JAPANESE COOKING 

Jan May-Sep

Chirashi Sushi- Colourful Sushi Rice
Yaki Ganmodoki - Pan-fried Tofu Cakes 
Kenchin-Jiru- Root Vegetable Stew
Horensou Goma Ae-Spinach in Sesame Sauce 
Tsukemono (Seasonal Japanese pickles)

🌿 Hourensou Hakusai Maki- Cabbage and Spinach Rolls with Sesame Miso Sauce 

These light and refreshing rolls fully represent the impressionist qualities of Japanese cuisine. They are subtly creamy with liveliness and lightness. Sesame-miso is a sauce used prevalently in Japanese Buddhist cuisine. Rich in healthy fats, fiber and proteins, sesame oil nutritionally helps the body absorb the antioxidant-rich spinach and Chinese cabbage. The miso adds a depth of flavour and an injection of pro and pre-biotics. 

Serves: 2

Active time: 20 minutes 

Total time: 20 minutes 

INGREDIENTS  

• 8  leaves wombok or Chinese cabbage, 

• 1 bunch (300g) English or Korean spinach, washed 

Goma Ae- Sesame Miso Dressing:

• 3 tbsp sesame paste

• 3 tbsp miso

• 5  tbsp shoujin dashi stock 

• 1/2 tsp soy sauce 

• 2 tsp sugar 

For garnish

1. 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds 

METHOD

1. Combine all the ingredients of the sesame dressing together in a bowl, whisking together until everything is uniform and homogenous. 

2. Prepare a pot of boiling water and an ice bath. Holding the spinach by the leaves, gently lower just the stem part of the spinach into the water. Hold it here for about 30 seconds to give the stems a head start in cooking. After 30 seconds, drop the rest of the spinach into the boiling water and give everything a stir. Cook the bunch of spinach for 30 seconds and remove immediately into the ice bath to cool. 

3. Next, boil the leaves of wombok for 1-2 minutes until they have softened. Cool in the ice bath immediately. Drain them, and spread them across a tray lined with tea towels to dry. 

4. Once the spinach is cool, squeeze out some of the excess water, and spread it across a large tray line with tea towels. Roll up the tea towels with the spinach inside and gently squeeze the roll to further drain the spinach of more water. 

5. Place a few leaves of the wombok across the surface of a maki-su (a Japanese, bamboo, sushi-rolling mat). Place a line of the blanched spinach in a row in the center of the wombok. Use the bamboo mat to roll the vegetables into a tight log. Unravel the bamboo mat, leaving the vegetables to remain in a tight roll. Cut the cabbage and spinach rolls into 6 pieces. Arrange them on a plate, drizzly a few large spoons of the sesame-miso sauce over top. Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. 

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🥣 Kenchin Jiru - Root Vegetable, Miso Stew 

This stew was said to have been created several centuries ago, Kencho-ji in Kamakura, the first Zen Buddhist temple in Japan. The story follows that one day, one of the monks was carrying a plate of tofu, slipped and fell, smashing the brick of tofu on the ground. Because the ground was kept meticulously clean, the tofu was added to the soup following the Zen principle of reducing waste and sharing materials equally. 

INGREDIENTS  

• 100g firm tofu, drained, pressed in a towel, cut into 1.5x1.5cm cubes or crumbled. 

• 70g konnyaku (devil’s tongue yam), boiled hot water for a few minutes and cut with a spoon into chunks

• ½ (60g) carrot, sliced into thick quarter moons

• ⅓ (70g) daikon radish, sliced into thick quarter moons

• 1 (200g) taro potatoes, peeled and roll-cut

• 2-3 (30g) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, quartered

• 300ml shojin dashi

• Sprinkle of sansho powder for garnish 

Seasoning:

• 1 tsp sesame oil 

• 1 tbsp shouyu (Japanese soy sauce) 

• 1 tbsp miso 

• 1 tbsp sake 

• ¼ tsp salt

METHOD

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Place 1 tbsp of the sesame oil into the bottom of the pan. Add in the taro potatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add in the carrot, daikon radish, shiitake mushrooms, and konnyaku, and stir-fry for an additional 1-2 minutes.  

2. Place the shojin dashi into the pan and turn the heat up to medium.  

3. Add in the shouyu, sake, and salt, and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add in the tofu and simmer for another 5-7 minutes or until the liquid has reduced a little bit and the root vegetables have softened. 

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🍚 Chirashi Sushi- Colourful Sushi Rice

In Zen Buddhism, the significance of the number 5 carries many unique and symbolic meanings. Buddhist thought evokes that there are 5 principle elements: earth, water, air, fire and space. The number 5 also represents the 5 Precepts, or Buddhist moral codes of conduct, such as not engaging in violence, false speech or covetousness. These are represented in the 5 symbolic colours of this dish: white, black, green, yellow and red(orange). 

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Execution time: 20 minutes 

INGREDIENTS  

• ½ cucumber, sliced thinly* see below

• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 500ml cold water overnight, stems removed, quartered 

• ½ avocado, sliced 

• 150g lotus root, sliced, blanched in boiling water for 4 minutes

• 1 bunch broccolini, top parts only, blanched in boiling water for 1 minute 

• 100g bamboo shoots, soaked in cold water overnight, sliced

• 20g shio sakura (salted cherry blossom, optional), soaked in cold water for 20 minutes (optional) 

• ½ carrot *see below

• 8g toasted sesame seeds 

• 1kg of cooked Japanese rice*, still hot

sushi su (vinegar):

• 100g rice wine vinegar 

• 60g raw sugar

• 16g mirin

• 25g salt

lotus root/broccolini marinade: 

• 400ml shojin dashi 

• 30g shouyu (Japanese soy sauce)

• 60g mirin

bamboo shoot marinade: 

• ¼ tsp turmeric powder

• 30ml rice wine vinegar 

• 60ml lotus root/broccoulini marinade

shiitake poaching liquid: 

• 100ml mushroom soaking liquid 

• 20ml soy sauce 

• 30ml mirin 

• 1 tsp sugar 

METHOD

1. To make the cucumber fans, slice the cucumber into lengthwise quarters. Using a very sharp knife, angle the knife upwards a little so that when you slice it isn’t completely touching the board and make numerous, very thin slices into the cucumber. Next, cut out and remove the inner core where the seeds of the cucumber remain. Slice the cucumber into little sections with 5-6 of the smaller slices on each piece. Fan them out to create a cute little decoration.

2. To make the carrot blossoms, make four 2mm slices, in equal intervals, running along the length of the carrot. Then, make 4 lateral slices starting 3mm to the right of the initial cut, moving from lateral to vertical, and sloping to meet the bottom point of your first lengthwise cut. Repeat this 3 more times with the other incisions. Next, flip the carrot upside down and make the same lateral transitioning to vertical cuts, meeting, once again at the bottom of the incisions. Now slice the carrot into thin slices, creating little flower shapes. 

3. To prepare the sushi su, or sushi vinegar, place the rice wine vinegar, sugar, salt and miring into a sauce pot and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly the whole time until all of the sugar and salt have been dissolved. Turn off the heat immediately and set it aside for later. 

4. To prepare the sushi rice, place the rice into a large mixing bowl. Pour the sushi vinegar overtop of the rice, using a wooden spatula to disperse it evenly across the surface of the rice. Use the side of the spatula to quickly break up all of the grains of rice, focusing on any portions that remain clumped up. It’s appropriate to use a folding method while mixing so as not to crush the delicate grains of rice. Allow the rice to cool to around 40C before using. 

5. To prepare the lotus root and broccolini marinade, place the shojin dashi soy sauce, and mirin into a pot and bring it to a simmer, stirring occasionally. After blanching and cooling the broccoli and lotus root, place them into 2 separate containers and pour enough warm liquid over top until they are both submerged. Let them marinate for 4 hours or overnight. 

6. To prepare the bamboo shoots, mix together all of the ingredients for the marinade with the bamboo shoots and allow them to marinade together for an hour or overnight. 

7. To prepare the shiitake mushrooms, place them along with the mushroom poaching liquid ingredients in a saucepan. Bring the ingredients to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until the liquid has nearly entirely evaporated. 

8. To assemble: Place 200-250g of sushi rice into a wide, shallow bowl. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Layer the vegetables onto the rice, spreading them evenly across the surface, dividing the vegetables by colour. 

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🍘Yaki Ganmodoki- Pan-Fried Tofu Cakes

The key to these dumplings is making sure to press as much water out of them as possible. Wrap the bricks of tofu in between tea towels and place a plate and a weight on top of them. You can substitute any vegetable into the center, but be careful not to introduce too much water to the mix.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 20 minutes 

Execution time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS  

• 200g firm tofu, drained well

• 10g shio kombu, salted kelp 

• 10g miso 

• 30g carrot, julienned

• 1 tbsp potato starch
  30g broad beans, peeled, lightly blanched 

• ¼ tsp salt 

• For frying: 500ml vegetable oil 

METHOD

1. Wrap the block of tofu in a tea towel. Place a plate on top of it, and weigh it down with at least 2kgs applied on top. Allow the tofu to rest like this for 1-2 hours to remove as much moisture as possible. 

2. Combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash the tofu until it has crumbled quite finely. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and shape it into patties. 

3. Prepare a sauce pan and fill it with oil. Heat the oil over medium-low heat until it reac.  hes 180C. Fry the patties for 3-4 minutes, turning over half way through or until the outer skin is an even golden brown. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towel and season the top of the patties with a small pinch of salt. 

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🍶Amazu Ankake- Sweet and Sour Sauce 

This sweet and sour sauce pairs well with fish, and or lightly fried foods. 

Serves: 2 

Preparation time: 5 minutes 

Execution time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS 

• 470ml shoujin dashi 

• 60ml rice wine vinegar 

• 30g sugar

• 40 g soy sauce

• 1 tbsp potato starch 

• 1 tbsp water 

METHOD

1. Place all of the ingredients, except for the potato starch and water into a small saucepan.

2. Heat the mixture to a simmer.

3. Meanwhile, mix the potato starch and water in a small, separate container. 

4. Using a whisk, slowly incorporate the potato starch-water into the simmering liquid, until it thickens to a gravy-like consistency. Place a small dollop of the sauce on each ganmodoki. 

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🍄 Shojin Dashi- Kombu and Shiitake Mushroom Stock 

This stock is a foundational element of Japanese Buddhist cuisine. This is the most simple version of the stock, but it sometimes also contains other ingredients like dried or fresh daikon radish, or dried eggplant. Compounds contained within shiitake mushrooms are known to boost immunity, fight cancer and improve heart help. Kombu Kelp is a nutrient dense food which contains lots of magnesium and numerous anti-oxidants.

Active time: 5 minutes

Total time:1 hour 

Serves: makes scant 1L 

INGREDIENTS 

• 1L cold water

• 15g dried shiitake mushrooms 

• 10g kombu 

METHOD 

1. Either: place all of the ingredients in a container and refrigerate overnight. The next day, discard the kombu, and squeeze out the mushrooms to yield as much stock as possible. The mushrooms can be reserved for another use. 
2. OR: Place all of the ingredients in a sauce pan and bring the water to around 70C. Simmer the ingredients at around 70C. Discard the kombu, and squeeze out the mushrooms to yield as much stock as possible. The mushrooms can be reserved for another use.