Most Americans go out for good Japanese food. It is not a cuisine that most home chefs pick for experiments. I used to worry that I lacked the skills or temperament to create delicious Japanese food at home. If I’d had the opportunity to work in a Japanese restaurant or steakhouse, I thought, maybe I could master the precision cutting and delicate arrangements that seemed such an integral part of this cuisine. Those jobs have eluded me, so my professional experience centered around making vast quantities of tempura and miso soup at various hotels. All pretty basic stuff and not too challenging. Finally, I took a class in Japanese cooking. It was a great experience. I learned that Japanese cooking is accessible. You don’t need to be a sushi chef to succeed.
Like other Asian cuisine, Japanese cooking is balanced, flavorful and healthy. And it’s easy to get started; all you need are some pantry staples and a few pieces of inexpensive equipment. All the ingredients that give Japanese food its distinctive flavor can be found at Star Market, 3109 N. Clark Street, in Chicago.
Dashi — This is the basic soup stock. It is used more then any other kind of stock in Japanese cooking. It is made from konbu (kelp) and katsuo bushi (bonito shavings). Dashi is the base of many soups and simmered dishes. It is also used in marinades, salad dressings and dipping sauces. The ingredients for dashi are dried, and they keep indefinitely. Once prepared, dashi keeps for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. (It does not freeze well.) Instant dashi is also available.
Miso — This is a fermented soybean mash used to thicken and season soups, sauces and marinades. There are several varieties. Miso comes in many colors and textures. Some types are best suited for specific purposes but most are interchangeable. I usually keep red and yellow miso on hand. Miso should be kept refrigerated.
Soy sauce (shoyu) — Do not use Chinese soy sauce in Japanese cooking — it is too strong. Kikkoman is the most widely available Japanese soy sauce.
Mirin — This is a heavily sweetened rice wine. If you can’t find it, you can get by with equal parts sake and sugar. (Heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring constantly, and the liquid is reduced by half.) Mirin is used in marinades and salad dressings.
Rice (okome) — Short grained rice is preferred in most Japanese cooking. California grows excellent short-grained rice. Short grained rice uses the same cooking method as long grained rice. Rinse it well before cooking.
Noodles — Throughout Asia, noodles are noisily enjoyed as a snack or light meal. Soba, somen and udon are the most common Japanese noodles. Ramen noodles, borrowed from Chinese cooking, are also widely eaten throughout Japan.
Tofu — This versatile soybean curd is widely available. It is almost a complete protein and has been a staple of most Asian diets for centuries. Softer tofu is used more frequently in Japanese dishes. Refrigerate any unused tofu, covered with water, for two to three days.
Most of the equipment needed for Japanese cooking you probably already own. I use my wok for deep frying tempura. Chopsticks are helpful for stirring liquid ingredients. Sharp knives are invaluable for getting precision cuts. I did buy a sushi mat. These are necessary for making sushi at home. Interestingly, sushi is not typical at-home fare in Japan. If it is prepared at home, the cook has a sushi butcher cut the fish to order.
Here are a few basic Japanese recipes to get you started. Happy cooking!
Dashi
4 cups cold water
1 oz kelp (konbu) approximately a 4-inch x 6-inch piece
1 oz (1-1/2 cups) dried bonito flakes
1. Place the konbu and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. As soon as the water boils, remove from heat and let stand for three minutes.
2. Take out the kelp and bring the stock back to a boil. Remove from heat and add the bonito flakes. Let them sit until they sink to the bottom of the pot. Strain the stock through cheesecloth or a coffee filter.
Miso soup
(serves 4)
3 1/3 cups Dashi stock
4 shitake mushrooms, sliced
1/3 tofu cake, diced
4 Tablespoons red miso
2-3 green onions, sliced
1. Dissolve the miso paste with 2 Tablespoons Dashi stock. Mix well.
2. Place remaining stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add diluted miso.
3. Add the mushrooms and tofu to the soup and simmer until heated through.
4. garnish with green onions and serve.
Vegetable Tempura
Most vegetables lend themselves well to tempura. I like to use carrot, broccoli, zucchini, sweet potato, mushrooms, and eggplant. It is important that the vegetables be cut into pieces that are relatively the same size.
(serves 4)
1 sweet potato, thick julienne
3 carrots, thick julienne or matchstick
12 white button mushrooms
1 zucchini, thick julienne
broccoli flowerets
Batter:
1 large egg yolk
1 cup ice water
1 cup sifted flour
1. Place the flour in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add the egg and water. Stir with a light, circular motion. the batter should be lighter then pancake batter and it is better to undermix. Lumps are okay.
Dipping sauce:
1 cup dashi
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon sugar
1. Combine ingredients well in a small saucepan. Heat to a simmer then remove from heat.
1. Heat 1-1/2 to 2 inches of vegetable oil in a wok or deep sided pot. Heat the oil to 360 degrees. Use a chopstick to test the oil’s heat. It is ready when it bubbles around the chopstick.
2. Coat the vegetables in the batter and fry, 3 or 4 at a time for about a minute. Turn them over with a skimmer or slotted spoon and fry for about another minute. The batter should be puffed out and lightly colored.
Serve immediately with warm dipping sauce.
Soba Noodles and Vegetables in Flavorful Broth
Serves 4
5 shiitake mushrooms, fine julienne
1 carrot, sliced into thin coins
2 cups Napa cabbage, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 ounces snow peas, fine julienne
6 scallions, cut into 2-inch diagonal lengths
4 cups dashi
4 Tablespoons soy sauce (shoyu)
1/4 cup sake (optional)
1 pound soba noodles
garnish: 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered.
1. Heat the dashi to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add the soy sauce and sake. Add the carrots, cabbage, snow peas, mushrooms and scallions to the dashi. Cook the vegetables until they are medium tender but not mushy.
2. Cook the soba noodles while the broth simmers. Drain the soba and divide the noodles between four bowls.
Top with the vegetables and broth and garnish with the hard-boiled eggs.