Basic Japanese Ingredients
rice.
Abura-age or deep-fried tofu
pouches are found in the
refrigerated or frozen sections of
Asian supermarkets. They should
be blanched for 30 seconds in a
small amount of boiling water to
soften and remove excess oil.
Bonito flakes are the shavings of
dried, smoked, and cured bonito
fish, sold in fine or coarse flakes in
small plastic packs. Fine flakes are
used as a garnish while coarse
flakes are used to make dashi fish
stock. Store unused portions in an
airtight container or plastic bag.
Dashi powder is the equivalent of
Western soup stock powder. It is
used to make dashi fish stock and
as a basic seasoning in many
Japanese recipes including soups
and salad dressings.
Garlic chives or Chinese chives
have very long, thin, and flat green
leaves that form a very flat shoot
at the bottom. They have a
relatively short shelf life.
Japanese cucumbers are smaller
and thinner than normal
cucumbers, similar to baby
cucumbers or pickling gherkins,
which are a good substitute.
Japanese cucumbers taste sweeter
and do not have the coarse seeds
of large cucumbers.
Japanese rice is a short grain
variety that is slightly more starchy
than Thai or Chinese long grain
rice. Available from most
supermarkets, it can be substituted
with any short or medium grain
Japanese sesame oil is milder
than Chinese sesame oil. If not
available, you may substitute with
Chinese sesame oil by diluting 1
part sesame oil with 1 part
vegetable oil.
Mirin is a sweet liquid made by
mixing and fermenting steamed
glutinous rice with shoju (a distilled
spirit similar to vodka). It adds a
lovely glaze to grilled foods and is
used to flavor soup stocks,
marinades, and dressings.
Miso is a fermented paste made
from soybeans and wheat. Red
miso paste is red to brown in
color, high in protein and tastes
more salty than white miso
paste, which is sweeter and milder
than red miso. Miso is used to
enhance the flavor of soups,
stocks, and dressings, and as a
grilling baste for meat and fish.
Never allow miso paste to boil as it
loses its flavor and digestive
properties. Store in a refrigerator
after opening.
Mushrooms are a vital ingredient
in Japanese cuisine. Shiitake
mushrooms are large and meaty,
and used in soups, stir-fries, and
side dishes, or as a meat
substitute. Shimeji mushrooms
are thin, light brown mushrooms
that grow in a cluster. The thick
root section should be removed
and the cluster broken apart before
cooking. They can be substituted
with shiitake or Chinese wood ear
mushrooms. Enoki mushrooms are
clusters of slender, cream-colored
stalks with tiny cps, and are available
fresh or in cans. The tough ends of
the enoki mushroom should be
discarded before use.
Noodles come in many different
sizes and shapes. Udon noodles are
made from wheat, and are either flat
or round but generally quite thick.
Packets of whitish-beige dried udon
are available in Japanese stores.
Potato starch noodles are about 20
cm (8 in) long, very brittle when dried
and clear to opaque in color. Mung
bean noodles or tang hoon are
thin, transparent noodles that are
often used in soups. Dried rice
vermicelli or bee hoon should be
soaked in hot water until they
become soft, then blanched in boiling
water for 1-3 minutes and rinsed.
Nori is a type of seaweed pressed
into very thin sheets and baked (yaki
nori) or seasoned with sweetened soy
sauce (ajitesuke nori). It is sold in 23
x 17 cm (9 x 7 in) sheets and usually
packed in bundles of 10. Yaki nori is
used for making sushi rolls, while
ajitsuke nori is served with rice or
crisps as an appetizer. Before use,
hold a nori sheet over an open flame
for a few seconds so that it becomes
lightly toasted, or toast it in a toaster
oven.
Potato starch is similar to cornflour
but is more readily dissolved in liquid
without becoming lumpy. Cornflour is
a good substitute.
Red pickled ginger is made by
pickling ginger slices first in salt, then
in vinegar. This pickling process gives
the ginger its distinctive color. It is
sold in jars and used as a garnish.
Rice wine vinegar is slightly
sweeter and milder than cider or wine
vinegars. It is used in making sushi
rice, in dressings and as a basic
seasoning.
Sake is a brewed alcoholic beverage
also known as a Japanese rice wine.
Chinese rice wine or sherry may be
used as a substitute.
Sansho pepper is a mildly hot and
aromatic seed (also known as
Japanese prickly ash). It is the main
ingredient in Japanese seven-spice
chili mix (shichimi), and tastes similar
to Chinese Sichuan pepper, which
may be used as a substitute.
Seven-spice chili mix or shichimi
togarashi is a blend of ground chili
and other seasonings, including
mustard, sansho, and black sesame
seeds.
Shiso leaves are large, flat green
leaves that a flavor similar to basil,
mint, and spearmint. Fresh basil, or a
mix of fresh basil and spearmint are
the closest substitutes.
Soy sauce is brewed from wheat,
salt, and soy beans. Dark soy sauce
gives a slightly smoky flavor to a
dish, while light soy sauce is thinner
and saltier. If unavailable, use
Chinese soy sauce.
Wasabi is a pungent root similar in
taste to ginger and hot mustard. It is
sold fresh, as a prepared pate, or in
dried powdered form. Fresh wasabi
root should be peeled and finely
grated from the stem top down and
should be used within 1-2 days of
cutting as it loses its freshness and
pungency very quickly. The powdered
variety is cheaper, but it is actually
powdered horseradish colored green
with mustard added. Wasabi paste
can be the powdered form made into
a paste, or real wasabi made into a
paste. Real wasabi is more expensive,
but has a more distinctive flavor.