In the 1990s, I had the good fortune to work in Tokyo on a Fog City Diner project. I got to eat at some truly amazing Japanese restaurants and to ride the bullet train. What more can a girl ask for? That experience also made me enjoy Japanese films like Juzo Itami’s Tampopo, set in a ramen shop, and Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation, which plumbs a variety of themes, including alienation and culture shock. Everything about Japanese food intrigued me, from the artful, refined kaiseki cuisine of the top-tier restaurants to the homey, filling bowls of noodles sold in every subway station to the drama that commences at two o’clock each morning at the city’s Tsukiji market, the biggest whole seafood market in the world.
The finest Japanese cooks use only the highest-quality ingredients, knowing that anything less than the best will compromise a dish. For example, some soy sauces or miso pastes are excessively salty and can overpower other ingredients. In this menu—and in much of Japanese cuisine—most of the recipes call for no more than a handful of ingredients, which means that a single poorly chosen ingredient can spoil a dish. If possible, shop at a busy Asian market and ask other customers or even clerks which products are the best and then buy the smallest containers of the recommendations and try them for yourself. But if you still end up with an ingredient that is too salty, don’t despair. You can usually dilute it with water until it tastes good to you.
TWO WAYS
These two broths may be used interchangeably, with the kombu broth ideal for use in vegetarian meals. Kombu, a type of kelp, is sold in sheets, usually packaged in cellophane. If your menu includes shiitake mushrooms, prep them early, so that you can toss the stems into either of these broth pots.
If you prefer to buy instant
dashi, you will find many brands on the market. If you are sensitive to MSG, check the label before you buy to be sure you end up with product that does not contain it.
| EACH RECIPE MAKES 8 CUPSDASHI
4 (4- TO 6-INCH-LONG) PIECES KOMBU SEAWEED, LIGHTLY WIPED WITH A DAMP CLOTH
8 CUPS WATER
1 OUNCE BONITO FLAKES (ABOUT TWO 4-FINGER PINCHES)
To make the dashi, in a stainless-steel saucepan, combine the seaweed and water, place over medium-low heat, bring just to a boil (the point at which tiny bubbles begin to rise), and then remove from the heat. Stir in the bonito flakes; wait for 1 minute and then strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Use immediately or chill.
4 (4- TO 6-INCH-LONG) PIECES KOMBU SEAWEED, LIGHTLY WIPED WITH A DAMP CLOTH
8 CUPS COLD WATER
To make the kombu broth, in a stainless-steel saucepan, combine the seaweed and water, cover, and let sit overnight. The next day, place the pan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat and strain. Use immediately or chill.
This simple soup is a great start to this menu, but it is often my breakfast, too. Or you can easily turn it into a main course that will serve 4 or 5 with the addition of noodles. My niece Lynn is a triathlete, and after one of her long runs or morning 40-mile bike rides, she can devour a bowl of the udon version in three minutes, just like the salarymen in the Tokyo subway stations. If you want to add noodles, plan on about 2 ounces dried udon per person. Cook the noodles in boiling water according to the package directions, drain, place in the warmed bowls, and then ladle the soup over the top. | SERVES 6
¼ CUP RED MISO (AKAMISO)
1 TABLESPOON TOASTED SESAME OIL
8 FRESH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS, STEMMED AND SLICED, OR 8 DRIED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS,
SOAKED IN HOT WATER TO COVER FOR 10 MINUTES, DRAINED, STEMMED, AND SLICED
2 TABLESPOONS WAKAME SEAWEED, SOAKED IN ROOM-TEMPERATURE WATER TO COVER FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND DRAINED
1 (12 TO 14-OUNCE) BLOCK SILKEN OR MEDIUM-FIRM TOFU, DICED
7 TABLESPOONS SOY SAUCE
2 TABLESPOONS MIRIN
1 TO 2 TABLESPOONS SUGAR (OPTIONAL)
4 GREEN ONIONS, WHITE AND LIGHT GREEN PARTS ONLY, THINLY SLICED, FOR GARNISH
In a small bowl, dissolve the miso in ½ cup of the dashi and reserve.
Fill the serving bowls with very hot water to heat them. In a large saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for about 1 minute. Pour in the remaining 7½ cups dashi and stir in the seaweed, tofu, soy sauce, and mirin. Bring to a simmer and decrease the heat to low. Taste and adjust the flavor with the sugar if needed.
Stir the reserved miso into the soup and then make sure the soup is nice and hot before serving, but do not allow it to boil. Pour the water out of the serving bowls and ladle the soup into them, dividing the mushrooms, seaweed, and tofu evenly among the bowls. Garnish with the green onions and serve at once.
CHERRY TOMATOES, GREEN BEANS, AND ASPARAGUS
WITH SESAME-MISO DRESSING
The more adventuresome can make their own sesame seed paste by grinding cooled, toasted sesame seeds in a suribachi (a Japanese mortar) or in a spice grinder or well-cleaned coffee grinder. (You don’t want to grind the seeds when they are still warm from the toasting because the oil can separate out, making the paste grainy, not smooth and creamy.) Here, I make just one kind of dressing, but I have sometimes made both white sesame and black sesame dressing and dressed each vegetable half and half. This same dressing is good with blanched broccoli, carrots, and edamame. | SERVES 6
3 TO 4 TABLESPOONS WHITE OR BLACK SESAME SEED PASTE
3 TABLESPOONS WHITE MISO (SHIROMISO)
4 TO 6 TABLESPOONS
DASHI OR WATER
1 PINT CHERRY TOMATOES
8 OUNCES GREEN BEANS, TOPPED AND TAILED, STRINGED IF NECESSARY, AND COOKED UNTIL CRISP-TENDER
1 BUNCH ASPARAGUS, TOUGH ENDS SNAPPED OFF AND COOKED UNTIL CRISP-TENDER
TOASTED BLACK SESAME SEEDS OR WHITE SESAME SEEDS, FOR GARNISH
To make the dressing, combine the sesame paste (3 tablespoons if you like your vegetables dressed lightly or 4 tablespoons if you like them dressed more heavily), miso, and 4 tablespoons dashi and mix well. Add more dashi if needed to achieve a smooth, thick consistency. This dressing is traditionally quite thick.
Serve composed salads liberally coated with the dressing, or arrange the vegetables around a bowl of the dressing to use for dipping. I like to dress each ingredient separately and serve them in small bowls so that guests may choose what they like. You can also mix the vegetables together. If you have used black sesame seed paste for the dressing, use white sesame seeds for the garnish and vice versa.
Broiled Tofu and Eggplant
BROILED TOFU AND EGGPLANT
WITH MISO DENGAKU
This recipe is a good one to make ahead. The miso sauce may be made completely and the tofu and eggplant may be broiled in advance. Then, when you are ready to serve, just smear some of the sauce on the room-temperature precooked tofu and eggplant and slip them under the broiler until the miso glaze bubbles and caramelizes.
You can just use one type of miso, but mixing white and red yields a great flavor (and it can be a good way to use up that last little bit in the bottom of a package). The white miso is sweet and mild and the red is strongly flavored and salty. I tend to use light misos in spring and summer and the darker ones on cold days. You can also play around with the ratio here. You may find that you prefer more white to red. For a variation on this dish, broil only eggplant, use all white miso in the dressing, and garnish with a mix of poppy seeds and white sesame seeds. Also, you can cook the eggplant and tofu in a covered charcoal grill until tender, top them with the miso sauce, and then grill, covered, 1 to 2 minutes longer for a great smoky flavor. My cookbook dealer Celia Slack liked this—and she doesn’t even like eggplant!
If you can find them, use Japanese double-prong bamboo skewers for the eggplant as well as the pieces of tofu. They have more holding power than a single skewer and are available in many sizes. | SERVES 6
1 (14-OUNCE) BLOCK MEDIUM-FIRM TOFU
3 SMALL JAPANESE EGGPLANTS, HALVED LENGTHWISE, OR 1 GLOBE EGGPLANT, CUT CROSSWISE INTO 1-INCH-THICK SLICES
CANOLA OR SUNFLOWER OIL, FOR BRUSHING
½ CUP RED MISO
3 TABLESPOONS WHITE MISO
2 EGG YOLKS
2 TABLESPOONS SAKE
2 TABLESPOONS MIRIN
7 TABLESPOONS
DASHI OR WATER
1 TABLESPOON SUGAR
2 TABLESPOONS JAPANESE MUSTARD MIXED WITH JUST ENOUGH WATER TO FORM A PASTE, FOR GARNISH
2 TO 3 TABLESPOONS WHITE OR BLACK SESAME SEEDS,
TOASTED, FOR GARNISH
GRATED LEMON ZEST, FOR GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
Cut the tofu crosswise into 4 equal portions. Then cut each portion into thirds. Place the pieces between two cloth napkins or paper towels on a deep plate and top with a weight, such as a heavy plate. Let sit for 20 minutes to drain. Score both sides of the eggplant and brush with the oil. Reserve until needed.
To make the miso sauce, fill a saucepan about half full with water and bring the water to a simmer. Select a bowl that will fit nicely on top of the pan of simmering water (without touching the water). Add the red miso, white miso, egg yolks, sake, mirin, dashi, and sugar to the bowl and whisk until combined. Keeping the bowl over the simmering water, cook, whisking constantly, for 5 to 8 minutes, until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and let cool. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.)
Preheat the broiler. Place a large wire cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Remove the tofu pieces from between the napkins, brush the pieces on both sides with oil, and lay them on the rack.
Then brush the eggplant pieces on both sides with oil and lay them on the rack. Place under the broiler and cook until just beginning to brown. Turn the eggplant and tofu over and cook until just beginning to brown on the second side and the eggplant is tender, usually 3 to 6 minutes. At this point, pull the pan out of the oven and smear just the top of the eggplant and tofu pieces with the sauce, return the pan to the boiler, and broil for a few moments more, until golden and bubbly.
Transfer the eggplant and tofu pieces to a platter and top each piece with a tiny bit of mustard and a sprinkle of sesame seeds and lemon zest. Serve at once.
THIS RECIPE MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS MISO SAUCE, WHICH MAY BE MORE THAN YOU NEED FOR THE EGGPLANT AND TOFU. THE REMAINDER CAN BE COVERED AND STORED IN THE REFRIGERATOR FOR UP TO 1 WEEK AND USED AS A MARINADE FOR CHICKEN BREASTS OR FISH FILLETS: SLATHER ON BOTH SIDES, MARINATE FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF HOURS IN THE REFRIGERATOR, AND THEN BROIL, TURNING ONCE, OR BAKE IN A PREHEATED 450°F OVEN UNTIL DONE.
WAKAME AND CUCUMBER SALAD
I’m addicted to this simple salad and I serve it often, even with non-Japanese meals. Japanese and Persian cucumbers are readily available in my local markets, but you can substitute standard garden cucumbers, though the salad won’t be quite as good. You will also need to halve them lengthwise and scoop out the seeds before you slice them. The key to success for this salad is to slice the cucumbers very, very thinly. A Japanese mandoline-style slicer is ideal for cutting paper-thin slices. | SERVES 6
2 OR 3 (6- TO 8-INCH-LONG) JAPANESE OR PERSIAN CUCUMBERS, PEELED AND SLICED PAPER-THIN (3½ TO 4 CUPS SLICES)
½ TEASPOON SEA SALT
2 TABLESPOONS WAKAME SEAWEED, SOAKED IN ROOM-TEMPERATURE WATER TO COVER FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND THEN DRAINED
7 TABLESPOONS RICE VINEGAR
SCANT 2 TABLESPOONS MIRIN
1 TEASPOON SOY SAUCE
1 TEASPOON SUGAR
1-INCH PIECE FRESH GINGER, PEELED AND GRATED, FOR GARNISH
In a colander, toss the cucumber slices with the salt and leave to drain for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour. Gently squeeze the cucumber dry, place in a bowl, and add the seaweed.
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mirin, and soy sauce until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the vegetables, cover, and refrigerate until cold. Serve chilled, sprinkled with the ginger.
WITH DASHI DIPPING SAUCE AND SIMPLE REFRESHING GARNISHES
Summertime in many areas of Japan is sizzling hot, which has produced a delightful repertoire of chilled seasonal foods, including this simple combination of cold noodles, a dipping sauce, and a scattering of garnishes. You can serve composed bowls with sauce poured around the noodles and garnishes on top, or you can put out separate bowls of everything and let guests take what they like. I buy soba noodles that come four bundles to a 13-ounce package, the perfect amount to feed six. If you cannot find toasted nori at the store, you can toast it yourself: hold each sheet over a gas or electric burner turned to high heat until the sheet turns brighter green and softens slightly. Finally, be sure to use a high-quality soy sauce for this dish. It is a major component and a too-salty soy sauce will spoil the flavor. | SERVES 6
1¼ CUPS SOY SAUCE
1 CUP MIRIN
2 TO 3 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
1 (13-OUNCE) PACKAGE DRIED SOBA NOODLES
10 TO 12 OUNCES DAIKON RADISH, PEELED, FINELY GRATED, AND RESERVED IN A SIEVE TO DRAIN
2 TO 3 GREEN ONIONS, WHITE AND LIGHT GREEN PARTS ONLY, VERY THINLY SLICED ON THE DIAGONAL
1 SHEET TOASTED NORI, FINELY SHREDDED WITH A KNIFE
TOASTED WHITE SESAME SEEDS, FOR GARNISH
To make the sauce, in a saucepan, combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, let cool, and refrigerate until chilled.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the noodles, and cook until tender, according to package instructions. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cold.
To serve, arrange the noodles in piles in individual bowls, pour the chilled sauce around them, and garnish each serving with a healthy dose of daikon (2 to 3 tablespoons) and a sprinkle of green onions, nori, and sesame seeds. Alternatively, put out a big bowl of noodles that guests can serve themselves from surrounded by smaller individual bowls of the sauce and garnishes and have guests dip noodles into the sauce and enjoy garnishes as they like.
Sake-Simmered Salmon
I like bone-in salmon steaks here because they yield a richer dish, but you can use fillets if you prefer. For cooking, you will need a lidded pan large enough to accommodate the salmon pieces in a single layer. In Japan, this same preparation is often used for whole flounder or sole. This is also a wonderful dish for a simple weeknight supper, accompanied with a green salad dressed with wasabi vinaigrette and topped with toasted sesame seeds. The tester report on this one said it all: “Easy, yummy, and fun to make. We’d make it again and again.” | SERVES 6
6 SKIN-ON WILD SALMON FILLETS, 5 TO 6 OUNCES EACH, OR BONE-IN, SKIN-ON STEAKS, 8 OUNCES EACH
7 TABLESPOONS MIRIN
7 TABLESPOONS SAKE
½ CUP SOY SAUCE
1 TEASPOON SUGAR (OPTIONAL)
JULIENNED ZEST OF ½ LEMON
Measure a few of the fish pieces at their thickest point and reserve. (The cooking time will depend on the average thickness of the pieces.) Select a shallow pan large enough to hold the salmon pieces in a single layer, add the mirin, sake, dashi, and soy sauce, and place over medium-high heat. Stir everything around and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium, simmer for 2 minutes, and then taste for seasoning and add the sugar if desired.
Place the fish in the simmering liquid, cover, and cook for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, until just opaque at the center. Transfer the fish to a serving platter and sprinkle with the lemon zest. Reduce the cooking liquid by half and spoon evenly over the fish. Serve right away.
This is a magical, melt-in-your-mouth dessert. It is not meant to be as firm as a flan. Although these silky puddings should hold together when turned out of the cups, they will be barely set, wobbly, and soft.
Agar agar may be used in place of the gelatin for a vegetarian version (see note).
I prepared a Japanese dinner at a lodge in the Sierras and people loved these. Almost everyone had seconds, which is why having extras on hand for your menu is a good idea. (Admittedly, the diners that night had spent the day outdoors hiking, biking, and the like.) If you have them, use ½-cup tin or aluminum soufflé cups. Otherwise, teacups or custard cups will work just fine. If you have puddings left over, they will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I always get the best-quality green tea powder (matcha), because it is the whole flavor of this dessert. Ask customers or clerks at your favorite Japanese store which brand they recommend. | MAKES 10 OR 11 PUDDINGS
1½ TABLESPOONS GREEN TEA POWDER
¾ CUP SUGAR
2 CUPS WHOLE MILK
2 CUPS HEAVY CREAM
4 GELATIN SHEETS OR 1 (¼-OUNCE) PACKAGE POWDERED GELATIN
2 CUPS BUTTERMILK
1 TABLESPOON GREEN TEA POWDER
3 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
Very lightly mist eleven ½-cup molds with nonstick cook spray and refrigerate to chill.
In a small bowl, stir together the tea powder and sugar until well mixed. Pour the milk into a measuring pitcher, add the tea powder mixture, and stir until combined. Pour the milk mixture and the cream into a big, heavy saucepan, place over medium-high heat, and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool down to 140°F (use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature), and then stir in the gelatin, mixing well to combine. Stir in the buttermilk and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher or a bowl with a spout. Pour into the chilled prepared cups, filling them to within ¼ inch of the rim (you may not need all of the cups). Cover and chill overnight.
To serve, first make the garnish. In a small bowl, stir together the tea powder and sugar, mixing well. Sprinkle some of the garnish attractively on each plate. Invert a cup onto each plate and serve.
TO USE AGAR AGAR IN PLACE OF GELATIN, MEASURE 1½ TABLESPOONS AGAR AGAR FLAKES OR POWDER. ONCE THE MIXTURE OF MILK, CREAM, TEA POWDER, AND SUGAR HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO A BOIL, ADD THE AGAR AGAR, ADJUST THE HEAT, AND SIMMER UNTIL THE AGAR AGAR HAS MOSTLY DISSOLVED. THIS WILL TAKE ABOUT 5 MINUTES FOR FLAKES AND PROBABLY LESS FOR POWDER. REMOVE FROM THE HEAT, LET COOL TO THE TOUCH AND CONTINUE WITH THE RECIPE FROM THE POINT AT WHICH YOU STIR IN THE BUTTERMILK.
