YO Sushi: The Japanese Cookbook. Kimiko Barber
so it is often the first item to be prepared in the Japanese kitchen, but, unlike western stocks, it takes only minutes to make. There are several types of dashi to suit different purposes. The three that follow are easy to make and versatile. A subtly aromatic, clear broth, dashi stock enhances and intensifies the flavour of foods it is cooked or blended with. However, it is more than just a stock: it gives a delicate base note to soups, salads, dipping sauces, rice and noodles as well as all kinds of simmered, steamed and stewed foods.
number 1 dashi
This is the most popular variety of dashi, which is made from konbu and bonito fish flakes. A good dashi is delicious enough to eat on its own but requires the best-quality ingredients for a full flavour. This recipe makes 1 litre (1 3/4 pints).
1 postcard-size piece of konbu
1 litre (1 3/4 pints) water
20g (3/4oz) dried bonito flakes
Wipe off any pieces of dirt from the konbu with damp kitchen paper, then make small tears in it to encourage the maximum release of flavour. Place in a saucepan with the water and bring to the boil over a low heat. Remove the konbu when it begins to float to the surface, just before the water reaches boiling point – do not boil the konbu as it will discolour the dashi and make it taste bitter.
Add the bonito flakes and bring the water back to the boil, then remove from the heat. Allow the flakes to settle to the bottom of the pan, then strain the stock using a fine-meshed sieve lined with kitchen paper or a coffee filter.
The delicate flavour and taste of dashi is lost if it is frozen, so it is best to make the stock fresh each time and use it the same day.
vegetarian dashi
In the traditional Japanese kitchen, vegetarian dashi is made from konbu and dried shiitake mushrooms, which give it a subtle smoky flavour. Makes I litre (1 3/4 pints).
2 postcard-size pieces of konbu
3 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 litre (1 3/4 pints) water
Wipe the konbu clean with damp kitchen paper and make some tears in it to help it to infuse and for the maximum release of flavour. Place the konbu and the mushrooms in a saucepan with the water and leave to soak for at least 1 hour or overnight. Bring slowly to the boil over a low heat.
Remove the konbu when it begins to float to the surface, just before the water reaches boiling point. Turn up the heat and boil rapidly for 2 minutes, then set aside to cool to room temperature. Remove the mushrooms.
As with the number 1 dashi stock, this vegetarian dashi also loses its delicate flavour and aroma if frozen. It is therefore best to make a fresh batch each time you need it and to use it the same day.
water dashi
This flavoursome dashi is the easiest version to prepare; it is not cooked but left to infuse overnight, ready to use the next day. Makes I litre (1 3/4 pints).
1 postcard-size piece of konbu
3 dried shiitake mushrooms
7g (1/4 oz) dried bonito flakes
1 litre (1 3/4 pints) water (boiled tap water or bottled spring water)
Wipe the konbu clean with damp kitchen paper and make some tears in it to help it to infuse and for the maximum release of flavour. Put all the dry ingredients in a glass jug with a lid or sealable plastic container and add the water. Chill in the refrigerator overnight and strain before use. The dashi will keep up for up to three days in the refrigerator.
how to cook rice
Rice is the staple of the Japanese diet, and no matter how elaborate a meal may be, the main course always includes a bowl of rice. Although domestic production and consumption have been on the decline for some decades due to the ever-increasing westernisation of Japanese life, this humble grain still holds centre stage in the Japanese kitchen. American-grown, Japanese-style, short-grain rice is widely available outside Japan and is the closest substitute for home-grown rice. Typically sold in 1kg (2 1/4lb) or 2.5kg (5 1/2lb) packages, it is usually labelled ‘Japanese-style’ or ‘sushi’ rice.
Today, nearly all Japanese households have automatic electric or gas rice cookers complete with electric timers, a choice of programmes, thermal control and options such as delayed start, and they are used at least once a day for preparing family meals. An electric rice cooker is a labour-saving, fail-safe piece of kitchen equipment, and will deliver consistently good results – if you often eat rice it is well worth buying one. But you can also cook perfect Japanese rice without an automatic rice cooker.
For rice with a subtly sweet taste, which is plump, glossy and slightly sticky (so that it is easy to eat with chopsticks), you need to wash off the starch that coats the surface of the raw grain before you begin cooking.
Below you will find two methods for cooking and preparing ‘Japanese style’ rice: the first method is for making rice that is to be eaten on its own, to be fried or to accompany other dishes (such as donburi or curry); the second method is for making rice for sushi (such as maki, nigiri, hand rolls, and inside-out rolls).
cooking rice for non-sushi dishes
Measure the rice into a large bowl and add plenty of cold water. Stir vigorously, then drain the milky water through a fine-meshed sieve. Return the rinsed rice to the bowl and repeat until the water runs clear. The rice will need between 3 and 5 washes before the rinsing water runs clear and will become slightly opaque as it begins to absorb moisture. Leave the rice in the sieve to continue draining for at least 1 hour before cooking. If you are short of time you can leave the rice to soak in the saucepan with the water for cooking (see below) for 10–15 minutes before you turn on the heat. A saucepan with a thick base (preferably curved rather than flat) and a tight-fitting, solid lid is ideal.
To cook rice, you will need about 20 per cent more water by volume than dry rice. To serve four people use 300–400g (10–14oz) dry rice and 360–480ml (13–17fl oz) water. Put the washed and drained rice with the measured water into a saucepan over a medium to high heat and bring to the boil. Try to resist the temptation to lift the lid to see how it is cooking, as you want to keep all the steam inside – listen for boiling sounds instead. Depending on the amount of rice you are cooking, it should take between 5 and 7 minutes to reach a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for a further 5–7 minutes before turning off the heat. Do not lift the lid but let the rice stand for 10 minutes to cook in its own steam.
With a moistened spatula, turn the cooked rice over from the bottom to fluff it up, and place a tea towel under the lid to absorb the steam and prevent it cooking further while you are waiting to serve.
YO! Sushi tips
A golden-coloured crust sometimes forms on the bottom of cooked rice. This is the equivalent of the crusty heel of a loaf and it can be broken up and distributed through the white rice or set aside to eat later with a sprinkling of salt.
Rice is an annual plant typically harvested in the autumn in the northern hemisphere. In Japan, newly harvested rice – shin mai –comes on to the market from September to November. The American equivalent is often labelled as ?new harvest rice?, distinguishing it from previous years’ rice crops. Newly harvested rice is sweet and contains more moisture, so it needs less water to cook.
cooking and preparing