Though I’ve been cooking plenty, I haven’t done a food email in a long time. I also keep intending to set up a blog for this but constantly get sidetracked. Anyway, here’s the food email I know you’ve all been absolutely dying for:
I’ve enjoyed cooking as far back as I can remember; my first cookbook was a gift at the age of 5 or so, and I was the only teen I know of in high school that cooked dinner for their prom date instead of going to a trendy restaurant. Years later, Japanese was the cuisine that made me get serious. The first high end cookbook I opened was “Practical Japanese Cooking Made Easy and Elegant” gifted to me by Kara. Many sushi rolls and dozens of cookbooks later, I still love the cuisine. I gravitate toward Asian flavors and I’ve branched out specifically to Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, and some Chinese, but Japanese is still where my heart is.
This is a collection from the past few months with my latest favorite cookbook, “Mastering the Art of Japanese Cooking” by Morimoto. One particularly interesting thing he explains in the book is that most Japanese follow the principles of ichiju sansai which translates to “one soup and three dishes.” I tried to include a soup with every meal if the main course wasn’t already similar.
Also, of note when discussing Japanese cuisine, is dashi. This is the broth that builds the base in as many dishes as chicken broth does in Western cooking, but it’s much simpler to make and more delicate—yet equally complex—in flavor. It’s really just seaweed (kombu) steeped in water, and then usually adds bonito flakes, which is essentially dried and smoky tuna shavings (removed before serving). It takes minutes to make, and even in the U.S. the ingredients aren’t too hard to find.
Shrimp Shumai, Miso Soup, Ingen No Goma Ae (Green Beans with Sesame Dressing), and Ginger Rice
I have a handful of shumai recipes on standby and these are really good, but here, making a miso soup from scratch really is worth it- that’s the stand out. Neither Kara or myself were fans of the very sweet room-temp green beans though.
Kaisen Yaki Udon (Stir-Fried Udon Noodles with Seafood)
Thick noodles, shrimp, squid, mussels, snow peas, and shiitake mushrooms in a broth with typical Japanese flavors like sake and soy sauce. Can’t go wrong.
Shrimp and Scallops with Lemony Soy, Karashi Ae (Brussels Sprouts and Mushrooms with Mustard Dressing), and Ginger Rice
Kara LOVES Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and mustard, so not only was that a no brainer recipe to try, I enjoy the coincidence that the Japanese name for the dish has her name in it, phonetically, at least. The “lemony soy” marinade is not from Morimoto and the ginger rice is an old simple standby inspired by Vongerichten.
Tamago Supu (Japanese Egg Drop Soup), Sake Shioyaki (Salt-Grilled Salmon), and Yasai Itame (Stir-Fried Vegetables)
Everything I love about Japanese cooking here. Quality ingredients treated simply and with love. The salmon is rubbed with LOTS of salt, rests for an hour, rinsed, and is then grilled or broiled. The salt brings out the flavor beautifully.
Nikujaga- Japanese Beef Stew, and Crispy Asian Brussels Sprouts (not Morimoto)
I was really excited to try this recipe, as Morimoto relays memories of trying his first pot roast in America and wondering where the flavor is. I have to admit, we must have different tastebuds here. I found this dish to be delicious, but its delicate balance of salty and sweet, and carefully chosen variety of textures (including shirataki noodles, made from yam) just can’t be described as a stronger flavor than a good old Western pot roast, Texan, French, or otherwise.
