Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional (20 page)
Read Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional Online
Authors: Miyoko Nishimoto Schinner
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BOOK: Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional
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Yield: 4 servings
RamenR
amen is absolutely cult food in Japan. People worship it; conversations center on where the best ramen shop is. Television shows feature the best ramen shops in every metropolis. Popular ramen shops will often have a line out the door and around the corner. It is considered the great all-time midnight snack. I remember one ramen stall (a permanent one that opened to the sidewalk and had no seats or tables) in a section of Tokyo called Ebisu that opened for only three hours each evening from 9:30 to 12:30. Apparently, the ramen there was excellent, and the sidewalk was packed each evening with connoisseurs standing in the dark, noisily slurping down their bowls of ramen. Juzo Itami, a Japanese movie director, made an outrageously funny comedy called
Tampopo
about the search for the perfect bowl of ramen, complete with tips on the etiquette of eating it properly.
amen is absolutely cult food in Japan. People worship it; conversations center on where the best ramen shop is. Television shows feature the best ramen shops in every metropolis. Popular ramen shops will often have a line out the door and around the corner. It is considered the great all-time midnight snack. I remember one ramen stall (a permanent one that opened to the sidewalk and had no seats or tables) in a section of Tokyo called Ebisu that opened for only three hours each evening from 9:30 to 12:30. Apparently, the ramen there was excellent, and the sidewalk was packed each evening with connoisseurs standing in the dark, noisily slurping down their bowls of ramen. Juzo Itami, a Japanese movie director, made an outrageously funny comedy called
Tampopo
about the search for the perfect bowl of ramen, complete with tips on the etiquette of eating it properly.
Ordering in a ramen shop offers the diner several choices. Traditionally, there are three types of soup bases for ramen:
shio-aji
(salt flavor),
shoyu-aji
(soy sauce flavor), and
miso-aji
(miso flavor). In addition, there are various toppings for noodles, including sautéed bean sprouts, smoked pork slices, corn, butter, mixed vegetables, and chicken. Unfortunately, all the soup stocks are typically made with pork and/or chicken, and thus the search for vegetarian ramen in Japan is virtually futile. Here at last is a vegan version with variations made easily at home.
shio-aji
(salt flavor),
shoyu-aji
(soy sauce flavor), and
miso-aji
(miso flavor). In addition, there are various toppings for noodles, including sautéed bean sprouts, smoked pork slices, corn, butter, mixed vegetables, and chicken. Unfortunately, all the soup stocks are typically made with pork and/or chicken, and thus the search for vegetarian ramen in Japan is virtually futile. Here at last is a vegan version with variations made easily at home.
About the noodles themselves: Try to procure fresh Chinese ramen noodles if you can; these are available at some Asian groceries. However, good dried ones exist, as well, in Asian or natural food stores. If necessary, the so-called “instant” type in packets can be used but are not generally the same quality.
Almost Instant Ramen Noodles3 to 3½ cups vegetable stock
3 cups sliced cabbage
2 tablespoons sake
2 tablespoons usu-kuchi soy sauce, or 3 tablespoons regular soy sauce
6 ounces dried or fresh ramen or
chuka-soba
noodles (vermicelli)
chuka-soba
noodles (vermicelli)
6 ounces vegetarian “ground beef” or “sausage”
½ bunch scallions, chopped
2 teaspoons sesame oil, or 1 teaspoon chili sesame oil
Bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Add the cabbage, sake, and soy sauce, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the noodles. If you are using dried noodles, cook for a couple of minutes, then add the “meat.” If using fresh noodles, both the noodles and the “meat” can be added simultaneously. Simmer until the noodles are tender, usually another couple of minutes. If the noodles have soaked up too much liquid, add a little more broth. Add the scallions and sesame oil, divide the noodles between two large
donburi
(ramen bowls), and serve immediately.
donburi
(ramen bowls), and serve immediately.
Any number of variations are possible with this dish. Add shiitake or sliced button mushrooms, or use them in place of cabbage. If desired, two tablespoons of miso can be added to make “miso”-flavored ramen. Top with sautéed mung bean sprouts or reconstituted wakame. Nori slivers are also a good topping. Add frozen or fresh corn (off the cob) while cooking the noodles.
Yield: 2 servings
Various Cold NoodlesTsuyu
(
Rich Dipping Broth
)
(
Rich Dipping Broth
)
1 cup
dashi
(stock)
dashi
(stock)
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin, or to taste
Condiments added to taste:
Wasabi
Minced scallions
Slivered nori (optional)
Heat the
dashi
(stock), soy sauce, and mirin to a gentle simmer, cook for 5 minutes, and turn off the heat. Cool and serve with the noodle of your choice. Add the listed condiments, if desired. Hot tsuyu can also be served with cold soba or udon.
dashi
(stock), soy sauce, and mirin to a gentle simmer, cook for 5 minutes, and turn off the heat. Cool and serve with the noodle of your choice. Add the listed condiments, if desired. Hot tsuyu can also be served with cold soba or udon.
The Japanese love their noodles cold as well as hot. Slurping chilled noodles in the hot, humid months of summer when appetites have been dulled is virtually a ritual. There are numerous variations of the theme with different types of noodles, condiments, and yes—even different degrees of coldness. Zaru-soba, cold buckwheat noodles, are generally served at room temperature, while the vermicelli-like somen is always served in a bowl of ice and water. Whatever the temperature, noodles are always dipped in individual bowls of dipping sauce called tsuyu and are enjoyed to the last mouthful. Here is a recipe for o-tsuyu that works for dipping any of the noodles.
Yield: 4 servings
Cold Soba or Cold UdonCook soba or udon according to the package instructions; do not overcook. They will have a much silkier surface for slurping if they are left al dente and are not overcooked. Rinse in plenty of cold running water, and drain thoroughly.
Place a generous mound on each plate (or, if you are fortunate enough to find them, the bamboo trays made for them), and top with slivered nori, if desired. Provide each diner with about
cup tsuyu, some wasabi, and scallions.
cup tsuyu, some wasabi, and scallions.Tempura Soba or Udon (Cold)
Tempura is an excellent accompaniment to zaru soba or udon (cold noodles). Provide each diner with a few pieces of tempura. Both noodles and tempura are dipped in tsuyu and eaten.
Natto Soba or Udon
Natto can also be served with zaru soba or udon. Each diner can add some natto to his or her own tsuyu and dip the noodles in it. Very thinly slivered shiso leaves are excellent to add to this.
Buckwheat noodles or udon noodles are generally served cooked, rinsed, and drained—that is, at room temperature.
Tororo
Per serving, you will need about a 2-inch-long piece of
nagaimo
(long potato), also called
yamaimo
(mountain yam). Peel the skin. With a Japanese grater or the very smallest holes of a 4-sided American-style grater, grate the potato. It will form a thick, viscous, stretchy mass.
nagaimo
(long potato), also called
yamaimo
(mountain yam). Peel the skin. With a Japanese grater or the very smallest holes of a 4-sided American-style grater, grate the potato. It will form a thick, viscous, stretchy mass.
To serve Hot Tororo Soba
Per serving:
1 to 1½ cups cooked soba noodles per bowl 1 cup hot Basic Broth for Soba or Udon (page 110)
to ½ cup tororo 1 tablespoon chopped scallions
to ½ cup tororo 1 tablespoon chopped scallionsPour the hot broth over the noodles. Top with tororo and the scallions. Serve immediately.
Whether called a nagaimo (long potato) or yamaimo (mountain yam), this tuber with its slightly hairy skin and white “meat” is thought to be full of health benefits, providing stamina and aiding digestion with its many digestive enzymes. It is always eaten raw, either grated to form a stretchy, viscous consistency (now officially referred to as tororo) or served julienne with soy sauce or some other sauce.
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