Free Cooking & Recipes

California roll

Ingredients:

• RiceApproximately 100g sushi rice for each roll
• Nori2/3 a toasted nori sheet
• Avocado1 small avocado, cut into slices lengthways
• SalmonSmoked salmon, cut into thin strip
• Crab2 1/2 seafood sticks
• Tobiko2tbsp tobiko (flying fish roe)
• WasabiSome wasabi
• MayonnaiseSome mayonnaise

UTENSILS:

MakisuMakisu

Preparation:

1. Place the makisu on a chopping board, cover it with a sheet of cling film and place two thirds of a sheet of nori on top, shiny side down.
2. Carefully spread a layer of sushi rice over the surface of the nori, to an even thickness of about 9mm. In this case, it is not necessary to leave any gap at the edge.
3. Sprinkle some tobiko evenly over the rice.
4. Turn the sheet of nori over so that the rice is face down on the cling film.
5. Smear a line of wasabi along the length of the nori, approximately 1/3 of the way up from the bottom edge.
6. Top with salmon, seafood sticks, avacado slices and mayonnaise.
7. Carefully begin rolling the makisu from the edge nearest you, using your fingers to keep the fillings in place. Press down tightly and evenly, but not so tightly that the rice and filling comes out the sides.

NoteBe careful not to wrap the cling film inside the roll.

8. When the makisu has almost completely enveloped the sushi, pull out the end of the mat so that it is not rolled up in the sushi. Holding the makisu around the sushi, pull the other end of the mat gently.
9. Gently press the sides of the roll with the fingers of your hand to flatten, and carefully remove the makisu from around the sushi, so that the sushi is sitting on the chopping board.
10. Cut the roll in half using a sharp knife that has been dipped in tezu. Then place the two halves next to each other, and cut into thirds.

Barazushi

Ingrediens:

• *  800g sushi rice
• * 200g grilled eel
• * 200g salmon roe
• * 12 shrimp
• * 3 eggs
• * 8 mangetout
• * some trefoil (to garnish)
• * 1 sheet dried seaweed (21cm x 19cm)
• * 4 tbsp toasted white
• * sesame seeds

Preparation:

1. Slice up the grilled eel into 2cm x 2cm strips whilst hot. Boil and shell the shrimps.
2. Beat the eggs gently, add a pinch of salt, and pour a small amount into a heated, lightly oiled frying pan to make a thin sheet of omelette. Make a few sheets, roll them on a chopping board and cut into very fine strips, 2mm. Boil the mangetout and trefoil only briefly (to retain their fresh colour), and slice into strips, 2cm. Cut the dried seaweed into thin strips.
3. Serve the sushi rice in a bowl and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Arrange the eel, salmon roe, omelette strips, moungetout, shrimp, dried seaweed and trefoil on the rice.

Chilled Okra Salad

Ingrediens:

• *  6 okra, thinly sliced widthways
• * 1 aubergine, julienned (3cm)
• * 2/3 cucumber, julienned (3cm)

For the dressing

• * 1.5tbsp mentsuyu
• * If you can’t get hold of this, use soy sauce instead.
• * If you can get your hands on them, a couple of bulbs of myoga, sliced, and five oba leaves, roughly chopped, will add fragrance to this salad.

Preparation:

1. Place the okra and cucumber on a chopping board, sprinkle with salt and gently roll around the board with your hands. Wash with cold water and pat dry.
2. Cut the aubergine in lengths of around 3cm, and then place in cold water for a few minutes. Remove, pat dry and julienne, along with the cucumber. Slice the okra widthways, as thinly as possible.
3. If you have them, thinly slice the myoga and julienne the oba leaves.
4. Combine the vegetables together, and set aside for a few moments until the okra starts to become slightly sticky.
5. Smother with the dressing, and put in the fridge for 30-60 mins.

Spicy Glazed Mushrooms (Shimeji Itame)

Ingrediens:

• 6 ounces tree oyster mushrooms (shimejitake), ends trimmed, separated
• 6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, steammed and sliced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 sliced gingerroot, crushed
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tiny red chile, halved and seeded
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu)
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 2 teaspoons butter
• pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons Japanese chives (nira) or regular chives

Preparation:

Briefly rinse mushrooms under cool water. Gently press out water; pat dry on paper towels. In a wok or large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add gingerroot, garlic and chile. Stir-fry 1 minute until aromatic; discard. Add mushrooms. Stir-fry 1 minute. Add soy sauce and mirin. Cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Stir in butter, salt and chives. Serve on a warmed serving plate.

Raw Sliced Fish (Sashimi)

Ingrediens:

• 1 lb very fresh fish such as tuna, salmon, snapper, whiting, yellowtail, sea bass, halibut or sole
• Japanese soy sauce, to serve     wasabi, to serve
• 1 carrot, peeled
• 1 daikon, peeled

Preparation:

1. Use a very sharp, flat-bladed knife to remove any skin from the fish. Place the fish in the freezer. Chill until the fish is just firm enough to be cut thinly and evenly into slices, about 1/4 inch in width. Cut the fish with an even motion, taking care not to saw.
2. Arrange the sashimi pieces attractively on a platter and serve with Japanese soy sauce and wasabi.
3. Use a zester to scrape carrot and daikon into long fine strips or, alternatively, cut them into fine julienne strips. Garnish with the carrot and daikon.

Sesame Sauce (Goma Su)

Sesame Sauce (Goma Su)

Ingrediens:

• 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove (optional), minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Toast sesame seeds in a hot skillet, shaking constantly to prevent burning. In a grinding bowl or blender, grind toasted seeds to a paste. Blend in remaining ingredients until sauce is smooth. Pour into small individual bowls. Sauce can be made 1 to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.

Crispy Fried Tofu Nuggets (Agedashi-dofu)

Ingrediens:

• 1 Japanese cucumber or
• 1/2 European cucumber
• 1 cup Sea Vegetable & Bonito Stock
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 2 small green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons grated gingerroot
• 2 tablespoons grated daikon
• 1 (16-20 ounce) pkg. regular Japanese or firm Chinese tofu, rinsed     4 cups peanut or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch

Preparation:

1. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Cut halves crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Spread cucumber slices over a serving platter. Set aside.
2. Combine stock, soy sauce and mirin in a bowl or cup. Pour into 4 or 5 small serving bowls. Arrange onions, gingerroot and daikon in small bowls or on a serving plate.
3. Cut tofu in half horizontally. Place slices between double layers of clean kitchen towels; press 10 minutes. Heat oil to 360 F. (180 C). Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes. Coat well with potato starch. Fry tofu in several batches until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a wire rack. Spread tofu over cucumber. Offer small plates and bowls of dipping sauce. Season dipping sauce as desired with onions, gingerroot and daikon.

Crumbed Fried Pork (Tonkatsu)

Ingrediens:

• 1 lb pork loin good pinch each salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 egg yolks, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
• 2 cups Japanese dried bread crumbs
• 2 green onions pickled ginger and pickled daikon
• 2 cups finely shredded Chinese or Savoy cabbage
• 1 sheet nori
• 1-1/2 cups oil, for frying
• 1 cup Tonkatsu sauce

Preparation:

1. Trim pork of any sinew and cut into 8 thin slices. Sprinkle the slices with the salt and pepper and lightly coat with flour.
2. Dip each steak into the egg mixture and then in bread crumbs; press the crumbs on with your fingertips to ensure an even coating. Place the steaks in a single layer on a plate and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 2 hours.
3. Meanwhile prepare the garnishes. Peel away the outside layers of the green onions, then slice the stems very finely and place in a bowl of cold water until serving time. Slice the ginger and daikon and set aside with the shredded cabbage. Using a sharp knife, shred the nori very finely and then break into strips about 1-1/2 inches long. Set strips aside until serving time.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan until hot. Cook 2-3 steaks at a time until golden brown on both sides, then drain on kitchen paper. Repeat the process with the remaining steaks. Carefully slice the steaks into 1/2 inch strips and reassemble into the original steak shape. Top each of the steaks with a small bundle of the nori strips. Serve the pork with the Tonkatsu sauce, shredded cabbage, drained green onions. pickled ginger, daikon and steamed rice.

NOTE: Japanese bread crumbs give an authentic, extremely light and delicious coating to this dish-use either the fine or coarse variety as both will give excellent results. Hot mustard, or Karashi, can be used as a dipping sauce for the pork.

Daikon Dipping Sauce (Tentsuyu)

Ingrediens:

• 1/3 cup light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu)
• 1-1/4 cups sea vegetable & bonito stock
• 1/3 cup mirin
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated daikon radish, to taste
• 2 tablespoons grated gingerroot

Preparation:

In a medium-size saucepan, heat soy sauce, stock and mirin over low heat; keep warm until needed. Prepare daikon and gingerroot; place in separate small dishes. At serving time, divide sauce among 4 or 5 medium-size bowls. Pass daikon and gingerroot at the table for mixing into dipping sauce.

Grilled Miso Chicken (Tori No Miso-Zuke Yaki)

Ingrediens:

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu)
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 2 tablespoons mirn
• 2 tablespoons light miso
• 2 green onions, crushed and slivered
• 1 teaspoon minced gingerroot
• 1 garlic clove, minced     8 boned chicken thighs, skin intact
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• seven-spice powder (optional)

Preparation:

1. Blend soy sauce, sake, mirin, miso, green onions, gingerroot and garlic in a rectangular baking dish. Coat chicken with mixture. Marinate 1 hour or refrigerate overnight. turning several times.
2. Preheat a hibachi, portable tabletop grill or charcoal grill. Shake marinade off chicken; pat dry. Place skin-side down on hot grill. Grill 4 to 5 minutes. Turn chicken; grill second side 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown and done inside. When chicken is done, sprinkle with sesame seeds and spice mixture.