the filling and some gherkin cucumber. Roll into a cylindrical shope. Secure with a Siring (illus. 3). Repeal for the second piece of chicken. Heat a frying pan and add 1 tablespoon oil. Fry Ihe chicken rolls over high heal until golden brown, then transfer to a steamer. Steam lS minutes. Remove and place in a pot. Mix 3 and odd to the rot. Cook until the sauce is reduced. Allow the chicken rolls to coo , then remove the strings. Slice into rounds and arrange on a plate. Serve.

2

2 chicken legs (about 1 1 13 lb. or 600 gJ

1 gherkin cucumber 1113 oz. (40 g) each: carrot,

bamboo shoots 1 dried Chinese black mushroom

(shiitake; soaked until soh) 1/4 c. dashi 2 T. sugar 1 18 I. salt 1 I. lightcolored soy sauce 3 eg9 s 2 f. flour 2 lengths of string, 2' (60 em) each 3 T. eocn: soy sauce, sugar, mirin 1 12 t. flour

PORK CUTLETS WITH GINGER SERVES 4 2/3 lb. (300 9) lec" po.k 3 T. soy sauce 2 T. mir;n (sweet rice wine) 1 1. eoch: sugar, rice wine 1 2 slices ginger rool 8 siring beans

Slice 'ne pork (illus. 1 ) and tenderize wi,h the dull edge of a cleover (illus. 2). Make 2 to 3 slashes into the white sinew areas (illus. 3) 10 prevent shrinking while frying. Blend 1 and morinate the pork in it for about 30 minutes. Blonch the string beans in boiling water and cut into pieces. Heat a flat. bottomed frying pon, odd 1 tablespoon oil, and place the pork in the pon. Fry on both sides until golden. Remove from pan and orrange on a serving plate. Pour the remaining marinade liquid into the frying pan and cook over medium heat until it is reduced to about half of its original volume and is thick. Garnish with the ginger root slices, then pour the cooked marinade over the pork. Garnish with the string beans and serve.

35

36

SERVES 4 BROILED SQUID Remove the head, entrails, and outer membrane from the squid. Score the inside with parallel or cross cuts (illus. 1). Marinate in I about 10 minutes. Broiling method: Heat a baking rock on top of a charcoal grill, oil (illus. 2), and place the squid on the rock (illus. 3). Or, heat the oven to 450 to 550F /232 to 260oq, place the squid in a baking dish, and broil of high heat on the top shelf. Brush on 2 frequently while it is broiling. Broil until both sides have a deep caramel color. Place on a serving plate. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top before eating. Ponfrying method: Heot a flat bottomed frying pan ond odd 2 toblespoons oil. Add the squid and fry until both sides are golden brown. Sprinkle on 2. Fry until the sauce is almost completely reduced. Transfer to 0 serving plote. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top before eoting.

The serving plote moy be garnished with pickled red ginger root (beni-shl)'ga) and conned gingko nuls for added taste variety and visual appeal.

Block sesame seeds may be sprinkled on, or un; poste may be brushed on the squid while broiling.

1 squid (ika; about 2/3 lb. or 300 91

112 t. soh 1 T. each: rice wine, mirin I T. m;f;n 1 T. sugar -4 slices lemon

CHICKEN IN FOIL SERVES 4 I lb. (450 g) chicken meat I large fresh Chinese black

mushroom (shiitake) 1 /2 green pepper I small onion 2 small red chili peppers 3 T. each: mirin, soy sauce 2 T. rice wine .4 sheets aluminum foil, 8ff (20

em) square 4 sheets cellophane, 8" (20 em)

square 2 t. buller (or cooking oil) 1/2 lemon

.Cut the chicken into 8 pieces (about 1 - 1 /.4"x314" or 3 x 2 em). Cut the mushroom, green pepper, onion, and red chili peppers into iulienne strips. Marinate in 1 about 1 0 minutes. Place a sheet of cellophane on top of each sheet of aluminum foil. Grease each sheet of cellophane with the bUIIr or oil (illus. I). Set aside. Di.vide the combined marinated ingredients into .4 equal portions. Place one portion on each of the bulle red cellophane sheets (illus. 2) . fold in half, then wrap into a package (illus. 3). Heat the oven to .450F (232C). Bake the chicken packets on the middle shelf for about 15 minutes. Remove and place on a serving plate. Open and squeeze some lemon iuice over the top to eat.

37

SERVES 4 SEAFOOD IN A TEAPOT

38

Wash and slice the chicken and fish. Cut the lemon into 4 slices. Cut the white radish sprouts (illus. 1) into sections. Wash the clams and mushrooms and set aside (illus. 2). Marinate the chicken in 118 teaspoon salt. Blanch the chicken, fish, and clams separately in boiling water. Bring 1 to a boil. Add the chicken, fish, clams, mushrooms, and 1 to a teapot. Cover and place in a steamer. Steam over high heat For 3 minutes, then remove. Sprinkle the white radish sprouts over the top and replace the cover immediately. Serve hal. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top, then pour out some of the liquid to taste (illus. 3) before eating. o Other ingredients may be used in this recipe, such as enoki, abalone mushrooms, pork, shrimp, fish coke, and 50 forth. c If a teapot is unavailable, a bowl or casserole dish may be substituted.

11/3 oz. (40 g) chicken meat 1-113 oz_ (40 9) f;,h Hllo' 112 small lemon white radish sprouts (kaiware),

as desired 1.1/3 oz. (40 g) clams 4 small fresh Chinese block

mushrooms (shiifake) 3 c. dashi 2/3 I. salt dash of light.colored soy sauce

2

SAVORY CUP CUSTARD (Chawan Mushi) SERVES .4 2 oz. (60 9) chicken 189 meal 1 1 /8 I. soy sauce 118 I. sugar .4 fresh shrimp (2-1/2 oz. or 75 511 .4 small fresh Chinese block

mushrooms (shiitake) .4 eggs 3 c. dashi '1/2 I. satl , t. each: li9ht-colored soy sauce,

mirin .4 slices fish coke (kamaboko;

ripple-cuI) bunch spinach, blanched in baiting water and cui into sections

lemon peel, as desired

Cui the chicken inlo 8 small pieces and marinate in I. Remove the shell from the bock portion of the shrimp, but leave head and toil intoct. Make a crosscut in the center of the mushrooms (illus. I). 8eol the 699 lightly and place in a bowl. Mix in 2 and strain . Divide the ingredients up equally four ways. Place one of the portions in each 01 4 sleaming bowls (follow this order: chicken, shrimp, fish coke, mushroom). Fill each bowl 4/5 lull with the 8g9 mixture. Skim off any foam (illus, 2). Place the bowls in a sleomer. Aher bringing the waler to a lull boil, sleom 1 10 2 minutes over high heal. Turn the heot lo low and sleom for aboul 15 minutes. t! is impOrlO!)1 10 control the heat source carefully when steaming egg. Remove from steamer, place some spinach and lemon peel on top of each, and cover each bowl. Serve.

An electric rice cooker can also be used to make this dish. Add 2 cups water to the outer pot and steam about 10 minutes aher the water has be9un to boil. Test for donenen by insertin9 a toothpick or bamboo skewer. If no e99 flows out as liquid, it is done. You must either cover the bowls with plastic wrap (illus. 3), or place a white lowel or clolh inside the rice cooker cover to prevent the condensed steam from drippin9 into the 899.

39

40

2

3

SERVES A MOCK TOFU Beat the eggs lightly. Mix thoroughly and add to the egg, blending well. Strain (illus. 1 J . Pour the egg mixture into a small baking pan (illus. 2, 3) or into on Oriental style metal lunchbox (bento) . Skim off any surface foam. Place in a steamer and steam over high heat 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the heat to low and steam for another 1 5 minutes. Remove the mock tofu and allow to cool. Cut into 4 squares and place on a serving dish. Bring 2 to a boil, then pour over the mock tofu. Serve. DAn electric rice cooker may also be used to make this dish. See p. 39, Savory Cup Custard, for instructions.

4 eggs 1 - 1 /2 c. dashi 3/4 t. light-colored soy sauce 3/4 t. each: salt, midn 314 c. dashi

2 1 -2/3 T. midn 1-2/3 T. light-colored soy sauce

STEAMED LOTUS ROOT PASTE SERves .4 2 links fresh lotus rool (renkan),

aboUI 2/3 lb. (300 9) 1 I I T. rice vinegor 3 c. waler 2

1/2 c. dashi 1 I. light-colored soy sauce 112 I. salt 1 I. mirin (sweet rice wine) 2 oz. (60 9) chicken leg meal 1/8 I. soy sauce 1 18 I. sugar .4 shelled shrimp (2.1/2 oz. or 75 9)

or 8 gingko nuts .4 small fresh Chinese block

mushrooms (shiitake) .4 slices fish coke (komoboko) lemon peel, as desired

Peel the lotus rool lillus, 1) and soak in 1 about 15 minutes (10 prevent discoloration ond 10 remove any row 10sle). Grind into o posle filius. 2) and place in a bowl. Mix in 2 unlil well blended lillus, 3). Sel aside. CuI the chicken into 8 smoll pieces. Mix in 3 and allow 10 marinate 1 0 minutes. Place the chicken, shrimp, mushrooms and fish coke in a steaming bowl, then pour enough of the lotus root paste over the top to fill the bowl about 711 0 full. Place in a steamer and steam 30 minutes over low heat. Remove from steamer and sprinkle a lillie lemon peel over the top. Serve hal. r- The portion of the lotus rool closest to the top is tougher but tastier. If covered with mud, lotus root can be kept about one week. Once lotus root is washed it is best to use it the some day for maximum freshness. LJ Gingko nul5 can be substituted for the shrimp. If using dried gingko nuts, odd water and steam 30 minutes before use. Conned gingko nuTs may be used as is.

41

42

. ' . , . .

SERVES A FRESH FISH STEAMED WITH TOFU Cut the porgy fillels into .4 large pi&ees. Sprinkle on 1/4 teaspoon salt and set aside. CuI each coke of tofu inlo .4 equal pieces, Score the mushrooms with three intersecting cull to form Q slor

,in the cenler. Wipe the

kelp cleon with a damp cloth. Wash the $p'nch and orrol, blanch eoch separately in boiling w?ler, ,and cuI mtl? sectln5. Insert a chopstick severol limes Inlo the white radish to make o number of "wells" (iIlus. I). Sluff the red chili pepper strips inide (illus.2). Grind inlo a pure:e !iUus.31',Add Ihe,chopped green onion. Mix in 1 thoroughly. ThiS IS the Ylnegar dip. Spread open the kelp in a bowl. Place the fish, tofu, mu.shroo,ms, spinach, and carrol on top. Sprinkle o 2 tablespoons nce wle. Sleam over high heal about 7 to 8 mlnuts. Remve. Top. With shredded young ginger root. Serve hot, With the vinegar dip on the side. o Other fish (that does not have too many bones) may be used in this recipe, such as cod, slale cod crooker, Spanish mackerel (sawara), or grouper; or shrimp, dams, other shellfish, and so forth.

7 oz. (200 g) porgy fillet (red sea bream; skin on)

2 cakes soft toFu .4 dried Chinese block mushrooms

(soaked until soft) .4 pieces dried kelp seaweed (kombu),

2 10 2-1/2" IS to 6 cm) square 1 bunch spinaCh .4 slices corral 2 1/2 oz. (75 g) Chinese white

radish (daikon) 1 sma11 red chili pepper (seeded

and julienned) .4 T. chopped green onion (green

portion only) I 4 T . soy sauce 1 1 -2/3 T. each: rice vinegar, lemon juice shredded young ginger root, as

desired

SPINACH WITH SESAME PASTE SERVES 4 2 T. white sesame seeds 2 I. sugar 2 T. soy sauce 2 t. deshi 1 lb. (450 9) fresh spinoch bonito shovings, as desired

Wash and drain the white sesome seeds (illus. 1 ) . Toast by heating in a dry frying pon over low heot (use no oil; iIIus. 2). Grind inlo a powder (illus. 3) and mix together well with 1 . This is the sesome paste. Wash the spinach thoroughly and blanch in boiling water about 1 minute. Rinse in lOp waler to cool. Squeeze oul the excess moisture. Cui into 2n (5 em) sections, Place in a serving dish. Toss with Ihe sesame poste and top with bonito shavings 10 serve. D Other vegetables, such as string beans, garland chrysonthemum (shungiku), Chinese cabbage, cnd so forth, may be substituted for the spinoch. D The white sesame seeds may, as an alternative, be toasted and sprinkled directly on the spinach instead of first ground into a powder.

43

"

SERVES 4 OKRA WITH EGG DRESSING Boil the shrimp until just cooked, shell, and set aside. Small, thin okra is more tender and tastier (illus. 1 ) . Rub gently with 118 teaspoon salt (illus. 2). Rinse clean. Blanch in boiling water, cool in tap water, and cut into thin slices. Separate the egg. Transfer the yolk to a large serving spoon, then place the spoon on the surface of boiling water. Stir the yolk carefully with a pair of chopsticks until of a thick consistency, about one minute (it will be about 3/10 cooked). Be extremely careful nat to burn yourself on the steaml Place the egg in a bowl and mix in 1 , blending thoroughly. This is the egg dressing. Arrange the shrimp and okra on a serving plate. Pour on 0 small amount of egg dressing and serve.

OOOPUS SALAD SERVES A 7 oz. (200 9) fresh octopus (taka) 2 gherkin cucumbers 2- 1 /2 oz. (75 9) wokoma (lobe-leaf

seaweed) ,1/3 oz. (40 9) lotus rool (renkan) 2 T. rice wine 1/4 c. each; rice wine, waler 1 T. light-colored soy souce 3 T. sugor 112 I. salt 113 oz. ( 10 9) bonito shovings

(kolsuobus,l"l ginger rool puree, as desired

Wash the octopus (illus. I ) . Cook in boiling waler aboul 5 10 6 minutes. Remove, allow 10 cool, and cui into 1 1.4" (.3 em) diagonal slices. Wash the gherkin (ucumben. Blanch in boiling water 3 seconds, then immerse in cold waler (this gives the cucumbers a brilliant green colorl," Droin. Make diogonal (01 a 45 ongle) crosseuls in the gherkin cucumbers, culling about halfway through (illus. 2). Turn alief the cucumber and cut again in the same way. The cucumber must remain connected (illus. 3). Cut into opproximotely 2-l/2 (4 em) pieces. Rinse the wokome to remove the solt it contains, then squeeze out the excess moisture. Cut the lotus root into thick strips, following the groin. Blanch the wokome and the lotus root separately in boiling waler. Morinote in the vinegar, together with the gherkin cucumbers. Bring I to a boil and strain. This is Ihe vinegor dressing. Arrange the octopus, cucumber, wokome, lotus rool, and ginger rool puree neatly on a serving plate. Pour the vinegar dressing over the top and serve.

Squid or shrimp may be substituted for the octopus in this recipe. '5

'6

SERVES 4 SHRIMPCUCUMBER ROLLS Place the cucumbers on a cUlling board. Sprinkle 118 teaspoon soh over them ond gently rub it in 10 make Ihe cucumbers soft and pliable (illus. 1). Rinse clean. Cui inlo 1/16- ( . 1 em) thin rounds. Cure in another 1/8 teaspoon soh for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the exceu moisture and marinate in I . Impale one shrimp on each bamboo skewer lillus. 2). Blanch about 11/2 minutes in boiling water. Place the Shrimp in a bowl of cold water to cool. Pull out the skewers. Remove the heads. shell. and set aside. Place the sheet of plastic wrap on the bamboo mot. Gently squeeze the cucumbers dry and neatly orrone them in a flat. even layer on the plastic wrap. about 1 1 /2- (4 em) wide (illus. 3); ovoid stocking the cucumbers on top of each other. Place the shrimp in the center. Gently roll into a light cylinder. Place in the refrigerator. Before serving. use a sharp knife to slice the roll into 1 2 small pieces. CUlling with one single downward stroke. Gently remove the plastic wrap. Arrange neatly on a serving dish. Sprinkle 2 over the top and serve.

2 (straight) gherkin cucumbers 1 1 1 T. sugar 1/2 T. rice vinegar

4 shrimp (II3 lb. or 150 g) "ambao skewers lomboo svshi mat (sudore)

sheet plastic wrap (6- or 15 em square)

2 1 2 T. sugar 2 T. rice vinegar

SHIRATAKI WITH UNI PASTE SERVES

'8

SERVES A ASPARAGUS WITH COD ROE Use only the most tender portion of the asparagus. Blanch in boiling water for 1 minute and remove. Cool in a bowl of top water. Cut into 1 - 1 /2" (4 cm) pieces and place in a serving dish . Make a slosh on the surface of the cod roe pouch (illus. 2). Turn over and scrape off the cod roe (illus. 3). Mix in 1/2 teaspoon rice wine. Sprinkle over the top of the asparagus and serve.

r- Fresh cod roe can be kept in the refrigerator and eaten raw. Seasoned (e.g. piquant. salty) cod roe is called temko. n This dish can be served as on appetizer at a banquet, and is also good as an accompaniment 10 wine.

1 2 stalks green osparogus 1 pouch cod roe (!eroke;

iIIus. 1 )

SALMON ROE WITH DAIKON PUREE SERVES 4 1 - 1 /3 lb. (600 g) Chinese while

radish (daikon) 4 T. salmon roe (il1us. 1 )

Grind the white radish inlo 0 puree (illus. 2). Gently squeeze oul the excess moisture (illu5. 3) and place in a serving dish. Sprinkle Ihe salmon roe over Ihe top of the while radish puree and serve. Small dishes of soy sauce may be served on Ihe side as a dip, if desired.

Both solted and unsolted solmon roe ore available commercially; choose the kind you prefer.

49

50

MISO PICKLES Ploce the while miso in a clean, dry bowl. Mix 1 (illus, 1 ) into the miso until well blended. Rub 1 teaspoon salt on the cucumbers and allow to sel for 2 minutes. Rinse cleon. Move to a cool ploce to oir dry. Add to the miso poste and mix well (illus. 2). Transfer the cucumbers with miso to a contoiner thot can be lightly sealed (illus. 3). Allow 10 cure 2 10 3 doys. Rinse and cui into slices before serving. o Tender eggplant, heod cabboge, carrots, Chinese white radish, etc., con be pickled with this some method. o Do not allow to cure more thon 3 days, or the liquid (and flovor) contoined in the vegetables will escape into the mise poste.

1 . 1 /3 lb. (600 g) ghe'k;n cucumbers

1 4 oz. (AOO 9) while miso (soy bean postel

5 T. mirin (sweet rice wine) 2 1.' sugar 1/2 T. soy sauce

2- 1 /4 lb. ( 1 000 9) Ch;,.s. cabbage (net weight)

2 T. salt 1 2 (5 em) piece dried kelp

(kombu) small red chili pepper, sliced

PICKLED CABBAGE Quarter Ihe Chinese cabbage and air-dry (illu5. 1 J . Sprinkle on the salt (pul extra salt on the portion near the rool). With a scissors, cui the kelp inlo 1 I 1 0u (.2 em) wide strips. Sel aside. Place two quarters of the cabbage in a dry bowl, sprinkle on some red chili pepper and kelp (illu5. 2), then add another two quarters of cabboge. Ploce Ihe large end of one cabbage quarter together with Ihe small end of Ihe olher (illu5. 3). Follow this procedure until all of the ingredients are used up. Cover with a wooden lid slightly smaller thon the moulh of the container. Place a rock or other heavy obiecl on top as a weight and leave undisturbed 2 to 3 days. After 3 days, the cabbage must be taken out and rinsed clean (otherwise it will go sour). Rinse again in cold water, squeeze out the excess water, and store in the refrigerator in a clean container with a sealable cover; or cover with plastic wrap. Serve any amount anytime. n A gloss or ceramic bowl or a wooden container may also be used to make pickles. 51

SERVES 4 BEEF SUKIYAKI 1 4 oz. (400 g) beef, Ihinly

sliced 2 large Chinese green onions I onian 1 large coke tofu garland chrysanthemum

(shungiku) or spinach, as desired

2112 oz. (75 g) enoki 3112 oz. ( 100 g) Chinese

cabbage

22/3 oz. (80 g) shir% ki (or udon noodles)

314 c. burdock root (gobo), iulienned

2112 oz. (75 g) buller Konfo style sauce: 112 c. each: mirin, soy

sauce, dashi 24 T. sugar 4 eggs 1 c. dashi

Cut the large Chinese green onions into diognol slices, the onion into l/A" (.5 em) slices, and the tofu into large cubes. Cut off the tough and willed portions from the garland chrysanthemum, and the tough ends from Ihe enoki. Cul lhe Chinese cabboge into large chunks. Wash each 01 ,he ingredients separately. Blanch Ihe shirotaki in boiling water. Set aside. Arrange Ihe sliced beef and all of the other ingredients neody on serving plates. Heat a sukiyaki pot and melt the buller in il. Move the buller around with a pair of chopsticks 10 distribute the buller evenly over the surface. Saute the large Chinese green onion in the buller. Add the beef slices and stir.fry briefly. Add some of the vegetables. Bring 1 to a boil and pour over the beef and vegetables. Continue to cook at the loble. Break on egg into each of 4 rice bowls and beat lightly. Dip the sukiyaki ingredients in the e9g before eating. Finally, odd the doshi, then the shirafaki, lofu, greens, etc. Bring to a boil and eal. This is on excellent winter dish.

1 is Kont'i) (Tokyo area) style sauce, with more liquid. There is also Kansai (Osaka area) slyle sauce, which has less liquid; it cansish simply of 112 cup soy sauce and sugar to tasle. Use Ihe sauce you prefer.

BEEF AND VEGETABLE CHAFING DISH (Shabu Shabu) SERVES ..

1 4 oz. ,AOO 9) lender be.f (or pork). thinly ,Iiced

2-112 oz. (75 9) tlnaki .. fresh Chine,. block mushrooms

(shiitoke) 2/3 lb. {300 91 Chinese cabbage 7 oz. {200 gl fresh cauljflower 1 large coke tofu 7 oz. {200 gJ udon noodle, lor fine

shirotot" gorland chrysanthemum (s/lImgiku),

as desired

I .. c. wat.r . 1 1 ... (10 em) piece dried kelp (kombu) 2

3

3/4 c. each: doshi, soy souce 2 T. sugor .. T. mi,;" 1/8 I. MSG (oiinomoto; optional) 1 c. Hsome seed powder 118 I. while mifo 3/A c. soy souce 2 I. mir;" Chinese while radish (doikon) pur ,

as desired minced fresh r.d chili pepper,

as desired 1/8 I. lemon juice

Cut off lhe laugh ends from lhe enole; and wash. Slice ,h. mushrooms diogonally. Cui ,h. cabbage into chunks and the cauliftawer inla flawerels (illus. 1). Blanch Ihe cauliflower briefly in boiling waler. Cul lhe talu inlo 3/4- (2 cm) cubes. Immerse Ihe udon noodles in boiling waler briefly, remove, and sel aside. Arrange all Ihe above ingredients, including the sliced beef, neolly on serving plotel_ Mix 2 and 3 separately unlil blended. Place 4 in a small serving dish. Put I in a pol over a lable burner, and allow 10 sook 30 minutes. Bring 10 a boil, Ihen remove Ihe kelp. Immerse Ihe meal in Ihe kelp stock and swish around a few limes. Remove when Ihe color changes. Cook the olher ingredienls in the slack 01 you eol. Dip in Ihe sauce you prefer (2 or 3, wilh 4 and lemon juice stirred in) belore eating.

See page 43, Spinach with Sesame Paste, for instructions on how 10 make Ihe sesame seed powder in 3. If you do nol core for miso, muslard may be used as a subslilute .

Lorge Chinese green onion (illus. 2) may be added 10 the chafing dish for extra flavor.

Substitute freshly-squeezed kumqual filius. 3) juice for Ihe lemon juice for a loste variation.

55

56

SEAFOOD AND VEGETABLE CHAFING DISH fresh fish ( 1 lb. or .450 g) cuttlefish or squid (2/3 lb. or 300 g)

.4 shrimp ( 1 I2 lb. or 225 g) 112 lb. (225 9) chicken meat 1 lorg8 coke tofu 1 1 /3 lb. (600 g) Ch;nese

cabbage 1/4 lorg8 corrol 1 bunch spinoch 5 c. dashi 3 T. mirin 6 1. light-colored soy sauce 3 1. lemon iuice

2 .4 T. soy sauce 1 3/4 c. dashi

SERVES 4

Remove Ihe head and bOlles from the fish (see p. 8) . Cui the fish meal inlo small pieces. Score the cuttlefish with a crosscut (ill us. 1 ) . Remove the shell from the body portion of the shrimp. Cui the chicken inlo pieces, and the lofu inlo 3/4" (2 em) cubes. Puil iha leaves off the Chinese cabbage, one by one. Cui the carrot into matchstick-sized strips. Leave the bunch of spinoch whole; do nol cui. Wash each ingredient thoroughly, then blanch separaTely in boiling ..... ater until soft. Place some cabbage leaves, carrot, and spinach on a bamboo SUJhi mot, and roll tightly into a cylinder shope (illus.2, 3). Cut into 1 . 1 /4- (3 em) pieces. Add 1 to a cloy pOI and bring to a boil. Place the fish head, chicken meat, and the rest of the ingredients into the pOI. Cook at the table ..... hile eoting. Dip in 2 before eating. o lorge Chinese green onion, dried Chinese black mushrooms, garland chrysanthemum (shungiku), and so forth, may also be used in this recipe.

58

TOKYO STYLE STEW (Oden) SERVES .4

2 fried fish sausoges IchikuW'o; illus. 1)

1 coke konnyoku 2/3 lb. (300 g) Chinese while

radish (doikon) 1 2 eoch: fish bolls, quail 899s 8 rolls kelp (kombu) 4 cokes deep.fried lofu 8 slices burdock rool (gobo)

fempvro (illus. 2) 5 c. dashi 112 c. midn 1112 T. soy sauce

/ 2 T. eoch: while miso sugar 2 4 T. each: ketchup, cld water

1 I. chili poste mustord, as desired

Cut the fried fish sausog8S into chunks or diagonal slices. Cut the konnyoku info small pieces. Roll-cul lhe white radish inlo chunks. Skewer the fish bolls and quail eggs, four per bomboo skewer (illus. 3). Blanch the kelp rolls in boiling woler for about 2 minutes 10 remove the seowater odor. Cook the while rod ish in 0 fresh pOI of boiling woler until done, about 5 minutes. Remove. Bring 1 to a boil in a day pot. Add tne olner ingredients to the boiling liquid, then lower the heal and simmer about 40 minutes, until the flavors ore well absorbed, Dip in 2 or mustard before eating,

The success of tnis dish depends an the quality and reshness of the ingredients used. Choose the very best Ingredients when shopping for this dish. Stuffed tofu poc.kets, octopus, and so forth, may be substituted for some of the ingredients in this dish,

"

60

61

.. -- . ' .... '" . , -- ""' . -, ;; f ---.r-=:: . . . --- -

2

VEGETABLE TEMPURA 1 link lotus rool ".nlcon) 8 slices pumpkin {or sweet potato} 8 siring beons .4 dried Chinese block mushrooms

(sMiroh; soaked unlil soh) 8 cobs boby corn (or 8 dice, okra) 8 stalks asparogus I eggplant (preferably long thin

Orientol) 1 1/3 oz. (40 g) shredded burdock

rool (gobol 1 1 large 899

3/4 c. ice water 1 c. low.gluten flour flour, as needed 1/4 c. each: mirin, soy sauce I c. doshi 116 Ct. 15 g) bonito shoYings

(,"ohuabv!ll/l c. Chinese while rodish (daileon) pure. T. ginger rool puree

SERVES .4

.Cul lhe 10lus fool inlo 1/4 (.5 em) slices, Ihen carve Ihe edges to form a decorotive pOll.rn (illus. I). Cul lh. remaining vegetable ingredients inlo decorative pollern! as well (illus. 2, 3). Mix I 10 make Ihe boiler (see p. 60, Seafood Tempuro) . Heol 2 cups unued oil 10 omewhoT under smoing. Dip Ihe vegetables firsl in 'he dry flour. Ihen in Ihe egg baller, and deep. fry one 01 a time unlil crisp. about 3 minutes. Remove from 'he oil and arrange in a serving dish. Serve hoi. Dip in 2and 3before eOling ithe some as with seafood lempuro).

The temperature of the oil is ulremely important when frying lempuro. Aher heating the oil. drip a lillie batter in it to tesl The lemperalure; if the boiler floot! up quicly to the lurface. the oil is about righl for frying seafood lempuro. If the boiler drop do nOI rise 0$ quickly to the surface. the oil is probobly obaUI the right lemperature for frying vegetable lempuro.

The lemperolure of The oil musl be ept conslonl. Aher deep. frying the tempuro, return 10 the oil 10 fry another 30 seconds for a crispier bOiler COOling.

FRIED PORK CUTLET 1 lb. (450 g) pork cutlet 1 1 18 I . solt 1 1/8 I. pepper 1/4 c. low-gluten flour 1 e99 (lightly beaten) 1 c, fine bread crumbs 2 c. shredded cabboge 1 tomato 1 gherkin cucumber (cut into thin

diogonal slices)

SERVES 4

Cut off the sinews from the edges of the pork cuI leI (ill us. 1 ) . Cut inlo 4 equal pieces (jllus. 2). Sprinkle on l . Gently dip first in the flour, then in the egg mixture. then in the fine bread crumbs. Heat 2 cups oil to medium hoi in a frying pon or wok. Fry the cutlets about 5 minutes (be sure to remove particles from the oil when frying 10 keep it dean). The surface of the cutlet should be crisp and golden brown. and the mea' should be cooked through. Remove from the oil, cuI inlo pieces, and arronge in a serving dish. Garnish with Ihe shredded cobboge, lomolo, ond gherkin cucumber slices. Dip in ketchup or pepper-soil before eoting; or 0 JiHle lemon juice may be squeezed over the lOp. o Sproy Ihe fine bread crumbs lightly with woler before use (illus. 3) to prevent the fried botter cooling from becoming 100 hord.

2

SERVES .4 MACKEREL BARBARIAN STYLE

66

Wash the mackerel (iI1U5. 1) and dry with paper towels (illu5. 2). Dredge in flour (illu$. 3) and set aside. Heal the .4 cups oil in a frying pon or wok. Deep-fry the fish in the oil over high heat for one minute. Turn the heal to medium and continue to fry until crisp (obout 8 minutes). Remove from 'he oil and place on a serving plate. Stir-fry the onion until soft. Add 1 and bring to 0 boil. Add the green pepper and red chili pepper, mixing well. Pour over the fish. Squeeze 0 IiHle lemon juice over the top before eating. . . Other fresh fish of a similar size may be cooked In this woy.

.4 mackerel (total 1 lb. or 450 9) 2 T. low-gluten flour .4 c. oil for frying 1/2 onion, cut in holf-rings 112 c. rice vinegar 1 T. eoch: sugar, soy sauce 2 T. dash; 1 green pepper, cut in julienne

strips 112 smoll red chili pepper, cut in

julienne strips 112 lemon

1

2 large cokes soft tofu 1/2 c. low-gluten flour 1 /2 c. Chinese white radish

{daikon} puree 1 T. ginger root puree 2 T. chopped green onion 1/4 c. mirin (sweet rice wine) 1/4 Co soy sauce 1 c. dashi

DEEPFRIED TOFU SERVES 4 Trim off the hard edges from the tofu (illus. 1 ) and cut each cake into 4 pieces (ill us. 2). Dredge each piece in flour (;llu._ 3) Heat a frying pan or wok and add 3 cups oil. Heat until somewhat under smoking. Fry the tofu over high heal about 1 minute, until it is golden brown on the outside but still tender inside. Remove from oil. Place the white radish puree, ginger root puree, and chopped green onion on top of Ihe fried tofu. Bring 1 to a boil, pour over the lop, and se ..... e.

68

BASIC ROLLED SUSHI (Norimaki) SERVES 4

4 dried Chinese block mushrooms (shiitake)

1 1 1 c. sook waler from dried mushrooms

2 T. $ugor 1112 T. soy sauce 213 oz. (20 9) dried gourd shoving,

(kompyo) dOlh of salt I c. dashi 2 T. soy sauce 3 T. sugar 4 89g1 112 I. each: soh, sugar 113 I. soy louce 2 gherkin cucumbers (or lome

spinoch) 1 bamboo sushi mol (sudor.) 5 ,h ls purple layer (no';; too sled) 1 c. waler 2 T. rice yinegor 4- 1/2 c. sushi rice

Soak the dried mushrooms until loh. Add 1 and cook until lh. louce is olmost complelely reduced. Allow 10 cool, Ihen cuI Ih. mushrooms into strips. Soak the dried gourd shovingl in waler for about 1 0 minutes. Remove and rub with loh (illus. I ). Cook in 2 unlil ,h. souce is olmost completely reduced. Cool and cuI inlo pieces aboul the some lenglh 0$ Ihe purple lover. Sel aside. 8eal Ihe eg3s lightly and mix in 3 . Fry into 1 1/4" (3 em) thick slices (see p. 33, Japanese Egg Roll). Cut into slrips. Quarter the gherkin cucumber lengthwise and scoop aul the seeds. Sel aside.

Wash the bamboo mot and airdry. Place a ,h_1 of purple lover on the mol. WeI both hands wilh A . Pick up 1 cup of sushi rice and place in Ihe cenler of Ihe purple lover, then spread it evenly over the seaweed. leave 3/S" ( I em) of the Uloweed free ol lhe fronl, and 3/4 (2 em) 01 'he bock. Arrange 'he obove ingredients neolly across Ihe cenler of Ihe rice filius. 2). Pick up Ihe fronl of Ihe seaweed filius. 3) to roli lhe sushi inlo 0 cylindrical shope. Roll and pren logelher lightly wilh Ihe bamboo mal. Preu even the two ends of Ihe sushi, then remove Ihe bamboo mal. Cut the sushi in half, then inlo a tolal of eighl small pieces (wipe the knife wilh a wei cloth to prevenl ,ticking). Serve.

When making small omounl$ of sushi 01 home, Ihe dried gourd shavings and dried mushrooms can be cooked logether in 1 and 2 until Ihe sauce is reduced. This method save, time and bother.

Egg fried inla a Ihin "poncoe" may be subslituted for the purple lover. Place some lelluce on lop of the rice. Shrimp, asparagus, broiled eel. and so forth can be included in the filling 10 make all sarIs of sushi vorialions.

ASSORTED PRESSED SUSHI WITH SASHIMI 2.4 PIECES

5 ,IKes 'rm luna ,,"0911(0) fillet (1-1(2 01.. or 75 91

3 dices fresh porgy fillel (1-2/3 02. or 45 g)

I I 1 c. woler 2 T. rice vinegar .. c. sushi rice ""Globi, as de,ed 113 oz. 110 91 " WI $Glmon .o. 2 mops purple 10 .... ' (nori;

1")(5" or 2.5)(18 em) 113 0

71

2

3

HANDROLLED SEAWEED SUSHI (Temaki) 6 ROllS

6 sheets purple lover (nori; lOx3 1 12" or 25 x 9 em)

2 leaves leHuce .4 stalks green asparagus 2 cooked shrimp 1 /2 pocket fine bonito shavings

(honago/suo) mo),onais8, as desired 2 leaves lettuce 112 gherkin cucumber (cut ' 3/4"

or 7 em longl 3 T. sushi rice wasoh;, as desired 2 slices soshimi 2 leaves lettuce 112 gherkin cucumber (cut in Ihin

diogonal slices) .4 t. solmon roe

Cook Ihe asparogus in boiling water until done, Ihen cut in 2-3/4" (7 em) pieces. See poge 46, Shrimp-Cucumber Rolls, for instructions on how 10 prepare the shrimp. Arrange all Ihe ingredients on plates anJ have reody . Toast a sheet of purple lover. Place half of I in a corner of 'he seaweed, in order, and roll up filius. " 2, 3). Roll 2 and 3 in the same way as 1 . Serve and eat immediately (to prevent the seaweed from becoming soggy).

To toast the purple lover: Place the seaweed in a dry frying pan or wok, or on the lower shelf of on oven. T oosl about 5 seconds and remove. Pretoosted seaweed is also available commercially.

This dish is a good finger food for banquets or buffets.

2

74

HAM, VEGETABLE AND EGG ROLLS 8 stalks fresh green asparogus 112 stalk celery 112 apple 2 slices hom (square) 2 sfolks Chinese celery .4 eggs 4 leaves lenuce moyonaise (or solt), as desired

.4 ROLLS

Cui the tender ends of the green asparogus into 2-3/4 (7 em) lengths. Blanch in boiling water and cool in lOp water. Pore off the strings from the celery and cut into 2-3/4- (7 em) lengths. Cui into thin strips along the grain and soak in ice water. Cut the apple into thin strips and soak in salt water. Droin each separately before use and set aside. Cut the hom inlo fine strips. Blanch the Chinese celery in boiling water, cool in lOp water, then teor info fine strips. Beat the e99 lightly. Fry inlo 4 egg "pancakes" (about 6-1/2- to 8- or 1 7 to 20 em in diameter). Spread aut one of the egg "pancakes". lay a leaf of leHuce on it, then top with 1/4 of the asparagus, celery, apple, ham, and some mayanaise Iillus. 1 ) . Fold the egg "pancake" in half, allawing the filling to protrude somewhat Iillus. 2). Roll the two ends tawards the center, then secure with the Chinese celery shreds lillus. 3}. Repeat for the remaining three egg "pancakes". Serve.

The filling ingredients can also be rolled i n Chinese moo shu shells (Peking duck flour wrappers), bread, etc.

..

. l 2' w,. r

76

1 c. sushi rice 1/2 sheet purple laver (no';; cut

into fine shreds) 4 slices marlin {Koiilc11 fillet 2 slices cUHlefish (iko) 1 gherkin cucumber 2 slices tuna fish (moguro) fillet 2 slices Japanese egg roll I ark shell (okogol1 I slice octopus (taKa) 1 slice ( 1 . 1 12" or 4 cm square)

broiled eel {unogl1 2 slices mockerel (saba) 1 shrimp 1 slice cockle (,arigoI1 2 fish rolls 1 dried Chinese block mushroom

(shiitake; soaked until 50ft and cooked)

112 t. wosoh; (Japanese horseradish)

SUSHI SALAD SERVES I

Place the sushi rice (see p. 6) in a serving dish and sprinkle on the purple lover shreds. Roll the marlin into a flower (see "Chinese Appetizers and Garnishes", p. 103). Spread open the cUHlefish slices, place 1/2 gherkin cucumber an top, and roll up. Secure with a toothpick, then cut into pieces. Arrange the tuna fish fillel, Japanese egg roll slices (see p. 33), ark shell, and other ingredients neolly on a ploHer. Cut the other half of the gherkin cucumber inlo thin diagonal slices. Place the mushroom on the side as a garnish, then top with the wasah; and serve. This is a Kanfo (Tokyo) style dish.

Fish rolls can either be bought ready-made, or mode yourself at home. To make: Cut a 3 " x 1 1 12" (e x 4 cm) piece of fish fillel into lie" 1.5 cm) slices. Roll both ends toward the center to form a double scroll. A strip of purple lover may be placed on top of the fish slice before it is rolled.

As a variation, the above ingredients may be shredded and sprinkled over the sushi rice (illus. 1 ,2,3). This is the Kansai (Osaka) version of Sushi Salad. - Serve Sushi Salad in a bowl or wooden rice box.

. .',

. .!" . ""

:d,.;:" . :'l .. .

2

3

SERVES 4 TOFU POCKET SUSHI (Inarizushi) Cut the fried lofu pockets diagonally into triangles (illus. 1 ) . Place in a pot with 1 and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce is completely reduced, and set aside to cool. Dip both hands in 2. Stuff the tofv pockets about 4/5 full with svshi rice (illus. 2). Sprinkle a lillie toasted block sesame seed over the top (illus. 3). Eat with the pickled shredded ginger root.

The square fried tofu pockets can be cut into squares or rectangles, or they can be rolled, for variation.

Diced dried Chinese block mushroom (shiitake), diced carrot, and diced dried gourd shoving (kampyO) may be cooked with 1 until the sauce is reduced. Allow to cool, then mix in with the sushi rice, along with some chopped gherkin cucumber.

To make shredded pickled ginger rool; cut 213 lb. (300 g) fresh young ginger into thin slices, and blanch in boiling waler 1 minute. Remove and pickle in 3 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons vinegar.

1 0 squore fried tofu pockets

1 1 213 c. dashi

5 T. sugor 3 T. soy sauce

1 1 c. waler 2 2 T. rice vinegar 41/2 c. sushi rice (opprox.) 2 t. toasted block sesame seeds shredded pickled sweet-sour

ginger rool, as desired

CRAB AND RICE MIXUP SERVES .4 1 con crab meal 1 T. ginger root juice 2 bo ..... ls cooked rice 2 dried Chinese block mushrooms .4 bunches spinach .4 c. doshi 1 I. soh 2 I. light-colored lOY sauce pinch of MSG (optional) 2-112 oz. (75 sl artificial crob meol .4 e99s

51ir Ihe ginger rOOT juice inlo Ihe crob meol (illus. 1 ) . Add some cold waler to the coolted rice 10 seporote the groins (illul, 2). Soak Ihe mushrooms until soft and (1,11 inlo thick ,"ips. Cui Ihe spinach inlo pieces. Sel oside. Bring I to 0 boil. Add the cooked ftce ond mushrooms and bring 10 0 Full U!

80

1

SERVES 4 TEA RICE Broil the sohed solman until cooked through. Skin and debone; tweeze out the fine bones. Tear into fine shreds 1;11 . 3). Place the cooked rice in a serving dish. Top with 1, the sahed salmon shreds, and 2. Pour on the hot teo and serve. Pickled vegetables may be added on the side, or top with boniTo shreds.

Use either green or oolong teo. ....., This dish is especially convenient if you shred fried salted solman lehover from the previous meal.

1 - 1 /3 oz. (37 g) sohed salmon (shiojohJ

4 c. cooked rice 1 1 18 t. MSG (optional)

1 1/6 t. salt 1 T. white sesame seeds (illus. 1) 4 stalks trefoil {mitsuboJ purple lover {no"l shreds,

2 as desired 1 t. wosobi (Japanese

horseradish; iIIus. 2) 3 c. teo

2

PORK CUTLET OVER RICE (Katsudon) SERVES A 1.4 oz.. (400 9) leon pork 1 12 c. flour 1 egg. ligntly beoten 3/4 c. fine bread crumbs .4 c. cooked rice 1 . 1 /2 c. doshi 5 T. mirin (swee' rice wine) 2112 T. soy sauce 1 t. sugar sliced green onion, green

portion only. as desired .do eg9s, lightly beoten

Cui the leon pork into 3/8n ( 1 em) thick slices. Tenderize by pounding with the dull edge of a cleaver or 0 meal mollet. Sprinkle on 1 /8 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Dip the pork slices in the ingredients in I , in order (illus. I , 2, 3) .

Heal 3 cups cooking oil to 320F (1 60C). Deep-fry the pork slices over medium heot until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Remove from the oil, cui inio pieces, and place some pork in eoch rice.filled bowl. Bring 2 10 Q boil. Add the green onion and egg. When the egg is about half set, pour over the pork and rice. Serve.

81

SERVES .4 FRIED SHRIMP OVER RICE (Tendon) Shell the shrimp, but leave the tail intact. Remove the tips of the toils (illus. 1 ) and chop off the ends of the double toil shells (illus. 2). Scrape out the moisture contoined in the shrimp toil with the dull edge of 0 knife. Make several gentle slashes in the belly portion of the shrimp (illus. 3), lightly pound it straight, and set aside. Heat 2 cups cooking oil. Dip the shrimp in 1 and deep fry until crisp (see p. 60, Seafood Tempuro). Separotely dip the green pepper, eggplant, and taro in 1 and fry until crisp (see p. 62, Vegetable T empuro). Put 1 cup of cooked rice into each individual bowl. and top with the batter-fried shrimp and vegetables. Bring 2 to a boil, and pour some over each portion. Toss and eat.

2

4 jumbo shrimp 1 12 c. low-gluten flour 112 e99 1/3 c. water (or ice water) 4 slices green pepper .4 slices eggplant 4 slices taro (dasheen) .4 c. cooked rice 5 1. mirin (sweet rice wine} 1 t. sugar 2- 1 12 T. soy sauce 1 - 1 12 c. dash;

CHICKEN AND EGG OVER RICE IOyako Domburi) SERVES 4 1 /4 lb. ( 1 20 9; net wI,) chicken

leg (dark) meat 1 onion 2 large Chinese green onions 4 8g9s 1 1 /2 c. dash; 5 T. mir;n 1 - 1 J2 I. sugor 2 1. soy sauce 4 c. cooked rice

Cut the chicken meat into thick strips (ill us. 1 J, the onion into half-rings (illus. 2j, and the large Chinese green onion into diagonal slices (illus. 3). Beal the eggs lightly and set aside. Bring 1 to a boil. Add the chicken and onion, and cook until soft. Next add the beaten 899S and lorg8 Chinese green onion. When the 899 is about holf set, pour some of the contents over each portion of rice. Se1'\l8.

84

2

3

SERVES

1 /3 c. red (odzuki, ozukn beans 5 c. glutinous rice (sweet rice)

RED BEAN RICE SERVES 4 Choose red beans that are large and have no foreign moiler mixed in (illus. 1 ) . Add 2 cups water and bring to o boil. Discord the water (this is fa remove any bitterness). Add a fresh 3 cups of water and again bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer about 30 minutes, until the beans begin to split open (illus. 2). Remove the beans, drain well, and retain the cooking liquid . Wash the glutinous rice and soak in the liquid used to cook the red beans (illus. 3) about 8 hours. Drain well, again retaining the liquid. Mix the red beans into the glutinous rice. Transfer to a doth-lined steomer, and spreod out evenly. Steam over high heat for about 50 minutes (pour the liquid from cooking the red beans over the rice os it steaming; pour in a little at a time each of 4 to 5 seporate times). Serve.

Red Bean Rice is often served on holidays and ot celebrations; it symbolizes happiness ond good fortune.

86

TWO COLOR RICE 1 /2 lb. (225 g) ground beef 2 T. sugar .d T. soy sauce 1 T. mirin (sweet rice wine) 6 c. cooked rice 5 eggs 113 t. salt

2 3 T. dash; dash of sugar 2.112 oz. (75 g) cooked peas shredded pickled red ginger root

(beni.shogo), as desired

SERVES 4

Heat a frying pon and odd 1 teaspoon cooking oil. Put in the ground beef {illus. 1 J and stir.fry until the meat changes color. Add 1 and continue to stir-fry until the sauce is reduced. Pour over the cooked rice. Beat the eggs lightly. Mix in 2 until well blended. Heat .d tablespoons cooking oil in a frying pan, pour in the egg mixture. and stir-fry until the eg9 is set. Ploce on the rice next to the ground beef. Scatter some cooked peas (illus. 2) and shredded pickled red ginger rool (illus. 3) over the top and serve.

Cooked dried Chinese block mushroom strips (see p. 69 Bosic Rolled Sushi) and shredded purple lover (nonl may be added according to individual preference.

88

LlTTLEOfEVERYTHING RICE 3 c. row rice 31/2 oz. (100 g) chicken meat 1 oz. (30 g) corrot I square fried tofu pocket 114 cake JconnyoKu 1 T. peas 1/3 I. 501t

2 3 T. light.colored soy sauce 1 T. rice wine 3 c. doshi shredded pickled red ginger rool

(beni.shogol. as desired

SERVES 4

Cut the chicken, corral, fried fofu pocket, and konnyolcu of I (illus. 1) inlo julienne strips. Place in a bowl with the peas. Mix in 2 and marinote about 20 minutes (illus. 2). Sel oside. Wash the rice, then odd the dashi and all the other ingredients, and mix carefully until blended (illus. 3). Cook until done. Sprinkle on some shredded pickled red ginger and serve.

90

2

3 BAllS RICE BALLS (Onigiri) Divide Ihe rice inlo 3 balls. Remove Ihe seed from Ihe pickled plum, and cui Ihe plum inlo Ihree pieces. Place one piece of pickled plum in each rice boll. Place a rice boll in your left hand. and press inlo on angle (ill us. 2); place your righl hand on top of Ihe rice ball and ftotten it down lillus. 3). Repeal this process until the rice boll is in Ihe shope of 0 Iriongle. Encircle one of the bolls with a slrip of purple lover; rolilhe second ball in the crushed lover; and roll the 1051 one in the block sesame seeds. Serve.

Rice bolls can 0150 be made by pressing Ihe rice into rice molds available commercially.

1- 1 /2 c. cooked rice 1 pickled plum (umebosh/l 1 slrip purple lover Inod; 6 x

314- or 1 5 x 2 em) crushed lover (furigake; iIIus. 1 ) .

as desired block sesame seeds, as desired

T

UDON IN BROTH SERVES 4 .4 packoges (2 lb. 3 oz. or

1 000 9) precooked uden noodles (illus. 1 )

4 dried Chinese block mushrooms (shiitake)

1 1 /2 c. mushroom soak waler 1 2- 1 /2 T. $ugor, 1 T. soy souce 1/2 fish coke (komoboko) .4 bunches sp inoch 3 oz. (80 9) chicken meol .4 shrimp, 8 clams

1 4 c. doshi, 114 I. soh 2 1 / 2 c. each: mirin, l ight-colored

soy sauce .4 eggs seven-flavor seasoning Ishichimi

togorosh,1. as desired

Soak the mushrooms unlil soft, then cook in I until the flavors are well absorbed (about 8 minutes). Cui Ihe fish coke 01 about a 1 5 angle, and ollernole Ihe knife back nd forth while CUlling to form a rippled risi ng sun patlern (dlu5. 2, 3 ) . Blanch Ihe sp inach in boiling waler about 30 seconds. Squeeze out the excess moisture and cui into 1 - 1 /4" (3 cm) lengths. Slice the chicken. Set oside . Immerse the precooked udon noodles in hal woter for 30 seconds, and transfer 10 a cloy pOI. Place the mushrooms, chicken slices, fish ake slices, shrimp, ond clams on lap of the nodles. Pour In 2 and bring 10 0 boil over high heal. Pour In Ihe egg and conlinue 10 cook unlil lhe e99 is oboul holf set. Add Ihe spinoch. Serve hal . A lillie seven-flovor seasoning may be sprinkled over Ihe top, if desired.

Udon noodles ore sold in fresh uncooked, dry, and cooked forms; choose Ihe kind you prefer.

2

92

2

4 bunches somen (thin wheet noodles)

.4 medium shrimp 2 gherkin cucumbers 2 e9gs 8 slices fish cake (komaboko) 4 c. crushed ice lapprox.) 1 c. dashi 114 c. each: midn, light.colored

soy souce 1/6 oz. (5 g) bonito shreds 2 T. chopped green onion 1 sheet purple lover, cut into

thin strips 1 1 12 T. ginger root puree

COLD NOODLES SERVES 4

Ploce 'h somen lillus. 1 ) in boiling water. Aher it comes to a second boil, add 1 cup of tap water and continue to cook about 1 minute, unlil 'he noodres are cooked through. Remove from the boiling water and place in a bowl of tap water to cool. Drain (illus. 2), then add some crushed ice, and chill in the refrigerotar. Cook the shrimp and remove the shells. Cut the gherkin cucumber into thin rounds. Beol the egg lightly, fry into a thin egg "pancake", and cut into shreds. Set aside. Bring 1 to a boil and strain. This is the broth for the cold noodles. Place ice cubes (or ice water) in a transparent bowl. Add the somen (illus. 3). Arrange the egg shreds, shrimp, cucumber, and fish coke neatly on lap. Divide the broth among four small bowls, filling each obout 315 full. Place 2 in a small dish. Add some of 2 into the noodle broth. Toke some noodles and other ingredients and dip in the broth before eating.

Chinese vermicelli can be substituled for the s'Omen, and the other ingredients con be voried according to individual preference.

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94

EMERALD BUCKWHEAT NOODLES 4 bunches buckwheat noodles (saba) I c. dashi 1/4 c. mi,in (sweet rice wine) 1/4 c. lightcolored soy souce 116 oz. (5 gl bonito ,hreds 1 c. chopped gr.en onion 118 I. wasob; (Japanese horseradish)

2 1/2 c. Chinese whilll radish (daikan) purell shelll purple lover (nori; cuI inlo shreds)

SERVES 4

Cook the buckwheaT noodles (illus. I). Soak in 1 0 cups ice wOler 10 cool. Drain well and place in a serving dish. Bring 1 10 a boil, slroin, and place in small bowls; this is the broth for Ihe noodles. Place each of Ihe ingredients in 2 (fresh quail e99' may also be added) in seporole small dishes. Mi)( some of 2 inlo the brolh, 'hen dip the noodles and other ingredients in the brolh 10 eol.

How to Make Homemade Buckwheat Noodles {Sobol: Use ' buckwheat with brown kernels. Remove the husks and grind inlo flour (illus. 2). Add 2 cups low.gluten flour, 118 teaspoon so it, and 3 cups water 10 10 cups buckwheal flour. Knead into a smooth dough that is neither 100 soh nor 100 sliff (if the dough is too dry, odd more water; if too $Iicky, odd dry flour). Leave undisturbed about 1 hour. See page 7, How 10 Make Homemade Udon Noodles for instructions on rolling out lhe dough. CU1 inlo 31l6w (.2 cm) thin n"odles,

Buckwheat is harvested during Seplember and October, so lhese IWO months are the buckwheat noodle "season", when saba is 01 its freshesl and best. Saba comes in dry and fresh uncooked forms. It can be eaten cold or hot; try using it in recipes colling for udon noodles, or for Chinese style noodles in broth.

Wasob; (Japanese horseradish) powder (sold in bOl(es or cons; iIIus. 3) can be used 10 make wasabi dip. Add some cold or lepid water to some wasabi powder 10 form a paste (use 3 tablespoons wosobi powder to '112 tablespoons water). Leave in a tightly sealed container for ' 0 minules and it is ready for use.

SERVES A FRIED UDON NOODLES Immerse the precooked udon noodles in boiling water briefly and remove. Cut the onion into half-rings. Cut the cabbage heart into slices (illus. 1 ) , then cut all of the cabbage into shreds. Cut the pork into shreds (ill us. 2) . Heat a frying pan and odd 3 tablespoons oil. Stir-Fry the onion, cabbage. and pork briefly. Add 1 and the noodles. Stir-fry until the sauce is reduced. Sprinkle on a liHle sesame oil and seven-flavor seasoning Iillus. 3). and serve.

96

4 packages (2 lb. 3 oz. or 1000 g) precooked udon noodles

1 anion 1 /2 head cabbage (2/3 lb. or

300 g) 1/3 lb. (150 g) leon pork 2 T. Chinese dark vinegar 3 T. soy sauce, 1 - 1 /3 T. sugar 1/4 t. MSG (optional) 1- 1/2 c. water, 118 t. pepper sesame oil. as desired seven-flavor seasoning Ishichimi-

,ogarashl1. as desired

HOT SPRING EGGS SERVES A A eggs 1 - 1/2 T. mirin (sweet rice wine) 1 T. soy souce 2/3 c. dashi 118 oz. (A g) bonito shavings

(hanagatsuo) white radish sprouh (kaiware), as

desired

Place the eggs in a saucepan of cold water (illus. 1 ) and caok about AO minutes over low heat. The temperature should be maintained at between 1.:19 to 15AoF (65 to 68C). Do not allow the thermometer to touch the bottom of the pot (illus. 2). Add cold water or temporarily turn off the heat if the temperature goes too high. Simmer until the yolk is partially solid, and the egg white is smooth and soh (illus. 3). These are "hot spring" eggs. Bring 1 to a boil and turn off the flame immediately. Wait until the bonito shavings have sellled, then strain. This is the soup stock. Shell the cooked eggs, and place one egg in each bowl. Top with some white radish sprouls, add some soup stock, and serve. D 1.:19 to 15AoF (65 to 68C) h equivalent to the temperature obtained by adding A cups boiling water to 2-112 cups cold water. o Hot spring eggs can be kept up to 2 days in the refrigerator. This dish is a delicate and unusual breakfast.

I 2

98

JAPANESE SALAD 1 .4 oz. (400 9) cuttlefish (iko; de

nol split) 6 c. waler 2 green onions 2 slices ginger rool 1 T. rice wine 1 head lettuce 1 lomalo 12 stalks fresh green asparagus I onian 6 T. salad oil 2 T. rice vintJgar

2 1 1/2 1. oy sauce 1 I. sesame oil I 1. while sesame seed powder I cooked egg yolk

SERVES 4

Remove the enlrails and ouler membrane from the cuttlefish. Bring 1 to a boil and odd the cuttlefish. lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 3 minutes. Turn oH the heal, then leave covered for another 3 minutes. Place in cold water (to make the cUfflefish firm). Cut into thin rings. Wash the lettuce and tomoto separately ond cut into slices. Blonch the asparagus briefly in boiling water and cut into sections. Slice the onion into rounds {illus. 1 J and soak in ice water (iHus. 2) about 1 0 minutes. Remove from the ice water and pal dry with paper towels. Stir 2 logether until of a thick consistency. Arrange the salad ingredients neatly on a serving platter, then pour 2 over Ihe top. Place the cooked e99 yolk in a strainer and press down on Ihe lap with a rubber spatula to grate the yolk over fhe solad. Move the strainer while graling so Ihal there I:; an even dusting of egg yolk over the top. Serve.

2

SERVES 4 SAVORY PANCAKES Mix 1 well to form a thick batter. Cut the cuttlefish in 2 into strips (illus. 2), and deyein the shrimp (illus. 3). . Heat a flatbottomed frying pan and add 3 tablespoons all. Pour 118 of the botler into the pan and fry oyer low heat into a "pancake" until about half done. Sprinkle on 1/4 of 3. prenin tho ingredients down lighlly. When the o"om of te pancake is golden, fur