< Previous294 反物 RICE FIVE-FLAVOR OKAYU FIVE-FLAVOR OKAYU GO-MI GAYU 五味粥 Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 20 minutes soaking time Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 V DF GF NF • 3/4 cup (180 ml/5¼ oz/150 g) Japanese short-grain rice • Boiling water • 4 tablespoons Zakkoku (page 29) • 2 quarts (2 liters) Konbu Dashi (page 22) • ¼ bunch (2 oz/55 g) mizuna, cut crosswise into 1¼-inch (3 cm) pieces • 2 teaspoons white Sesame Salt (page 29) Zakkoku is a millet mix that is added to rice for texture, aroma, and healthful properties such as fiber. You can mix your own or purchase a commercial variety sold as a “grain mix for rice” at health food stores or Japanese grocery stores. The red and black rice included in these mixes gives this okayu a gorgeous lavender hue. Serve this deceptively delicious, completely satisfying dish for breakfast with a side of salty pickles. - Wash and drain the rice according to the directions for Japanese Rice (page 28). Pour boiling water over the zakkoku and soak for 20 minutes. Drain the zakkoku and add to a heavy medium pot with the rice. Stir in the dashi and cook uncovered over medium-low heat, keeping a close eye to make sure the rice does not boil over, until the rice has plumped and softened, 20–25 minutes. Ladle into large deep bowls (donburi, see page 352), garnish with a healthy mound of aligned mizuna pieces, and serve as a hearty breakfast to start the day. Give each person a small saucer of sesame salt for dipping the tips of their spoonfuls of okayu. SEVEN GREENS OKAYU WITH MOCHI MOCHI-IRI NANAKUSA GAYU 餅入り七草粥 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Serves: 4 V DF GF NF <5 • 3/4 cup (180 ml/5¼ oz/150 g) Japanese short-grain rice • 2 handfuls (13/4 oz/50 g) spring greens, such as Japanese wild parsley (seri, see page 342), turnip, and mitsuba (see page 342), roughly chopped • 4 pieces (1½ oz/40 g each) dried brown rice mochi • 2 teaspoons white Sesame Salt (page 29) Okayu is a warming and satisfying soupy rice dish that is a benchmark of simple vegetarian meals usually eaten for breakfast, but also for lunch. The creamy rice is intentionally unsalted, so serve with the sesame salt (or salty pickles) on the side. The brown rice mochi contrasts nicely with the white rice okayu, but you can substitute white rice mochi. - Wash and drain the rice according to the directions for Japanese Rice (page 28). In a heavy medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts (2 liters) water to a boil. Stir in the rice and greens, adjust to a gentle simmer, and stir across the bottom once to dislodge any rice grains adhering. Cook for 20 minutes. Once the okayu has simmered for 15 minutes, toast the mochi in a toaster oven (mini oven) for about 3 minutes to soften and puff up. Quarter each piece with a sharp knife (you will need a table knife to scrape the hot mochi pieces from the knife blade after each cut). Stir the toasted mochi into the okayu and cook together for another 5 minutes, a total of 25 minutes. Ladle out into four rice bowls and serve immediately with a small saucer of sesame salt per person. Dip the tip of each spoonful of okayu into the sesame salt to season as you eat.294 反物 RICE FIVE-FLAVOR OKAYU FIVE-FLAVOR OKAYU GO-MI GAYU 五味粥 Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 20 minutes soaking time Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 V DF GF NF • 3/4 cup (180 ml/5¼ oz/150 g) Japanese short-grain rice • Boiling water • 4 tablespoons Zakkoku (page 29) • 2 quarts (2 liters) Konbu Dashi (page 22) • ¼ bunch (2 oz/55 g) mizuna, cut crosswise into 1¼-inch (3 cm) pieces • 2 teaspoons white Sesame Salt (page 29) Zakkoku is a millet mix that is added to rice for texture, aroma, and healthful properties such as fiber. You can mix your own or purchase a commercial variety sold as a “grain mix for rice” at health food stores or Japanese grocery stores. The red and black rice included in these mixes gives this okayu a gorgeous lavender hue. Serve this deceptively delicious, completely satisfying dish for breakfast with a side of salty pickles. - Wash and drain the rice according to the directions for Japanese Rice (page 28). Pour boiling water over the zakkoku and soak for 20 minutes. Drain the zakkoku and add to a heavy medium pot with the rice. Stir in the dashi and cook uncovered over medium-low heat, keeping a close eye to make sure the rice does not boil over, until the rice has plumped and softened, 20–25 minutes. Ladle into large deep bowls (donburi, see page 352), garnish with a healthy mound of aligned mizuna pieces, and serve as a hearty breakfast to start the day. Give each person a small saucer of sesame salt for dipping the tips of their spoonfuls of okayu. SEVEN GREENS OKAYU WITH MOCHI MOCHI-IRI NANAKUSA GAYU 餅入り七草粥 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Serves: 4 V DF GF NF <5 • 3/4 cup (180 ml/5¼ oz/150 g) Japanese short-grain rice • 2 handfuls (13/4 oz/50 g) spring greens, such as Japanese wild parsley (seri, see page 342), turnip, and mitsuba (see page 342), roughly chopped • 4 pieces (1½ oz/40 g each) dried brown rice mochi • 2 teaspoons white Sesame Salt (page 29) Okayu is a warming and satisfying soupy rice dish that is a benchmark of simple vegetarian meals usually eaten for breakfast, but also for lunch. The creamy rice is intentionally unsalted, so serve with the sesame salt (or salty pickles) on the side. The brown rice mochi contrasts nicely with the white rice okayu, but you can substitute white rice mochi. - Wash and drain the rice according to the directions for Japanese Rice (page 28). In a heavy medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts (2 liters) water to a boil. Stir in the rice and greens, adjust to a gentle simmer, and stir across the bottom once to dislodge any rice grains adhering. Cook for 20 minutes. Once the okayu has simmered for 15 minutes, toast the mochi in a toaster oven (mini oven) for about 3 minutes to soften and puff up. Quarter each piece with a sharp knife (you will need a table knife to scrape the hot mochi pieces from the knife blade after each cut). Stir the toasted mochi into the okayu and cook together for another 5 minutes, a total of 25 minutes. Ladle out into four rice bowls and serve immediately with a small saucer of sesame salt per person. Dip the tip of each spoonful of okayu into the sesame salt to season as you eat.210 炒 め 物 ＆ 焼物 STIR-FRIED & GRILLED GRILLED POTATO-SALAD-STUFFED PEPPERS CREAMY POTATOES JYAGAIMO NO KURI–MU NI じゃが芋のクリーム煮 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes Serves: 4 V DF • 1 lb (450 g) medium-small potatoes, peeled and quartered • 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) Konbu Dashi (page 22) or Shiitake Dashi (page 22) • 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt • ½ small bunch (3½ oz/100 g) spinach, preferably with roots intact • 2½ tablespoons (35 g) canola (rapeseed) oil • 3½ tablespoons (35 g) unbleached all- purpose (plain) flour • 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) soy milk • ½ cup (75 g) fresh corn kernels, cut from 1 ear (optional) • 2 tablespoons pine nuts • ½ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice • 1 handful Italian parsley, coarsely chopped • 2 fresh green japones chiles, chopped (optional) • Freshly cooked Japanese Rice (page 28), for serving This appealingly creamy dish is quintessentially Japanese in mind-set but owes its origins to Western cooking. If fresh corn is available, it’s a great addition. - In a medium saucepan, bring the potato quarters, dashi, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a brisk simmer, cover, and cook until the potato pieces are soft in the center, about 5 minutes. Reserving the cooking liquid, drain the potatoes. (You should have about 1 cup/8 fl oz/250 ml of cooking liquid; if not, add water.) Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Hold the spinach stems in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Push the leaves into the boiling water, cook 15 seconds more, then scoop out with a wire-mesh sieve. Refresh under cold running water to cool. Squeeze down the length of the leaves and stems. Cut the spinach bottoms, if you have them, into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces and stems and leaves crosswise into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces. In a heavy medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the flour and cook by spreading and scraping across the surface of the saucepan with a flat wooden spoon for about 1½ minutes, taking care not to color. Whisk the reserved potato cooking liquid and soy milk in gradually to form a smooth velouté. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it does not scorch. Add the potatoes, spinach, corn (if using), pine nuts, pepper, lemon juice, parsley, chile ( if using), and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and fold into the velouté. Serve over Japanese rice. GRILLED POTATO-SALAD- STUFFED PEPPERS PI–MAN NO JYAGA-ZUME ピーマンのじゃが詰め Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 2 minutes Serves: 4 V DF GF <5 <30 • 4 medium Japanese green peppers (piman, see page 342) or sweet red and yellow peppers (4¼ oz/120 g) • ¼ recipe Potato Salad (page 48) • 4 teaspoons grated or crumbled Parmesan-Style Vegan “Cheese” (page 39) • 2 teaspoons finely chopped Italian parsley Potato salad equals summer in many countries, including Japan. Stuffing leftover potato salad into hollowed-out pepper halves is a genius instant stuffed pepper method. Feel free to use a mild Parmesan or Romano cheese instead of the vegan version. - Halve the peppers lengthwise. Discard the seeds but leave the cores. Mound the potato salad into the pepper halves with a soup spoon. Flatten the surface and sprinkle with the parsley followed by the “cheese.” Make a “boat” with heavy-duty foil on a toaster oven (mini oven) tray and nestle the stuffed peppers into the “boat.” Since their bottoms are curved, the peppers will be wobbly. Crumple up logs of foil and use them to keep the peppers propped up so the surfaces are upright. Broil (grill) for about 2 minutes, until the “cheese” is browned. Best hot, but also good at room temperature.210 炒 め 物 ＆ 焼物 STIR-FRIED & GRILLED GRILLED POTATO-SALAD-STUFFED PEPPERS CREAMY POTATOES JYAGAIMO NO KURI–MU NI じゃが芋のクリーム煮 Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes Serves: 4 V DF • 1 lb (450 g) medium-small potatoes, peeled and quartered • 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) Konbu Dashi (page 22) or Shiitake Dashi (page 22) • 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt • ½ small bunch (3½ oz/100 g) spinach, preferably with roots intact • 2½ tablespoons (35 g) canola (rapeseed) oil • 3½ tablespoons (35 g) unbleached all- purpose (plain) flour • 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) soy milk • ½ cup (75 g) fresh corn kernels, cut from 1 ear (optional) • 2 tablespoons pine nuts • ½ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice • 1 handful Italian parsley, coarsely chopped • 2 fresh green japones chiles, chopped (optional) • Freshly cooked Japanese Rice (page 28), for serving This appealingly creamy dish is quintessentially Japanese in mind-set but owes its origins to Western cooking. If fresh corn is available, it’s a great addition. - In a medium saucepan, bring the potato quarters, dashi, and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a brisk simmer, cover, and cook until the potato pieces are soft in the center, about 5 minutes. Reserving the cooking liquid, drain the potatoes. (You should have about 1 cup/8 fl oz/250 ml of cooking liquid; if not, add water.) Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Hold the spinach stems in the boiling water for 30 seconds. Push the leaves into the boiling water, cook 15 seconds more, then scoop out with a wire-mesh sieve. Refresh under cold running water to cool. Squeeze down the length of the leaves and stems. Cut the spinach bottoms, if you have them, into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces and stems and leaves crosswise into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces. In a heavy medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the flour and cook by spreading and scraping across the surface of the saucepan with a flat wooden spoon for about 1½ minutes, taking care not to color. Whisk the reserved potato cooking liquid and soy milk in gradually to form a smooth velouté. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it does not scorch. Add the potatoes, spinach, corn (if using), pine nuts, pepper, lemon juice, parsley, chile ( if using), and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and fold into the velouté. Serve over Japanese rice. GRILLED POTATO-SALAD- STUFFED PEPPERS PI–MAN NO JYAGA-ZUME ピーマンのじゃが詰め Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 2 minutes Serves: 4 V DF GF <5 <30 • 4 medium Japanese green peppers (piman, see page 342) or sweet red and yellow peppers (4¼ oz/120 g) • ¼ recipe Potato Salad (page 48) • 4 teaspoons grated or crumbled Parmesan-Style Vegan “Cheese” (page 39) • 2 teaspoons finely chopped Italian parsley Potato salad equals summer in many countries, including Japan. Stuffing leftover potato salad into hollowed-out pepper halves is a genius instant stuffed pepper method. Feel free to use a mild Parmesan or Romano cheese instead of the vegan version. - Halve the peppers lengthwise. Discard the seeds but leave the cores. Mound the potato salad into the pepper halves with a soup spoon. Flatten the surface and sprinkle with the parsley followed by the “cheese.” Make a “boat” with heavy-duty foil on a toaster oven (mini oven) tray and nestle the stuffed peppers into the “boat.” Since their bottoms are curved, the peppers will be wobbly. Crumple up logs of foil and use them to keep the peppers propped up so the surfaces are upright. Broil (grill) for about 2 minutes, until the “cheese” is browned. Best hot, but also good at room temperature.322 甘味 SWEE TS STRAWBERRY RUM BABA STRAWBERRY RUM BABA ICHIGO BABA ROA 苺ババロア Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling time Cooking time: 5 minutes Makes: 8 small pieces GF NF <5 • 14 oz (400 g) strawberries, hulled • 2 tablespoons (8 g) agar flakes • Generous 3/4 cup (63/4 fl oz/200 ml) Lightly Whipped Cream (page 38) • A few sprigs of mint, for garnish In Japan, greenhouse straw- berries are seasonal in the winter, and this seems to have affected the June strawberries. We see fewer strawberries being grown outside, perhaps because of the rain. If possible, make an effort to find those gorgeous late-spring early strawberries grown under the sun. They are exceptional. - Drop the strawberries into a blender and process on high speed to smoothly liquefy. Sprinkle in the agar and process on high speed for 30 seconds more. Scrape into a small saucepan and stir for about 3 minutes over medium-low heat to completely melt the agar. Remove from the heat and pour into a 5½ × 4½ × 2-inch (14 × 11 × 4.5 cm) nagashikan mold (see page 352) or 4⅜ × 8½-inch (11.5 × 21 cm) loaf pan (bottom lined with parchment paper). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set. Once set, cut into eight pieces and serve on four individual small dishes with a dollop of the whipped cream and a pretty sprig of mint. STRAWBERRY SORBET ICHIGO SHA–BETTO 苺シャーべット Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling time and 30 minutes churning time Makes: 1 quart (32 fl oz/1 liter) V DF GF NF <5 • ¾ cup (135 g) organic granulated sugar • 1 basket (12 oz/340 g) small strawberries, hulled Strawberries lend themselves to icy treatments because they are delicately sweet and don’t take heat well. Serve this as a refreshing dessert at the end of a Japanese vegetarian meal. Use the most flavorful early-summer, sun-ripened strawberries you can find. - In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and ½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a brisk simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Cool the syrup to room tempera- ture and refrigerate to chill. In a food processor or blender, pulse the berries until smoothly puréed. Stir in the chilled syrup and freeze according to the directions on your ice cream maker.322 甘味 SWEE TS STRAWBERRY RUM BABA STRAWBERRY RUM BABA ICHIGO BABA ROA 苺ババロア Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling time Cooking time: 5 minutes Makes: 8 small pieces GF NF <5 • 14 oz (400 g) strawberries, hulled • 2 tablespoons (8 g) agar flakes • Generous 3/4 cup (63/4 fl oz/200 ml) Lightly Whipped Cream (page 38) • A few sprigs of mint, for garnish In Japan, greenhouse straw- berries are seasonal in the winter, and this seems to have affected the June strawberries. We see fewer strawberries being grown outside, perhaps because of the rain. If possible, make an effort to find those gorgeous late-spring early strawberries grown under the sun. They are exceptional. - Drop the strawberries into a blender and process on high speed to smoothly liquefy. Sprinkle in the agar and process on high speed for 30 seconds more. Scrape into a small saucepan and stir for about 3 minutes over medium-low heat to completely melt the agar. Remove from the heat and pour into a 5½ × 4½ × 2-inch (14 × 11 × 4.5 cm) nagashikan mold (see page 352) or 4⅜ × 8½-inch (11.5 × 21 cm) loaf pan (bottom lined with parchment paper). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set. Once set, cut into eight pieces and serve on four individual small dishes with a dollop of the whipped cream and a pretty sprig of mint. STRAWBERRY SORBET ICHIGO SHA–BETTO 苺シャーべット Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours chilling time and 30 minutes churning time Makes: 1 quart (32 fl oz/1 liter) V DF GF NF <5 • ¾ cup (135 g) organic granulated sugar • 1 basket (12 oz/340 g) small strawberries, hulled Strawberries lend themselves to icy treatments because they are delicately sweet and don’t take heat well. Serve this as a refreshing dessert at the end of a Japanese vegetarian meal. Use the most flavorful early-summer, sun-ripened strawberries you can find. - In a small saucepan, bring the sugar and ½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a brisk simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Cool the syrup to room tempera- ture and refrigerate to chill. In a food processor or blender, pulse the berries until smoothly puréed. Stir in the chilled syrup and freeze according to the directions on your ice cream maker.GREEN SOUP SOMEN WITH OKRA SOUMEN TO OKURA そうめんとオクラ Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 minute Serves: 4 V DF NF<30 • 6 small okra (2 ¼ oz/60 g) • 2 bundles (1 3/4 oz/50 g each) somen • 2 ½ cups (20 fl oz/600 ml) Mori Tsuyu (page 000), chilled • 1 tablespoon finely slivered fresh ginger • 1 small fresh green japones or serrano chile, sliced into fine rings • 4 small green shiso leaves, finely slivered Somen is eaten in the summer- time all over Japan. There are myriad toppings: chopped green onion or garlic chives, slivered cucumber and or ginger, chopped okra, fine rounds of green or red chile . . . the possibilities are endless so long as they bring a fresh pop to the noodles and broth. Here the okra is the star, so the ginger and chile are understated and just there to complement. - Slice off the okra tops and discard. Finely chop the okra. Set a large bowl of ice and water. Bring a large saucepan three- quarters full of water to a boil over high heat. Remove the paper tabs from the somen bundles and drop the noodles into the water. Cook for 1 minute and scoop out quickly with a large wire- mesh sieve and a pair of cooking chopsticks to guide the noodles into the sieve. Drop into the ice water immediately to shock-cool for 1 or 2 minutes. Ladle the cold soup into four large deep soup bowls (donburi, see page 000). Pick up handfuls of the noodles, shake off excess water, and add in swirls to each bowl until all the noodles have been added. Garnish with the okra, ginger, chile, and shiso and serve immediately. GREEN SOUP GURI–N SU–PU グリーンスープ Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 2 minutes Serves: 4 V DF GF NF<30 • 1 bunch (4 ½ oz/125 g) moroheiya (see page 000) or edible chrysanthemum greens (shungiku, see page 000), hard bottom portions of stem cut off • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt • 1 ½ cups (12 fl oz/350 ml) Konbu Dashi (page 000) • ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt • ½ teaspoon white sesame seeds, warmed in a dry frying pan until fragrant Moroheiya (jute mallow) is a naturally viscous soft green that should be consumed (boiled or raw) soon after harvest. Moroheiya is eaten in the summer and is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Substitute edible chrysanthemum greens (shungiku) or water spinach if you cannot find moroheiya, though the moroheiya will yield a more lusciously thick soup. - Cut the leaves off the stems of the greens and cut the stems crosswise into 1 ¼-inch (3 cm) pieces. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil with the fine salt. Drop in the stems and cook 40 seconds before adding the leaves. Push the leaves down to submerge and cook an additional 20 seconds. Drain, refresh under cold running water, and shake off. Slide into a blender with the dashi and flaky salt and process until completely smooth and emulsified. Scrape the soup into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Ladle into four lacquer soup bowls, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and serve hot. 246 汁物 SOUPS 汁物 Dashi is the underpinning of Japanese food and vegetarian dashi typically is prepared from konbu or a combination of shiitake and konbu, but can just as well be made from soaked or simmered beans, dried daikon, dried vegetables, etc. Azuki and black bean cooking liquids will lend an attractive hue to rice if used to replace the cooking water and can also be used as the dashi for miso soup. Nonbitter vegetables, such as snow peas (mangetout) or mitsuba as a dashi will give a simmered dish more depth. Taking less intense cooking juices and adding them to a slightly stronger simmered dish in a cycle gives a deeper and deeper taste to your vegetarian food and the variation enhances your enjoyment of the cooking process as well as the meal itself. If you are not preparing Japanese food every day, obviously it becomes more difficult to use all the leftover pieces, so forgive yourself and move on. Though if you have room in your freezer, you can always freeze for later use. Given the crucial role that konbu plays in creating Japanese vegetarian food, be sure to use good-quality konbu. Most dried shiitake available abroad is grown in China, but if you put in some effort, it might be possible to find Japanese-grown shiitake. Donko (thick capped with deep fissures) is the commonly preferred variety of Japanese shiitake, though koshin (thin, wide, smooth caps) will also yield a flavorful broth. Dashi is the most important flavoring element so take your time on this. It is fine to make the broth a little strong if you like but don’t go overboard. You want to keep in mind the artifacts that you are creating—konbu expands almost fivefold, so you will need to think about how to use the soaked konbu. For instance, you can cut the konbu into a thin julienne and toss it with a small amount of vinegar and serve as a side dish; or toss it with curry powder, air-dry, then deep- fry slowly for a savory snack. Finely sliced shiitake and julienned konbu can be stir-fried with a little sesame oil and seasoned at the end with a splash each of shoyu and mirin (in a ratio of 2:1), simmered down to finish, and sprinkled with a little sansho or 7-spice powder (shichimi togarashi, see page 000) for serving. Ichiju sansai (one soup, three dishes) is the classic Japanese meal format that consists of one soup and three side dishes (plus a bowl of rice and a small dish of pickles). This format can be modified to be less or more, but usually is modified in odd numbers, such as ichiju issai (one soup, one dish) or ichiju gosai (one soup, five dishes) and so on. Traditionally, Japanese drank soup at every meal and that served as the liquid. Tea was served after. This makes a good deal of sense since the taste of tea conflicts with the subtly salty soups. Although more people are drinking water in Japan, when I first arrived in 1988 it was very unusual. I was often offered a variety of drinks until I finally could convince my host that I truly just wanted water. Restraint is essential in Japanese food. When constructing a bowl of clear soup or miso soup, keep in mind that less is more. Clear soups should be even more spare than miso soups, with only one or two ingredients and a simple garnish. Miso soups should never contain more than three main ingredients and a garnish or two such as sesame seeds, slivered ginger, chopped scallions (spring onions), or roughly chopped aromatic herbs: Japanese wild parsley (seri), mitsuba, or sansho leaves (see Building a Bowl of Miso Soup, page 000). Typically cooked on a butane burner at the table, one-pot (nabe) meals are all-inclusive, so green vegetables such as napa cabbage (Chinese leaf) and komatsuna will be added in to konbu dashi with tofu and mushrooms to create a luscious, convivial repast. Once simmered, the ingredients and broth are ladled out into small bowls and seasoned with ponzu (citrus shoyu) or a sesame sauce. Alternatively, miso (or sake lees) can be added to the pot for seasoning. And soy milk can be combined with a base soup for a creamy- style nabe (see Tofu and Soy Milk Nabe, page 000). In these cases, the ingredients are ladled out and eaten as is. The use of small bowls that are replenished often keeps the broth hot and warming. A bowl of rice is served on the side as you eat the nabe. Otherwise, cooked rice or udon noodles can be stirred into the last simmering liquids and then served out to fill your tummy at the end of the meal. 汁物 SHIRUMONO SOUPS KIRIBOSHI DAIKON AND CARROT WITH SESAME VINEGAR104 和え物 VINEGARED KIRIBOSHI DAIKON AND CARROT WITH SESAME VINEGAR KIRIBOSHI DAIKON TO NINJIN NO GOMASU-AE 切り干し大根とにんじんの胡 麻酢和え Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus 30 minutes soaking time Cooking time: 5 minutes Serves: 4, with leftovers V DF NF • ½ medium carrot (75 g), peeled or scrubbed • 1 ½ oz (40 g) dried daikon (kiriboshi daikon, see page 000), soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes • 2 dried shiitake, soaked in ½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) boiling water for 30 minutes • Scant 5 tablespoons (70 ml) hon mirin • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon shoyu • 3 ½ oz (100 g) mung bean sprouts • Boiling water • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt • 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds • Scant ¼ cup (1 3/4 fl oz/50 ml) rice vinegar • ½ usuage (see page 000) • 1 teaspoon dark roasted sesame oil A medley of dried and fresh ingredients come together with a light, yet flavorful dressing rich in sesame. The usuage (deep- fried tofu pouch) adds spongy juiciness and the bean sprouts lend a satisfying crunch. What might, on the surface, seem like a humble side dish, is as delicious as it is healthy. - Julienne the carrot into threads 1 ¼ inches (3 cm) long. Drain the kiriboshi daikon, blot dry, and if the pieces are long, cut into manageable lengths, about 1 ¼ inches (3 cm). Pluck the shiitake out of the soaking water and give them a gentle squeeze in your fist to express excess water back into the bowl. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid and set aside. (save any remaining to use as dashi in another dish, if you like). Pare off the shiitake stems, discard, and finely slice the caps. Drop into a small saucepan with the reserved soaking liquid and 2 tablespoons each mirin and shoyu. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook gently for 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature in the cooking liquid, then drain. Place the bean sprouts in a wire-mesh sieve and pour boiling water over them for 10 seconds. Shake off, pat dry, and toss in a bowl with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Set aside. In a small dry frying pan, warm the sesame seeds over medium-high heat stirring continuously, until aromatic. Slide into a Japanese grinding bowl (suribachi, see page 000) and crush coarsely. (Reserve the frying pan to sear the usuage.) Add the vinegar, remaining scant 3 tablespoons (40 ml) mirin, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon shoyu into the sesame and mash together. Heat the frying pan again over medium-high heat and sear the usuage for about 1 minute on each side to recrisp and brown ever so slightly. Halve lengthwise and cut crosswise into strips ¼ inch (5 mm) wide. Do not wash the pan. In the same frying pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the carrot and stir-fry until slightly glossy and a tad wilted, about 30 seconds. Scrape into a small bowl to cool. Once all the ingredients have cooled to room temperature, toss the kiriboshi daikon, shiitake, bean sprouts, usuage, and carrot in the sesame vinegar and serve in one communal bowl or individual small plates. Best the first day but will hold up well for a day or two, stored in the fridge. DASHI-SIMMERED TOMATOES DASHI-SIMMERED TOMATOES TOMATO NO NIMONO トマトの煮物 Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 4 hours chilling time Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves: 4 V DF NF • 4 medium tomatoes (1 3/4 lb/800 g) • Boiling water • 1 ¾ cups (13 ½ fl oz/400 ml) Konbu Dashi (page 000) • ⅛ teaspoon flaky sea salt • 2 tablespoons shoyu • 1 tablespoon hon mirin • 4 sprigs sansho leaves, for garnish The key to the success of this simple, yet lovely, dish is preparing it at the height of summer when tomatoes are at their best—and making sure not to waste any of the precious juices of the tomatoes. And as a point, avoid using overripe tomatoes in Japanese cuisine. If you cannot find sansho leaves, mitsuba can be substituted, or green shiso leaves, cut into a fine chiffonade. The mild tomatoes contrast beautifully with the shoyu-forward dashi, making an exquisitely balanced dish. - Place the tomatoes in a heatproof medium bowl and pour boiling water over to cover. After 1 or 2 minutes, gently scoop out with a slotted spoon and place in a medium stainless bowl. Core and peel the tomatoes carefully over the bowl, so as not to lose any juices, placing each tomato back in the bowl, core side down, as it is peeled. Discard the peels. In a small saucepan, bring the dashi, salt, shoyu, and mirin just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and pour over the tomatoes. Place the bowl over (but not in) a pan of simmering water and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, set up a large bowl of ice and water. When the tomatoes have finished cooking, remove the bowl from the pan and set the bowl in in the ice bath to cool. Once cooled, place the tomatoes, core side down, in a square or rectangular pan that will just hold them. Add the pooled-up juices and refrigerate for 4 hours. Place one tomato, core side down, on each of four pretty saucers with a spoonful of the juices. Garnish with a small sprig of sansho and serve as a refreshing course for lunch or dinner. KABOCHA SIMMERED IN DASHI KABOCHA NO NIMONO かぼちゃの煮物 Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus cool time Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 4, with leftovers V DF NF • ½ small (10 ½ oz/300 g) kabocha (see page 000), seeded • 1 ¼ cups (10 fl oz/300 ml) Konbu Dashi (page 000) • Scant ½ cup (3 ½ fl oz/100 ml) Shiitake Dashi (page 000) • 1 tablespoons usukuchi shoyu • 1 tablespoons sake • ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt Simmered kabocha is ubiquitous in many Japanese cookbooks, but do not overlook this simple preparation. The beauty is in the restrained simmering liquids and the flavorful summer kabocha. - Place the kabocha cut side down on a cutting board and use a small knife to make decorative shallow cuts to remove the skin at random intervals. Cut the kabocha into 3/4 × 1 ¼-inch (2 × 3 cm) chunks and bevel the sharp edges. Place the kabocha pieces, skin side down, in a medium saucepan and add the konbu dashi, shiitake dashi, usukuchi shoyu, sake, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Place a drop lid (otoshibuta, see page 000) or parchment paper on top of the kabocha, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the liquids have reduced and the kabocha is tender, about 15 minutes. (You want the kabocha pieces to keep their shape, so you don’t want them banging about in the pan as they simmer.) Transfer to a medium bowl and allow to cool in the cooking liquid. Serve at room temperature as a vegetable side dish. 170 蒸し物 ＆ 煮物 STE AMED & SIMMERED DONABE-BAKED MAITAKE AND EGG DONABE-BAKED MAITAKE AND EGG MAITAKE NO HOURAKU-YAKI 舞茸のほうらく焼き Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves: 4 NF • 5 ¼ oz (150 g) maitake, torn into • 6 chunks for grilling • 1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger • 4 eggs, at room temperature • 2 tablespoons lightly roasted white sesame oil or unroasted sesame oil • 2 ½ tablespoons white miso • 4 tablespoons Konbu Dashi (page 000) • 1 teaspoon usukuchi shoyu Earthenware pots (donabe, see page 000) are used for cooking one-pot dishes (nabe), rice, or horaku-style oven-baked dishes. Although here eggs and grilled mushrooms are the stars, horaku-style often includes a whole fish and various types of shellfish, and in those cases the ingredients are baked on a bed of pine needles. Either way, the ingredients bake together into a fragrant meal. A small, flat gratin dish substitutes well for this dish because there is no need for a top while baking. - Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grill the maitake on a grate set directly over the flame for about 2 minutes on each side, until fragrant and the surface is starting to color, but don’t cook them all the way through. Tear the maitake into pieces that are easily picked up with chopsticks and strew across the bottom of a shallow 7 ½-inch (19 cm) round earthenware pot (donabe, see page 000) or a 7 × 10 ½-inch (18 × 26 cm) oval gratin pan. Sprinkle the ginger evenly across the maitake. Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in a second. Slowly whisk the sesame oil into the egg yolks to emulsify until all the oil has been added and the mixture has thickened like mayonnaise (see page 000), then whisk in the miso. Add the dashi to the egg whites and gently whisk to combine without agitating, so as not to create bubbles. Stir in the usukuchi shoyu and strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove bubbles or non- amalgamated portions. Add to the egg yolk/miso mixture and pour into the donabe, making sure the egg mixture evenly covers the maitake. Transfer to the oven and bake until puffed and browned in spots, 15–20 minutes. 218 炒 め 物 ＆ 焼物 STIR-FRIED & GRILLED YUBA AND SESAME SALT NORI ROLLS YUBA AND SESAME SALT NORI ROLLS YUBA TO GOMASHIO NO NORI-MAKI ゆばとごま塩ののり巻き Preparation time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 V DF GF NF • 1 ½ tablespoons organic granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar • 1 ¾ cups (400 ml/10 ½ oz/300 g) freshly cooked Japanese Rice (page 000) • 2 sheets nori, halved lengthwise • 2 ¼ oz (60 g) fresh yuba (see page 000) • 4 teaspoons white or black Sesame Salt (page 000) • 4 sprigs nandina (nanten) or small maple leaf, for garnish Serve these surprisingly delicious little bites of sushi as a light bite before dinner. A welcome change from vegetable (or fish) sushi, the creamy yuba gives a soft center to these bites and the sesame salt adds a salty, aromatic finish. The amount of uncooked rice needed to make the cooked rice called for in this recipe is 1-go (1-合), which is equivalent to 3/4 cup (180 ml/5 ¼ oz/150 g). Nandina, also known as sacred bamboo or heavenly bamboo in English, is often used in Japan as a garnish for rice-related dishes. Substitute maple or another similar leaf to add color pop to these black and white rolls. - In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and vinegar and stir to dissolve. Turn the freshly cooked rice into a flat wooden tub (handai, see page 000) or onto a wooden cutting board in a thick mound. Sprinkle the vinegar mixture over the rice while fanning and turning the rice until the vinegar has been absorbed completely by the rice grains. The rice will be about body temperature at this point. Working with one at a time, place the nori crosswise, shiny side down, on a bamboo rolling mat (makisu, see page 000). Leaving ½–3/4 inch (1–2 cm) of nori free at the top, spread one-quarter of the rice evenly across the piece of nori. Lay one-quarter of the yuba across the middle of the rice and sprinkle with one-quarter of the sesame salt. Roll up the nori and cut crosswise with a razor-sharp knife into 6 rounds. Stand the rolls in the middle of one of four individual plates and garnish with a sprig of nandina or maple leaf. Working quickly, repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of nori and other ingredients. Serve immediately. 288 反物 RICE GRILLED PERSIMMON WITH SANSHO GRILLED PERSIMMON WITH SANSHO KAKI NO SANSHOU-DARE YAKI 柿の山椒だれ焼き Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Serves: 4 V DF NF • ½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) sake • Scant ⅓ cup (2 ½ fl oz/75 ml) hon mirin • ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) shoyu • 2 firm Fuyu persimmons (8 ¼ oz/235 g each) • A few small pinches green sansho powder This densely flavored sauce (tare) is often used to marinate meats or small birds, but persimmon makes sense as a vehicle for the sauce and for grilling, much in the same way that Westerners grill peaches. There will be left over tare that can be used for grilling peppers, eggplant (aubergines), or peaches. - In a small saucepan, bring the sake and mirin to a boil over high heat to cook off the alcohol for about 3 minutes, but watch that the liquids do not to boil over. Once the alcohol aroma has dissipated, stir in the shoyu and cook down over medium- high heat for about 10 minutes to reduce the liquid by about one-third. The tare will keep for several months, if refrigerated. Heat a toaster oven (mini oven) or a broiler (grill) with the rack positioned 4 inches (10 cm) from the top. Remove the calyx of the persimmons, halve lengthwise, and pare out the core and seeds. Dip the persimmon halves in the tare. Grill on one side for about 2 minutes, brush with tare, and cook for 2 more minutes until caramelized. Brush with tare again, flip, and grill on the other side for another 4 minutes, brushing one more time with tare after cooking for 2 minutes. Serve hot, sprinkled lightly with sansho. 222 炒 め 物 ＆ 焼物 STIR-FRIED & GRILLED STEAMED TURNIP CLOUDS STEAMED TURNIP CLOUDS KABURA MUSHI かぶら蒸し Preparation time: 1 hour, plus 20 minutes draining time Cooking time: 45 minutes Serves: 4 V DF • 3 small turnips (8 ¼ oz/235 g), peeled • ⅓ small mountain yam (3 ½ oz/100 g), scrubbed and peeled • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt • 1 3/4 oz (50 g), enoki, spongy ends cut off, halved crosswise • 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) Konbu Dashi (page 000) • 1 small potato (3 ½ oz/100 g) • Neutral oil, such as canola (rapeseed), peanut, or safflower, for deep-frying • 1 ¼ inches (3 cm) medium carrot, peeled • ½ small lily bulb (2 ¼ oz/60 g), scales separated • 2 dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes • 1 tablespoon hon mirin • 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon shoyu • 2 tablespoons hon kuzu (see page 000) mixed with 6 tablespoons water until smooth • 12 Boiled Ginkgo Nuts (page 000) • 1 teaspoon grated fresh wasabi Finely grate the turnip on a Japanese grater (oroshiki, see page 000) and scrape into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl for 15 minutes to drain. Finely grate the mountain yam on the Japanese grater as well, and scrape into a Japanese grinding bowl (suribachi, see page 000). Smash well with a grinding pestle (surikogi) until completely smooth and homogenous. Mash in the drained turnip with ¼ teaspoon of the salt until well combined. - In a small saucepan, bring the enoki and a generous ⅓ cup (3 fl oz/90 ml) of the dashi just to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cool to room temperature in the dashi before draining and setting aside. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Peel and finely grate the potato into the sieve and allow to drain for 20 minutes. Pour off the clear liquid that has accumulated in the bowl but keep the white starch. Mix the drained potato into the starch with ⅛ teaspoon of the salt and roll into 4 balls. In a small high-sided sauté pan, heat 1¼ inches (3 cm) oil over medium heat until you can feel the heat rising. Slip in the potato balls and fry, turning, until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Drain on a rack set over a pan to catch the drips. Cut the carrot crosswise into 4 rounds ¼ inch (5 mm) thick. Cut those into flower shapes with a small vegetable cutter. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Drop in the carrot flowers and cook until tender, 3–5 minutes. Scoop out with a wire-mesh sieve and set aside. Drop the lily bulb scales into the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Drain the wood ear mushrooms and drop into a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon each shoyu, mirin, and dashi. Bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat and allow to cool in the cooking liquid before draining. In a small saucepan, bring the remaining scant 1 ¾ cups (13 ½ fl oz/400 ml) dashi, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon shoyu to a simmer over medium-low heat. Scrape the kuzu slurry into the saucepan and stir continuously over low heat until thickened and glossy, 5–7 minutes. Divide the potato balls, enoki, and lily bulb scales evenly among four heat-resistant, rounded tea bowls (chawan, see page 000) that can hold about 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml). Pour the grated turnip and mountain yam mixture over the top, poke the drained wood ear mushrooms and ginkgo nuts into the viscous mixture so they are still a bit visible, lay a carrot flower artfully on top, and add the thickened dashi. Set a bamboo steamer over a large wok filled one-third of the way with water and bring to a boil. Set the bowls in the steamer, cover with a double thickness of cheesecloth (muslin), then place the steamer cover on top. Steam over high heat until set, 20–25 minutes. Serve hot with a dab of wasabi. 178 蒸し物 ＆ 煮物 STE AMED & SIMMERED Phaidon Press Limited 2 Cooperage Yard Stratford London E15 2QR Phaidon Press Inc. 65 Bleecker Street New York, NY 10012 © 2023 Phaidon Press Limited phaidon.com Nancy Singleton Hachisu is a native Californian and Stanford University graduate who has lived with her Japanese farmer husband in rural Saitama prefecture since 1988. She is the author of four books, including Japan: The Cookbook (Phaidon, 2018), and her work has been published around the world. Hachisu appears frequently in Japanese media, documenting her preserving and farm food life, as well as visits to artisanal producers in more remote areas of Japan to advocate for Japan’s disappearing food traditions. Recipient of a James Beard Foundation award, she has written for The Art of Eating, Lucky Peach, Saveur, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, National Geographic Food, BBC Travel, and Fool Magazine. Hachisu also participated in the ‘Salt’ episode of the Netflix series Salt Fat Acid Heat. • A follow-up to the best-selling Japan: The Cookbook. • The author is one of the most passionate and authoritative voices in Japanese home cooking. • Featuring more than 250 recipes and deeper insights into the ingredients, culture, and tradition of Japanese food, this is a book for the foodie, armchair traveler, and destination tourist. • A perfect addition to Phaidon's successful regional vegetarian collection. GREEN SOUP SOMEN WITH OKRA SOUMEN TO OKURA そうめんとオクラ Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 minute Serves: 4 V DF NF<30 • 6 small okra (2 ¼ oz/60 g) • 2 bundles (1 3/4 oz/50 g each) somen • 2 ½ cups (20 fl oz/600 ml) Mori Tsuyu (page 000), chilled • 1 tablespoon finely slivered fresh ginger • 1 small fresh green japones or serrano chile, sliced into fine rings • 4 small green shiso leaves, finely slivered Somen is eaten in the summer- time all over Japan. There are myriad toppings: chopped green onion or garlic chives, slivered cucumber and or ginger, chopped okra, fine rounds of green or red chile . . . the possibilities are endless so long as they bring a fresh pop to the noodles and broth. Here the okra is the star, so the ginger and chile are understated and just there to complement. - Slice off the okra tops and discard. Finely chop the okra. Set a large bowl of ice and water. Bring a large saucepan three- quarters full of water to a boil over high heat. Remove the paper tabs from the somen bundles and drop the noodles into the water. Cook for 1 minute and scoop out quickly with a large wire- mesh sieve and a pair of cooking chopsticks to guide the noodles into the sieve. Drop into the ice water immediately to shock-cool for 1 or 2 minutes. Ladle the cold soup into four large deep soup bowls (donburi, see page 000). Pick up handfuls of the noodles, shake off excess water, and add in swirls to each bowl until all the noodles have been added. Garnish with the okra, ginger, chile, and shiso and serve immediately. GREEN SOUP GURI–N SU–PU グリーンスープ Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 2 minutes Serves: 4 V DF GF NF<30 • 1 bunch (4 ½ oz/125 g) moroheiya (see page 000) or edible chrysanthemum greens (shungiku, see page 000), hard bottom portions of stem cut off • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt • 1 ½ cups (12 fl oz/350 ml) Konbu Dashi (page 000) • ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt • ½ teaspoon white sesame seeds, warmed in a dry frying pan until fragrant Moroheiya (jute mallow) is a naturally viscous soft green that should be consumed (boiled or raw) soon after harvest. Moroheiya is eaten in the summer and is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Substitute edible chrysanthemum greens (shungiku) or water spinach if you cannot find moroheiya, though the moroheiya will yield a more lusciously thick soup. - Cut the leaves off the stems of the greens and cut the stems crosswise into 1 ¼-inch (3 cm) pieces. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil with the fine salt. Drop in the stems and cook 40 seconds before adding the leaves. Push the leaves down to submerge and cook an additional 20 seconds. Drain, refresh under cold running water, and shake off. Slide into a blender with the dashi and flaky salt and process until completely smooth and emulsified. Scrape the soup into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Ladle into four lacquer soup bowls, sprinkle with the sesame seeds, and serve hot. 246 汁物 SOUPS 汁物 Dashi is the underpinning of Japanese food and vegetarian dashi typically is prepared from konbu or a combination of shiitake and konbu, but can just as well be made from soaked or simmered beans, dried daikon, dried vegetables, etc. Azuki and black bean cooking liquids will lend an attractive hue to rice if used to replace the cooking water and can also be used as the dashi for miso soup. Nonbitter vegetables, such as snow peas (mangetout) or mitsuba as a dashi will give a simmered dish more depth. Taking less intense cooking juices and adding them to a slightly stronger simmered dish in a cycle gives a deeper and deeper taste to your vegetarian food and the variation enhances your enjoyment of the cooking process as well as the meal itself. If you are not preparing Japanese food every day, obviously it becomes more difficult to use all the leftover pieces, so forgive yourself and move on. Though if you have room in your freezer, you can always freeze for later use. Given the crucial role that konbu plays in creating Japanese vegetarian food, be sure to use good-quality konbu. Most dried shiitake available abroad is grown in China, but if you put in some effort, it might be possible to find Japanese-grown shiitake. Donko (thick capped with deep fissures) is the commonly preferred variety of Japanese shiitake, though koshin (thin, wide, smooth caps) will also yield a flavorful broth. Dashi is the most important flavoring element so take your time on this. It is fine to make the broth a little strong if you like but don’t go overboard. You want to keep in mind the artifacts that you are creating—konbu expands almost fivefold, so you will need to think about how to use the soaked konbu. For instance, you can cut the konbu into a thin julienne and toss it with a small amount of vinegar and serve as a side dish; or toss it with curry powder, air-dry, then deep- fry slowly for a savory snack. Finely sliced shiitake and julienned konbu can be stir-fried with a little sesame oil and seasoned at the end with a splash each of shoyu and mirin (in a ratio of 2:1), simmered down to finish, and sprinkled with a little sansho or 7-spice powder (shichimi togarashi, see page 000) for serving. Ichiju sansai (one soup, three dishes) is the classic Japanese meal format that consists of one soup and three side dishes (plus a bowl of rice and a small dish of pickles). This format can be modified to be less or more, but usually is modified in odd numbers, such as ichiju issai (one soup, one dish) or ichiju gosai (one soup, five dishes) and so on. Traditionally, Japanese drank soup at every meal and that served as the liquid. Tea was served after. This makes a good deal of sense since the taste of tea conflicts with the subtly salty soups. Although more people are drinking water in Japan, when I first arrived in 1988 it was very unusual. I was often offered a variety of drinks until I finally could convince my host that I truly just wanted water. Restraint is essential in Japanese food. When constructing a bowl of clear soup or miso soup, keep in mind that less is more. Clear soups should be even more spare than miso soups, with only one or two ingredients and a simple garnish. Miso soups should never contain more than three main ingredients and a garnish or two such as sesame seeds, slivered ginger, chopped scallions (spring onions), or roughly chopped aromatic herbs: Japanese wild parsley (seri), mitsuba, or sansho leaves (see Building a Bowl of Miso Soup, page 000). Typically cooked on a butane burner at the table, one-pot (nabe) meals are all-inclusive, so green vegetables such as napa cabbage (Chinese leaf) and komatsuna will be added in to konbu dashi with tofu and mushrooms to create a luscious, convivial repast. Once simmered, the ingredients and broth are ladled out into small bowls and seasoned with ponzu (citrus shoyu) or a sesame sauce. Alternatively, miso (or sake lees) can be added to the pot for seasoning. And soy milk can be combined with a base soup for a creamy- style nabe (see Tofu and Soy Milk Nabe, page 000). In these cases, the ingredients are ladled out and eaten as is. The use of small bowls that are replenished often keeps the broth hot and warming. A bowl of rice is served on the side as you eat the nabe. Otherwise, cooked rice or udon noodles can be stirred into the last simmering liquids and then served out to fill your tummy at the end of the meal. 汁物 SHIRUMONO SOUPS KIRIBOSHI DAIKON AND CARROT WITH SESAME VINEGAR104 和え物 VINEGARED KIRIBOSHI DAIKON AND CARROT WITH SESAME VINEGAR KIRIBOSHI DAIKON TO NINJIN NO GOMASU-AE 切り干し大根とにんじんの胡 麻酢和え Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus 30 minutes soaking time Cooking time: 5 minutes Serves: 4, with leftovers V DF NF • ½ medium carrot (75 g), peeled or scrubbed • 1 ½ oz (40 g) dried daikon (kiriboshi daikon, see page 000), soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes • 2 dried shiitake, soaked in ½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) boiling water for 30 minutes • Scant 5 tablespoons (70 ml) hon mirin • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon shoyu • 3 ½ oz (100 g) mung bean sprouts • Boiling water • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt • 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds • Scant ¼ cup (1 3/4 fl oz/50 ml) rice vinegar • ½ usuage (see page 000) • 1 teaspoon dark roasted sesame oil A medley of dried and fresh ingredients come together with a light, yet flavorful dressing rich in sesame. The usuage (deep- fried tofu pouch) adds spongy juiciness and the bean sprouts lend a satisfying crunch. What might, on the surface, seem like a humble side dish, is as delicious as it is healthy. - Julienne the carrot into threads 1 ¼ inches (3 cm) long. Drain the kiriboshi daikon, blot dry, and if the pieces are long, cut into manageable lengths, about 1 ¼ inches (3 cm). Pluck the shiitake out of the soaking water and give them a gentle squeeze in your fist to express excess water back into the bowl. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid and set aside. (save any remaining to use as dashi in another dish, if you like). Pare off the shiitake stems, discard, and finely slice the caps. Drop into a small saucepan with the reserved soaking liquid and 2 tablespoons each mirin and shoyu. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook gently for 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature in the cooking liquid, then drain. Place the bean sprouts in a wire-mesh sieve and pour boiling water over them for 10 seconds. Shake off, pat dry, and toss in a bowl with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Set aside. In a small dry frying pan, warm the sesame seeds over medium-high heat stirring continuously, until aromatic. Slide into a Japanese grinding bowl (suribachi, see page 000) and crush coarsely. (Reserve the frying pan to sear the usuage.) Add the vinegar, remaining scant 3 tablespoons (40 ml) mirin, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon shoyu into the sesame and mash together. Heat the frying pan again over medium-high heat and sear the usuage for about 1 minute on each side to recrisp and brown ever so slightly. Halve lengthwise and cut crosswise into strips ¼ inch (5 mm) wide. Do not wash the pan. In the same frying pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the carrot and stir-fry until slightly glossy and a tad wilted, about 30 seconds. Scrape into a small bowl to cool. Once all the ingredients have cooled to room temperature, toss the kiriboshi daikon, shiitake, bean sprouts, usuage, and carrot in the sesame vinegar and serve in one communal bowl or individual small plates. Best the first day but will hold up well for a day or two, stored in the fridge. DASHI-SIMMERED TOMATOES DASHI-SIMMERED TOMATOES TOMATO NO NIMONO トマトの煮物 Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 4 hours chilling time Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves: 4 V DF NF • 4 medium tomatoes (1 3/4 lb/800 g) • Boiling water • 1 ¾ cups (13 ½ fl oz/400 ml) Konbu Dashi (page 000) • ⅛ teaspoon flaky sea salt • 2 tablespoons shoyu • 1 tablespoon hon mirin • 4 sprigs sansho leaves, for garnish The key to the success of this simple, yet lovely, dish is preparing it at the height of summer when tomatoes are at their best—and making sure not to waste any of the precious juices of the tomatoes. And as a point, avoid using overripe tomatoes in Japanese cuisine. If you cannot find sansho leaves, mitsuba can be substituted, or green shiso leaves, cut into a fine chiffonade. The mild tomatoes contrast beautifully with the shoyu-forward dashi, making an exquisitely balanced dish. - Place the tomatoes in a heatproof medium bowl and pour boiling water over to cover. After 1 or 2 minutes, gently scoop out with a slotted spoon and place in a medium stainless bowl. Core and peel the tomatoes carefully over the bowl, so as not to lose any juices, placing each tomato back in the bowl, core side down, as it is peeled. Discard the peels. In a small saucepan, bring the dashi, salt, shoyu, and mirin just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and pour over the tomatoes. Place the bowl over (but not in) a pan of simmering water and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, set up a large bowl of ice and water. When the tomatoes have finished cooking, remove the bowl from the pan and set the bowl in in the ice bath to cool. Once cooled, place the tomatoes, core side down, in a square or rectangular pan that will just hold them. Add the pooled-up juices and refrigerate for 4 hours. Place one tomato, core side down, on each of four pretty saucers with a spoonful of the juices. Garnish with a small sprig of sansho and serve as a refreshing course for lunch or dinner. KABOCHA SIMMERED IN DASHI KABOCHA NO NIMONO かぼちゃの煮物 Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus cool time Cooking time: 15 minutes Serves: 4, with leftovers V DF NF • ½ small (10 ½ oz/300 g) kabocha (see page 000), seeded • 1 ¼ cups (10 fl oz/300 ml) Konbu Dashi (page 000) • Scant ½ cup (3 ½ fl oz/100 ml) Shiitake Dashi (page 000) • 1 tablespoons usukuchi shoyu • 1 tablespoons sake • ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt Simmered kabocha is ubiquitous in many Japanese cookbooks, but do not overlook this simple preparation. The beauty is in the restrained simmering liquids and the flavorful summer kabocha. - Place the kabocha cut side down on a cutting board and use a small knife to make decorative shallow cuts to remove the skin at random intervals. Cut the kabocha into 3/4 × 1 ¼-inch (2 × 3 cm) chunks and bevel the sharp edges. Place the kabocha pieces, skin side down, in a medium saucepan and add the konbu dashi, shiitake dashi, usukuchi shoyu, sake, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Place a drop lid (otoshibuta, see page 000) or parchment paper on top of the kabocha, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the liquids have reduced and the kabocha is tender, about 15 minutes. (You want the kabocha pieces to keep their shape, so you don’t want them banging about in the pan as they simmer.) Transfer to a medium bowl and allow to cool in the cooking liquid. Serve at room temperature as a vegetable side dish. 170 蒸し物 ＆ 煮物 STE AMED & SIMMERED DONABE-BAKED MAITAKE AND EGG DONABE-BAKED MAITAKE AND EGG MAITAKE NO HOURAKU-YAKI 舞茸のほうらく焼き Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves: 4 NF • 5 ¼ oz (150 g) maitake, torn into • 6 chunks for grilling • 1 heaping tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger • 4 eggs, at room temperature • 2 tablespoons lightly roasted white sesame oil or unroasted sesame oil • 2 ½ tablespoons white miso • 4 tablespoons Konbu Dashi (page 000) • 1 teaspoon usukuchi shoyu Earthenware pots (donabe, see page 000) are used for cooking one-pot dishes (nabe), rice, or horaku-style oven-baked dishes. Although here eggs and grilled mushrooms are the stars, horaku-style often includes a whole fish and various types of shellfish, and in those cases the ingredients are baked on a bed of pine needles. Either way, the ingredients bake together into a fragrant meal. A small, flat gratin dish substitutes well for this dish because there is no need for a top while baking. - Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grill the maitake on a grate set directly over the flame for about 2 minutes on each side, until fragrant and the surface is starting to color, but don’t cook them all the way through. Tear the maitake into pieces that are easily picked up with chopsticks and strew across the bottom of a shallow 7 ½-inch (19 cm) round earthenware pot (donabe, see page 000) or a 7 × 10 ½-inch (18 × 26 cm) oval gratin pan. Sprinkle the ginger evenly across the maitake. Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in a second. Slowly whisk the sesame oil into the egg yolks to emulsify until all the oil has been added and the mixture has thickened like mayonnaise (see page 000), then whisk in the miso. Add the dashi to the egg whites and gently whisk to combine without agitating, so as not to create bubbles. Stir in the usukuchi shoyu and strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove bubbles or non- amalgamated portions. Add to the egg yolk/miso mixture and pour into the donabe, making sure the egg mixture evenly covers the maitake. Transfer to the oven and bake until puffed and browned in spots, 15–20 minutes. 218 炒 め 物 ＆ 焼物 STIR-FRIED & GRILLED YUBA AND SESAME SALT NORI ROLLS YUBA AND SESAME SALT NORI ROLLS YUBA TO GOMASHIO NO NORI-MAKI ゆばとごま塩ののり巻き Preparation time: 30 minutes Serves: 4 V DF GF NF • 1 ½ tablespoons organic granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar • 1 ¾ cups (400 ml/10 ½ oz/300 g) freshly cooked Japanese Rice (page 000) • 2 sheets nori, halved lengthwise • 2 ¼ oz (60 g) fresh yuba (see page 000) • 4 teaspoons white or black Sesame Salt (page 000) • 4 sprigs nandina (nanten) or small maple leaf, for garnish Serve these surprisingly delicious little bites of sushi as a light bite before dinner. A welcome change from vegetable (or fish) sushi, the creamy yuba gives a soft center to these bites and the sesame salt adds a salty, aromatic finish. The amount of uncooked rice needed to make the cooked rice called for in this recipe is 1-go (1-合), which is equivalent to 3/4 cup (180 ml/5 ¼ oz/150 g). Nandina, also known as sacred bamboo or heavenly bamboo in English, is often used in Japan as a garnish for rice-related dishes. Substitute maple or another similar leaf to add color pop to these black and white rolls. - In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and vinegar and stir to dissolve. Turn the freshly cooked rice into a flat wooden tub (handai, see page 000) or onto a wooden cutting board in a thick mound. Sprinkle the vinegar mixture over the rice while fanning and turning the rice until the vinegar has been absorbed completely by the rice grains. The rice will be about body temperature at this point. Working with one at a time, place the nori crosswise, shiny side down, on a bamboo rolling mat (makisu, see page 000). Leaving ½–3/4 inch (1–2 cm) of nori free at the top, spread one-quarter of the rice evenly across the piece of nori. Lay one-quarter of the yuba across the middle of the rice and sprinkle with one-quarter of the sesame salt. Roll up the nori and cut crosswise with a razor-sharp knife into 6 rounds. Stand the rolls in the middle of one of four individual plates and garnish with a sprig of nandina or maple leaf. Working quickly, repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of nori and other ingredients. Serve immediately. 288 反物 RICE GRILLED PERSIMMON WITH SANSHO GRILLED PERSIMMON WITH SANSHO KAKI NO SANSHOU-DARE YAKI 柿の山椒だれ焼き Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Serves: 4 V DF NF • ½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) sake • Scant ⅓ cup (2 ½ fl oz/75 ml) hon mirin • ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) shoyu • 2 firm Fuyu persimmons (8 ¼ oz/235 g each) • A few small pinches green sansho powder This densely flavored sauce (tare) is often used to marinate meats or small birds, but persimmon makes sense as a vehicle for the sauce and for grilling, much in the same way that Westerners grill peaches. There will be left over tare that can be used for grilling peppers, eggplant (aubergines), or peaches. - In a small saucepan, bring the sake and mirin to a boil over high heat to cook off the alcohol for about 3 minutes, but watch that the liquids do not to boil over. Once the alcohol aroma has dissipated, stir in the shoyu and cook down over medium- high heat for about 10 minutes to reduce the liquid by about one-third. The tare will keep for several months, if refrigerated. Heat a toaster oven (mini oven) or a broiler (grill) with the rack positioned 4 inches (10 cm) from the top. Remove the calyx of the persimmons, halve lengthwise, and pare out the core and seeds. Dip the persimmon halves in the tare. Grill on one side for about 2 minutes, brush with tare, and cook for 2 more minutes until caramelized. Brush with tare again, flip, and grill on the other side for another 4 minutes, brushing one more time with tare after cooking for 2 minutes. Serve hot, sprinkled lightly with sansho. 222 炒 め 物 ＆ 焼物 STIR-FRIED & GRILLED STEAMED TURNIP CLOUDS STEAMED TURNIP CLOUDS KABURA MUSHI かぶら蒸し Preparation time: 1 hour, plus 20 minutes draining time Cooking time: 45 minutes Serves: 4 V DF • 3 small turnips (8 ¼ oz/235 g), peeled • ⅓ small mountain yam (3 ½ oz/100 g), scrubbed and peeled • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt • 1 3/4 oz (50 g), enoki, spongy ends cut off, halved crosswise • 2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) Konbu Dashi (page 000) • 1 small potato (3 ½ oz/100 g) • Neutral oil, such as canola (rapeseed), peanut, or safflower, for deep-frying • 1 ¼ inches (3 cm) medium carrot, peeled • ½ small lily bulb (2 ¼ oz/60 g), scales separated • 2 dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes • 1 tablespoon hon mirin • 1 tablespoon plus 3/4 teaspoon shoyu • 2 tablespoons hon kuzu (see page 000) mixed with 6 tablespoons water until smooth • 12 Boiled Ginkgo Nuts (page 000) • 1 teaspoon grated fresh wasabi Finely grate the turnip on a Japanese grater (oroshiki, see page 000) and scrape into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl for 15 minutes to drain. Finely grate the mountain yam on the Japanese grater as well, and scrape into a Japanese grinding bowl (suribachi, see page 000). Smash well with a grinding pestle (surikogi) until completely smooth and homogenous. Mash in the drained turnip with ¼ teaspoon of the salt until well combined. - In a small saucepan, bring the enoki and a generous ⅓ cup (3 fl oz/90 ml) of the dashi just to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cool to room temperature in the dashi before draining and setting aside. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl. Peel and finely grate the potato into the sieve and allow to drain for 20 minutes. Pour off the clear liquid that has accumulated in the bowl but keep the white starch. Mix the drained potato into the starch with ⅛ teaspoon of the salt and roll into 4 balls. In a small high-sided sauté pan, heat 1¼ inches (3 cm) oil over medium heat until you can feel the heat rising. Slip in the potato balls and fry, turning, until golden on all sides, about 3 minutes. Drain on a rack set over a pan to catch the drips. Cut the carrot crosswise into 4 rounds ¼ inch (5 mm) thick. Cut those into flower shapes with a small vegetable cutter. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Drop in the carrot flowers and cook until tender, 3–5 minutes. Scoop out with a wire-mesh sieve and set aside. Drop the lily bulb scales into the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Drain and set aside. Drain the wood ear mushrooms and drop into a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon each shoyu, mirin, and dashi. Bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat and allow to cool in the cooking liquid before draining. In a small saucepan, bring the remaining scant 1 ¾ cups (13 ½ fl oz/400 ml) dashi, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon shoyu to a simmer over medium-low heat. Scrape the kuzu slurry into the saucepan and stir continuously over low heat until thickened and glossy, 5–7 minutes. Divide the potato balls, enoki, and lily bulb scales evenly among four heat-resistant, rounded tea bowls (chawan, see page 000) that can hold about 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml). Pour the grated turnip and mountain yam mixture over the top, poke the drained wood ear mushrooms and ginkgo nuts into the viscous mixture so they are still a bit visible, lay a carrot flower artfully on top, and add the thickened dashi. Set a bamboo steamer over a large wok filled one-third of the way with water and bring to a boil. Set the bowls in the steamer, cover with a double thickness of cheesecloth (muslin), then place the steamer cover on top. Steam over high heat until set, 20–25 minutes. Serve hot with a dab of wasabi. 178 蒸し物 ＆ 煮物 STE AMED & SIMMERED Phaidon Press Limited 2 Cooperage Yard Stratford London E15 2QR Phaidon Press Inc. 65 Bleecker Street New York, NY 10012 © 2023 Phaidon Press Limited phaidon.com Nancy Singleton Hachisu is a native Californian and Stanford University graduate who has lived with her Japanese farmer husband in rural Saitama prefecture since 1988. She is the author of four books, including Japan: The Cookbook (Phaidon, 2018), and her work has been published around the world. Hachisu appears frequently in Japanese media, documenting her preserving and farm food life, as well as visits to artisanal producers in more remote areas of Japan to advocate for Japan’s disappearing food traditions. Recipient of a James Beard Foundation award, she has written for The Art of Eating, Lucky Peach, Saveur, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, National Geographic Food, BBC Travel, and Fool Magazine. Hachisu also participated in the ‘Salt’ episode of the Netflix series Salt Fat Acid Heat. • A follow-up to the best-selling Japan: The Cookbook. • The author is one of the most passionate and authoritative voices in Japanese home cooking. • Featuring more than 250 recipes and deeper insights into the ingredients, culture, and tradition of Japanese food, this is a book for the foodie, armchair traveler, and destination tourist. • A perfect addition to Phaidon's successful regional vegetarian collection. J AP AN • THE VE GET ARIAN COOKBOOK JAPAN • THE VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK showcases the elegant simplicity of Japanese vegetarian cuisine, with recipes divided by cooking style – dressed, vinegared, deep-fried, simmered, steamed, stir-fried, grilled, pickled, sweet – and created using the freshest seasonal ingredients. Japanese vegetarian food is prepared with mindfulness; the natural produce is treated with respect and appreciation, and this is reflected in the stunning food imagery throughout. Alongside the recipes, Nancy Singleton Hachisu shares her expert knowledge, with fascinating insights into the ingredients, culture, and the years of ritual and tradition that shaped this most unique cuisine. Next >