My Japanese Table. Debra Samuels
vary in sweetness and viscosity.
Umeboshi Sour, reddish purple, with wrinkly skin the dried pickled Japanese apricot, sometimes referred to as a plum, is a standard condiment on every Japanese table.
White Bait (Chirimen/Chirimen-jako) These miniscule dried or semi-dried baby anchovies are mixed into salads or rice directly. They are also used as part of a Homemade Savory Sprinkles (Furikake) (p. 31). They come separately in shelf stable cellophane packets or in the freezer section of Asian markets. Toast them, like sesame seeds, for an added protein crunch.
Green Tea (Sencha/Ocha) This is the most common Japanese beverage. Imported from China centuries ago, Japan’s tea bushes grow in perfectly mounded and manicured rows. The young leaves are picked, steamed, and then dried. The amount of tea, the temperature, the grade, and brewing time are important factors in serving a good cup of green tea. Unlike black tea, (kocha) which requires boiling water poured onto the tea leaves, the temperature for making green tea is lower—about 160-170°F (70-80°C) depending on whether it is spring picked sencha or summer harvested bancha or genmaicha.
Powdered Green Tea (Matcha) This is the ground, powdered green tea famously used in Japanese tea ceremonies. It is made from leaves that have been grown in the shade and has a deep moss green color and bitter flavor. It has high caffeine content and is packed with antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E. Unlike other teas, where leaves are steeped in water and should not be swallowed, with matcha one ingests the dissolved leaf, thus increasing its health benefits. Matcha is no longer just for tea ceremonies or drinking. You can now order matcha latte and shakes and find it in Japanese and western confections. Matcha is sold in small tins or foil pouches and is more expensive than sencha.
Hojicha This is also referred to as bancha, a rustic blend of roasted older tea leaves and twigs. It has a dark brownish color and a deep smoky flavor. It is a very satisfying drink at anytime of the day because it has less caffeine than sencha. Unlike sencha, you pour boiling water directly on the leaves.
Useful Equipment
Bamboo Rolling Mat (Makisu) This mat is used for making sushi rolls. There are two types of mats. The one with cylindrical sticks bound together by string woven through the mat vertically. This is the most common and used with roasted seaweed, rice, and fillings to make a variety of rolls. It is covered in plastic wrap to make inside out rolls where the rice is on the outside and the seaweed is rolled inside the rice. The other mat is flat on one side and round on the other. This mat is used for both maki rolls and for shaping the Seasoned Rolled Omelet (Tamago Yaki) (p.34).
Chopstick Rests (Hashi Oki) Chopstick rests hold the tips of the chopsticks that diners place in their mouth when not in use. The rests can be made of porcelain, clay, wood, treated Japanese paper or even a natural stone (washed of course). The rests come in all different shapes and colors and generally complement the season and food. They can be fun, fanciful, or elegant (At a pub I saw one made with a screw and two bolts). Mine do double duty as knife or dessert fork rests.
Cooking Chopsticks (Saibashi) Cooking chopsticks come in lengths from 12 inches to 18 inches (30 cm-45 cm) and can be made of bamboo or metal. They keep fingers away from hot sauce and oil while turning or plucking food from pots. There are also cooking chopsticks with particularly narrow tips that are useful in garnishing a dish and special serving chopsticks with flat surfaces.
Drop Lids (Otoshibuta) These wooden lids are made to fit inside pots and rest directly on top of cooking food. The lid keeps the sauce from evaporating and concentrates it directly into the food. You can use parchment paper circles to achieve similar results.
Graters and Peeler (Oroshiki) Graters are used frequently in the preparation of Japanese food and for accompaniments for dishes. Graters do different jobs and can be made of metal, porcelain, and plastic. All have very sharp raised teeth that efficiently grate ginger, daikon radish, wasabi, onions, and other food. The two part graters that set a plastic grater atop a box are very useful as the grated food falls directly into the box. Substitute microplane graters and box graters to obtain desired texture.
Rice Cooker (Suihanki) The electric rice cooker is probably the most common item in Japanese kitchens and increasingly in western kitchens as well. They range from simple to sophisticated with sensors that have timers for soaking and automatic switch on. Many include a multitude of settings for cooking brown rice, porridge and sushi rice. All of them keep the rice warm. Rice cookers come with special 1 cup rice (1 ichi go) measures that are about 3/4 cup (160 g). These cookers also cook terrific takikomi gohan (rice cooked with a variety of ingredients).
Japanese Mortar and Pestle (Suribachi and Surikogi) Clay bowls with an unglazed grooved surface interior and a wooden stick are primarily used for grinding toasted sesame seeds and making pastes. When the toasted seeds are ground in a circular motion a nutty appetizing aroma is released from the seeds. The crushed seeds are used in sauces and as a tasty garnish. The bowls are also made in plastic, but the grinding stick remains wood.
Basic Recipes
It is a good idea to make these basic ingredients and keep them in your refrigerator and pantry to make things easier when you cook your way through this book. Many of these sauces have commercial brand equivalents, but many have additives that you don’t get when you make your own. I like the idea of having a big jar of Teriyaki Sauce in my refrigerator, because I don’t hesitate to make recipes that call for it. Making things from scratch also gives you a good base knowledge of your materials, some of which will be new to you. Gambatte! You can do it!
Soy Ginger Vinaigrette
The tang of lemon juice and the zing of ginger juice give this dressing a snappy flavor. I use it on mixed salads to give them an Asian flair. Sprinkle on a combination of toasted sesame seeds and a sprinkle of sea salt or kosher salt just before serving. (The Ginger People manufactures a very good fresh bottled ginger juice that you can substitute for grating ginger and squeezing your own.)
Makes 1 cup (250 ml)
1/2 cup (125 ml) soy sauce, preferably low sodium
1/4 cup (65 ml) canola oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons ginger juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a glass jar, cover and shake. This will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 weeks.
NOTE HOW TO MAKE GINGER JUICE
It is easy to make your own ginger juice. Take a knob of ginger and, using a Japanese porcelain grater or microplane or using the smallest holes on a box grater, grate the ginger into a mound. Pick up the grated ginger with your fingers and squeeze to release the juice into a small bowl.
Spicy Mayonnaise
This quick dressing is commonly used for dabbing inside sushi rolls, mixing with fresh and canned tuna, and for use as a dipping sauce.
Makes 1/2 cup (125 ml)
1/2 cup (125 ml) mayonnaise
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