Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional (4 page)

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Authors: Miyoko Nishimoto Schinner

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BOOK: Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional
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Age-mono—Fried dishes.
Ajitsuke-nori—Nori that has been seasoned, usually with soy sauce, sugar, and MSG. It is pre-cut into little rectangles and packaged in little packets for individual use with rice. (With unseasoned nori, you would usually tear it yourself and dip in soy sauce to eat with rice.) If you choose to eat this kind of nori, try to find one without MSG.
An, Ankake—
An
is a lightly gelatinous sauce that is generally thickened by kuzu, arrowroot, or cornstarch.
Ankake
is a dish with an sauce poured over it.
Ao-nori—A flaked, bright green dried seaweed typically sprinkled on
yaki-soba
(fried noodles),
okonomiyaki
(Japanese savory pancakes), and other dishes.
Atsu-age—Deep-fried tofu blocks. Deep-frying forms a brown, tasty exterior and a firm interior. It is good for stir-fries, soups, sukiyaki,
nabe-mono
(Japanese hot pot), and simply with a little ginger, green onion, and soy sauce.
Azuki—Azuki beans are small red beans with a high sugar content. They are used to form a sweet bean paste for desserts and are simmered with sugar to make
zen-zai,
a sweet dessert soup with
o-mochi
(pounded rice cake).
Bento (O-bento)—A boxed lunch, usually consisting of a container of wood, metal, or plastic with several compartments, the largest for rice, and others for the various
okazu
(side dishes or entrées).
Cha (O-cha)—Green tea. This is the national drink, and it is consumed throughout the day.
Cha-wan (O-cha-wan)—Literally, “tea bowl.” This can encompass a cup for tea or a bowl for rice (into which you might indeed pour tea; see
cha-zuke,
page 23).
Cha-wan-mushi (O-cha-wan-mushi)—A custard soup steamed in individual cups with lids. Usually made with
dashi
(stock) and eggs, it contains little “surprises” at the bottom, such as seafood, chicken, ginko nuts, shiitake mushrooms, and vegetables. It is considered a delicacy in Japan.
Cha-zuke (O-cha-zuke)—Rice with tea poured over it. It can be seasoned with other ingredients as well, including finely chopped vegetables or pickles, Japanese herbs such as shiso, or seafood.
Daikon (O-daikon)—A long, white, mild-flavored Japanese radish. Can be eaten raw or cooked.
Dango (O-dango)—Japanese sweet dumplings made of rice or sweet rice flour.
Dashi (O-dashi)—Japanese soup stock, traditionally made from konbu (a sea vegetable),
katsuobushi
(dried fish flakes), and sometimes dried shiitake. This becomes the basis for flavoring many dishes from soups and vegetables to entrées. Several recipes for vegetarian dashi are provided in this book.
Do-nabe—An earthenware pot, usually decorated on the outside, that can be placed directly over the heat.
Nabe-mono
(Japanese one pot meal) would be made in a large
do-nabe.
They can be purchased at Japanese hardware or supply stores and are relatively inexpensive.
Donburi (O-donburi)—A large bowl, particularly for individual use, either for noodles or the genre of rice dishes known by the same name. In these dishes, the rice is topped with savory meat, vegetables, eggs, or seafood. Juices or the sauce from the dish imbue the rice with flavor.
Enoki—A white mushroom with a long, thin stem and tiny cap, grown in little bundles. It has a very delicate flavor.
Fu—A light, puffy, bread-like product made from gluten. It is often colorful and made in various shapes. It is sold dried and reconstituted in soups, primarily
suimono
(consommé). Children love these! Gen-mai—Brown rice. Although considerably more nutritious than white rice, brown rice is difficult to come by in Japan.
Gohan—Steamed Japanese rice; also means “meal” and can refer to any meal.
Goma—Sesame seeds.
Goma-shio
is a topping for sprinkling on rice. It is made from toasted, lightly ground natural or black sesame seeds and salt. Sesame seeds are high in calcium and can be used in a variety of ways to season foods.
Goma-abura—Toasted sesame oil. A few drops of this added at the end of cooking to stir-fries, soups, and sauces greatly enhances the flavor. Sesame oil has a low smoking point and is thus best used in combination with another oil, such as canola, for sautéing purposes. Some of the best tempura restaurants in Japan add sesame oil to their frying oil to impart flavor.
Goma-dofu—A silky, rich, slightly gelatinous “tofu” made from sesame butter.
Hakusai—Napa cabbage. Can be eaten cooked, raw, or pickled.
Hashi (O-hashi)—Chopsticks. Japanese chopsticks are shorter than Chinese ones. They are often lacquered and highly decorated.
Hijiki—A black, short, thread-like sea vegetable. High in calcium and iron, it is extremely flavorful.
Inari-zushi—See o-inori-san, page 28.
Kanten—See agar agar, page 21. A gelatin-like dessert made with agar agar that is firmer and less “wobbly” than Jell-O. Generally sold in dry form, it requires reconstituting in water before using.
Karashi—Bright yellow Japanese hot mustard. It usually comes in a powdered form that can be easily mixed with a little water and can also be found in a prepared form in a tube. It differs in flavor from most Western mustards and is hotter.
Katakuriko—Potato starch. Can be used like cornstarch.
Ko-me (O-ko-me)—Uncooked rice. Cooked rice is referred to as
gohan.
Konbu—A stiff, green sea vegetable used primarily for flavoring
dashi
(stock). It is also used in thin strips to tie or bundle vegetables or other savory items.
Konnyaku—A white or grayish, opaque product made from the
konnyaku-imo
(mountain yam), konnyaku is unlike anything in Western cuisine and thus very hard to describe. It is sold in rectangular blocks packaged in plastic in the refrigerated section of Japanese food stores. Although it has little flavor, the slightly rubbery texture of konnyaku is interesting, and it can absorb other flavors and become quite succulent. It has virtually no calories and is very high in fiber. Konnyaku can be sliced and stewed, sautéed, or broiled.
Kuzu, Kuzu-ko—A high-quality thickening agent made from the ground root of the kuzu plant. It comes in small, rock-like chunks that dissolve easily in liquids. Kuzu is more concentrated than cornstarch, so less can be used. Because it is not refined like cornstarch, it is considered more healthful; in fact, it is said to possess many medicinal qualities. Arrowroot, cornstarch, or
katakuriko
(potato starch) can be substituted.
Lotus root—See renkon, page 29
Matcha—Japanese powdered green tea used for tea ceremonies. It is made in a very different manner from other teas in that it is not steeped in hot water. Rather, the powdered tea is mixed with hot water in the bowl from which it will be drunk with a little wooden whisk. The resulting tea is thick, opaque, almost milky, and has the flavor of the tea leaves. This is the tea that is used in so-called “green tea ice cream.”
Matsutake—Literally translated as “pine mushroom.” An aromatic, woody-flavored mushroom that is among the world’s most expensive—it can fetch a cool $50 per pound. Fortunately, only a few are needed to flavor a whole pot of rice or soup. These are in season for only a brief time in the fall, and any dish with matsutake mushrooms is considered a delicacy.
Mirin—Japanese sweet sake. Used primarily for cooking (not drinking), it tempers the soy sauce or salt in a dish.
Miso (O-miso)—Fermented soybean paste. Miso is the basis for
miso-shiru
(miso soup), a staple in the Japanese diet. It is also an important flavoring agent in many sauces and dishes. A good light miso and a dark red one are musts in the Japanese cupboard. There are so many varieties of miso that a shopper can become utterly baffled as to which type to buy. Although miso is primarily made from soybeans, it can also contain rice, barley, or other grains, often with vastly different results. Miso that contains rice is often mellow and mild.
In general, the non-Japanese shopper need be concerned only about whether their miso is white or red. White miso tends to be milder and sweeter, while red is intense and salty. White miso is not pure white, however, and can range in color from straw to a light brown. It can be very smooth looking or somewhat lumpy. Red miso is really more of a dark brick brown.
Since there is such a great variation in flavor, it would behoove the shopper to inquire with the Japanese shopkeeper as to which misos they consider the tastiest. Many families in Japan have a particular brand of miso they prefer. Some brands may contain MSG, so it is wise to read the label. Also, due to recent concerns about diet and health and the sodium content of foods, reduced-sodium misos are available.
Mitsuba (Trefoil)—A delicately fragrant herb with a long stem. If you are lucky enough to find it, make yourself some
suimono
(clear soup) and top it with some of this wonderful herb. Its delicate and unmistakable flavor will permeate your mouth.
Mochi (O-mochi)—Pounded rice cake.
O-mochi
is traditionally made in a ritualistic, ceremonial fashion with men taking turns pounding hot, glutinous rice with a large wooden mallet. It almost verges on a dance. Within minutes, the rice begins to look like bread dough as it becomes stretchy and smooth. It can then be eaten fresh, rolled in a little
kinako
(soy flour), or broiled with nori and soy sauce. Nothing compares to fresh o-mochi, although the dried form is more readily available. Fresh o-mochi is shaped into small round cakes or flattened out, allowed to dry and harden, then cut into small rectangles. This is the traditional food of
O-sho-gatsu
(New Year’s Day), when it makes an appearance in
O-zoni
(New Year’s Soup) and other dishes.
Several natural food manufacturers in the U.S. now make o-mochi and sell it vacuum-packed either refrigerated or frozen. Japanese o-mochi is usually made from white rice, although
genmai-mochi
(brown rice mochi) can be found in natural food stores. American mochi can come in different flavors, including cinnamon raisin, although such flavorings are unheard of in Japan and could be considered heretical.
Myoga—Young ginger buds. These can be sliced and eaten raw, added to soups, or used as a garnish.
Nameko—A small, brown mushroom with a slightly slimy surface, usually sold in little packages or canned. Very good in dark miso soup.
Natto—Fermented soybeans. Sticky and slimy, natto is thought by some to have an offensive flavor, although many Japanese find it delicious. In fact, young children usually love it if they are exposed to it at an early age. Usually, it is simply mixed with soy sauce and
karashi
(hot Japanese mustard) and eaten over rice, although there are many other methods of preparation for this highly healthful food. Natto contains many digestive enzymes.
Nori—Sheets of dark (usually black) dried seaweed. Toasted, torn into little rectangles, and dipped in soy sauce, it is the perfect accompaniment to hot rice when you may not have many other items to eat. Children love to munch on plain nori as a snack. It can also be used in vegetarian dishes to lend a “fishy” flavor.
O-inori-san (Inari-zushi)—Literally meaning a “prayer” because, according to folklore, demonic foxes were said to like them,
o-inori-san
are rice balls stuffed in
abura-age
(fried tofu) pouches that have been simmered in a slightly sweet mixture of dashi (stock), soy sauce, and mirin.
Okara—Okara is the high-fiber by-product of tofu manufacturing. It is white, moist, and resembles clumped snow. It is usually stewed with vegetables and seasonings as a side dish.
Okazu—Because there are no entrées in a traditional Japanese meal, all of the dishes that accompany
gohan
(rice) are called
okazu,
whether they are as substantial as entrées or light as side dishes.
O-mi-o-tsuke—“Honorable miso soup,” another term for the soup that completes any meal.
O-nigiri—Japanese rice balls seasoned with sea salt, containing a morsel of something good in the middle (typically
umeboshi
[salty pickled plums] or fish), and wrapped in nori or sprinkled with sesame seeds. The first item on the menu for any respectable Japanese picnic would be a selection of o-nigiri.
Oroshi-ki—A Japanese grater that reduces hard vegetables, such as daikon or ginger, to a pulp. It is flat with a little receptacle at the bottom where the grated substance can set during grating. It is inexpensive and extremely useful for grating ginger, as well as making
daikon-oroshi
(grated daikon) for tempura and other dishes.
Panko—Light, crispy, dried breadcrumbs. Coating food to be deep-fried in commercially available panko will produce vastly superior results than using homemade breadcrumbs. Although the ingredients may not be as “pure” as crumbs made from whole grain bread purchased from your local natural food store, sometimes the culinary results are worth sacrificing a little nutritional value.
Ponzu—A light dipping sauce made from a citrus juice, soy sauce, and mirin.

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