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All photos and articles belong to Josienita Borlongan. Please do not copy without obtaining written permission.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Japanese Cooking

I am trying to learn to cook Japanese cuisine lately. Ever since my daughter got into this J-Rock thing and started liking all Japanese, requests for me to cook Japanese food keep on coming from her and my husband.

In one of our few trips a year to Japan Center in San Francisco (to buy Jessica's manga books, J-Rock CDs, my Japanese videos and some kitchen gadgets, tools and organizers), I have decided to introduce donburi to my husband and daughter. Since then, donburi became a regular in our menu, at least once or twice a month.

Donburi is one of my favorite Japanese meals, which I came to love when I visited Japan in Fall of 1991. According to cookingcute.com donburi is- "A “rice bowl dish” consisting of some form of protein and vegetables simmered together and then served over rice, usually in an oversized bowl (also called a donburi). Types of donburi include oyakodon (chicken, egg, and onion), katsudon (breaded, deep-fried pork cutlets, onion, and egg), tendon (tempura shrimp and vegetables), gyudon (beef and onion), and unadon (eel)." Being allergic to shell foods, it was tough for me to find anything in sushi bars, etc. I was growing tired of the usual California roll or tonkatsu. It was freezing cold and I needed something really warm that is not a noodle soup. Luckily, in one of the restaurants we went to in Narita, the waitress showed me a picture of katsudon. Since then, I was hooked, and now after I introduced it to them, my husband and daughter too!

What I like about Japanese Cooking

Japanese cooking is not too laborious and eliminates the use of too much oil. They may fry some items, especially when making tempura; however, many of the Japanese cuisines are not too greasy, which you often find in Chinese cuisines. Most recipes are simple and easy to follow.

Traditional Japanese diet one of the healthiest in the world. Tofu, miso, sushi, green tea, and soba are now familiar to many people outside of Japan.

I have been trying to eat healthy lately; therefore, I try not to eat out as much because a lot of food out there are not healthy. Not only am I trying to lose weight, but I was also trying to do this to lower my blood sugar (I am borderline diabetic), help treat my anemia and asthma. The good thing about homecooking is that anything that I cook that is good for me will also be good for my husband and daughter.

Learning to Make Sushi

Many people think sushi means raw fish. Sushi is cold cooked rice dressed with vinegar that is shaped into bite-sized pieces and topped with raw or cooked fish, or formed into a roll with fish, egg, or vegetables and wrapped in seaweed.

Ingredients:

Small bamboo mat(makisu) for preparing sushi
Dry seaweed sheets(nori)
Bowl of water to which 1 Tablespoon vinegar has been added
Wasabi (dried horseradish powder)
Strips of avocado, cucumber, carrot, or other vegetable
Cooked shrimp or crab meat (or frozen imitation crabmeat, thawed)

Procedure:

Place a sheet of nori (dry seaweed), shiny side down, on the makisu (bamboo mat).
Wet your right hand (or left hand, if you are left-handed) in the bowl of vinegar water, and use it to scoop up a ball of rice.
Spread the rice out in an even layer on one side of the nori.
Sprinkle a line of wasabi (horseradish powder) down the center of the rice.
Arrange the strips of vegetables and seafood over the line of wasabi.
Using the mat to support the nori, lift one end of the mat to gently roll the nori over the rice and other ingredients.
Use gentle pressure to compact the rice and other ingredients so that they hold together.
Continue rolling until a long cylinder is formed, completely encased in nori.
Carefully slice through the nori and other ingredients to make the bites of sushi.
Serve immediately so the nori will still be crispy.

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