Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional (9 page)
Read Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional Online
Authors: Miyoko Nishimoto Schinner
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BOOK: Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional
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3 x 4-inch piece konbu
1 quart water
Soak the konbu in the water for 30 minutes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the konbu. (The konbu can be sliced and added to stir-fried veggies, etc.)
Here are three basic stocks that can be used in a variety of soups and stews. The Konbu-Shiitake Stock below is a slightly richer broth.
Yield: 1 quart
Konbu-Shiitake Stock3 x 4-inch piece konbu
5 large or 10 small dried shiitake
1 quart water
Soak the shiitake and konbu in the water for at least 2 hours. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the shiitake and konbu; they can be used for other dishes.
Shiitake Stock15 to 20 dried shiitake
1 quart water
Soak the shiitake in the water for several hours. The water will become a light to dark brown. There is no need to simmer; it can be used as is. Shiitake stock with shiitake soaking in it can be kept in the refrigerator ready to use for up to two weeks.
Yield: 1 quart
“Instant” Konbu Dashi1¼ cups small konbu pieces
¾ cup tororo konbu (available in Japanese food stores)
3 tablespoons evaporated cane juice or sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons sea salt
Combine all the ingredients in a blender until they are as powdered as your blender will make them. Store in a jar with a tight fitting lid. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons per quart of water.
For
suimono
(clear soups) where elegance and presentation are important, I recommend placing a tablespoon or two in a stainless steel tea ball or muslin bag and simmering for 10 minutes in the water. Remove the tea ball or bag before using the stock. (The contents of the bag can be added to sautéed vegetables, rice, etc.) If, however, you do not mind tiny pieces of sea vegetables in your soup, simply add the mixture to water and simmer by itself or with other ingredients.
suimono
(clear soups) where elegance and presentation are important, I recommend placing a tablespoon or two in a stainless steel tea ball or muslin bag and simmering for 10 minutes in the water. Remove the tea ball or bag before using the stock. (The contents of the bag can be added to sautéed vegetables, rice, etc.) If, however, you do not mind tiny pieces of sea vegetables in your soup, simply add the mixture to water and simmer by itself or with other ingredients.
The Japanese rarely prepare their own dashi anymore. Instead, like Westerners who cannot be bothered to make their own soup stock from scratch and prefer to reach for a bouillon cube, the,japanese buy powdered fish or konbu stock. Most of these are loaded with MSG and other additives. Here is a simple recipe for making a full-bodied semi-instant stock. This keeps for several months.
Yield: 2 cups
Miso Soup with Daikon Radish and Tofu Pouches1½ to 2 cups daikon, cut into 1-inch sticks
1 quart
Konbu
Dashi (Konbu or Konbu-Shiitake Stock), page 54
Konbu
Dashi (Konbu or Konbu-Shiitake Stock), page 54
1 package
abura-age
(fried tofu pouches), page 21, usually 2 to 4 pieces, sliced ¼ inch thick
abura-age
(fried tofu pouches), page 21, usually 2 to 4 pieces, sliced ¼ inch thick
to
cup miso (a combination of light and dark misos is good for this particular soup)3 to 4 green onions, chopped or thinly sliced
Simmer the daikon in the dashi (stock) until tender. Add the
abura-age
(fried tofu pouches) and simmer for another minute. Turn the heat off. In a small bowl, combine the miso with a little stock to make a paste. Add to the pot and mix or whisk well. Add the green onions and serve immediately.
abura-age
(fried tofu pouches) and simmer for another minute. Turn the heat off. In a small bowl, combine the miso with a little stock to make a paste. Add to the pot and mix or whisk well. Add the green onions and serve immediately.
This is a warming combination for cold weather.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Wakame and Tofu Miso Soup1 quart
Konbu Dashi
(Konbu or Konbu-Shiitake Stock), page 54
Konbu Dashi
(Konbu or Konbu-Shiitake Stock), page 54
Approximately 1 cup reconstituted wakame, roughly chopped
8 to 12 ounces regular or silken tofu, cut into
to ½-inch cubes
to ½-inch cubestocup light misoBring the stock to a simmer. Add the wakame and tofu, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and make a paste of the miso and a little
dashi
(stock) in a separate bowl, then whisk or mix into the pot. Serve at once.
dashi
(stock) in a separate bowl, then whisk or mix into the pot. Serve at once.
Alternate method:
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