Inari Sushi (Rice Stuffed Tofu Pouches)
Rice and Mushroom Egg Rolls
Sesame Spinach Egg Parcels
Crab Salad Tofu Pouches
Classic California Sushi Rolls
Cucumber, Crab and Salmon Sushi Rolls
Smoked Trout Sushi Rolls
Thai Shrimp Sushi Rolls
Lobster and Mango Sushi Rolls
Inside-out Vegetarian Rolls
Hand-rolled Cone Sushi (Temaki Sushi)
Inside-out Salmon Sushi Rolls
Hand-rolled Sushi Cones with Ginger Chicken
Teriyaki Chicken Battleship Sushi
Tuna Salad Battleship Sushi
Japanese-style Steamed Rice
Rice Bowl with Chicken, Peas and Egg
Vegetarian Sushi Rice Bowl
Azuki Bean Rice
Grilled Salmon Teriyaki
Baked Fish with Lemon
Deep-fried Baby Octopus or Calamari
Braised Fish (Karei Nitsuka)
Stir-fried Tofu with Egg and Vegetables
Seafood and Chicken Hotpot
Pan-fried Chicken Loaf with Sesame
Chicken and Vegetable Hotpot (Mitzutaki)
Japanese Mixed Grill
Japanese Grilled Steak
Stir-fried Pork with Cabbage and Ginger
Beef and Potato in Sweet Ginger Soy Gravy
Shabu-Shabu Beef and Vegetable Hotpot
Quick Green Tea Ice Cream
Japanese Sponge Cake (Kasutera)
The traditional Japanese meal is a work of art from the kitchen—balanced in color, texture and design. Applauded for its elegant simplicity and appreciated for its reliance on the freshest ingredients, the Japanese way of cooking fits easily into today’s culinary scene, appealing to those who appreciate healthy eating, lighter portions and artistic presentations. At its best, a Japanese meal, with each course served on specially selected dinnerware, resembles a still life painting rendered in food and ceramics.
A Japanese meal can be put together quickly and easily. Most recipes call for only a handful of ingredients: rice, soy sauce, wasabi powder, saké, sesame seeds, dried shiitake mushrooms, ginger, wheat or buckwheat noodles, dashi stock, and tofu are some of the cornerstones of a Japanese meal. The trick is to keep a larder stocked with the Japanese essentials and to plan ahead—purchasing the fish, meat or vegetables the day they should be cooked.
The best known of all Japanese foods, sushi—tasty morsels of vinegared rice with slices of raw fish and a touch of wasabi underneath—has become so popular in the West that many restaurants now serve it as an appetizer. In large metropolitan areas, fresh sushi packs are even sold in well-stocked supermarkets. This volume includes easy-to-follow instructions for preparing various types of sushi, from the well known “finger” or nigiri sushi and california rolls, to the hand-rolled “cone” or temaki sushi. Also presented are other Japanese all-time favorites such as miso soup, sashimi platter, tempura, hotpot and grilled skewered chicken (yakitori).
All the recipes are light, healthy and delicious, and require no special skill or ingredients. This book promises a delightful venture into the world of Japanese cuisine.
—Susie Donald
JAPANESE COOKING UTENSILS
Bamboo rolling mat (Makisu): Widely available from Asian supermarkets and very inexpensive, this simple bamboo mat is a must-have utensil for rolling rice inside wrappers of seaweed and for rolling Japanese omelets.
Makisu
Fish-bone tweezers (Hone nuki): A pair of flat-ended tweezers is always present in a Japanese kitchen for deboning fish.
Hone nuki
Hotpot A circular clay pot with a cover, used for cooking soups and stews. It can be placed directly over a gas flame or on an electric hotplate. Its main advantage is that it can be transferred to the table, where it will keep food hot during the meal. Substitute with an earthenware casserole pot or a Dutch oven.
Omelet pan The Japanese omelet pan is usually square-shaped, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep, traditionally used for making sushi omelets. It can be substituted by a conventional round skillet about 10 inches (25 cm) in diameter; trim the sides of the omelet once it has been cooked to make it square.
Rice-cooling bowl (Hangiri): This low, wide wooden bowl is used to cool cooked rice to give it the desired texture. The wider the bowl, the better to separate the rice grains.
Hangiri
Rice paddle (Shamoji): The wooden rice scoop is used to spread cooked rice in the hangiri to cool. It traditionally represents domestic authority; whoever controls the shamoji in a Japanese household is in charge of the household affairs.
Shamoji
BASIC JAPANESE INGREDIENTS
Agar-agar (kanten) is a gelatin made from seaweed and can be purchased as strands, sticks, flakes or powder. It is commonly used to thicken ice cream, jelly and pudding. It is readily available in the dried foods section.
Bamboo shoots must first be peeled, sliced and simmered for 30 minutes till tender, before use. If using canned bamboo shoots, it is best to boil
