May 2010Archive

"How to peel the skin of fish" and "How to cut sushi fish"

This is how to prepare raw fish for sushi.

The fish used is a pompano.
The person who is cooking the pompano in this video is my husband, and he is sushi craftsman.

And, the place is kitchen in my home.

"Sushineta(fish toppings for sushi) cutting" is work on a big cutting board, but kitchen fouls very much with fish's blood and scale.

I hate it, so my husband always handles the fish in the sink.
And, the kitchen knife that he is using today is a domestic kitchen knife.
Because the kitchen knife for the professional is very large and is long, it cannot be used in my kitchen. (Kitchen in my house is very narrow, the sushi knife's total length is about 16 inches, and the blade is 10.63 inches.)

In addition, because the kitchen is narrow, I am always using a small cutting board.
Therefore, he had a hard time cutting the fish a little.(sorry!)

 

• First, start always, with an extremely fresh, sushi quality fish.
• When you cut the fish, cut it at a slight angle (45 degrees).
• In Japan, sushi fish is generally cut into 1/5 inch thick and 3.15 by 1.5 inch rectangles.
• If it is possible, not the rectangle but an isosceles lozenge is an ideal in sushi fish's shape.
• Using a high quality sharp knife, cut the fish at a 45 degree angle and trim to create the correct size.

It might be better for you to see the video than explanation by my poor English.
Well, the time for his cutting one fish is about five minutes.

 

 

Sashimi / Sushi Knives

Knives as beautiful as the food they make, sushi and sashimi knives are not found in every houses kitchen as yet.

Sushi knives prepare food with attention to form and texture and color as well as flavor.

The purpose of the sashimi knife is fine control and accurate slicing ― edges are so narrow and sharp that the food parts in translucent slices without distortion.

The knife that my husband is using is made of Masamoto.
The knife in the photograph is a knife for his work.

Masamoto-Sohonten Japanese Sushi Knives

Sashimi/ Sushi Knives is called "柳刃包丁[Yanagiba houcho] or 刺身包丁[Sashimi boucho]" in Japan.

The total length of an average sashimi knife is about 16 inches, and the blade is 10.63 inches.
Only the professional will be able to handle the sashimi knife.

In addition, the sashimi knife often rusts.
It is because it is a plastron.
If you not have skill to sharpen sashimi knife, you will have to be paid to the maintenance.

If it is a sharp kitchen knife, it is possible to cut the sushi fish in your kitchen.(Even the stainless steel is okay.)

But, if you aim at the professional, you have to use a professional sashimi knife.

 

Hararie

 

 

 

The side dish of today's main is deep fried cod.

I cook nearly every day bento.
And, I eat the bento in my company at noon.
Bento for lunch cooked by oneself is low cost and low calorie.
In addition, it is very good for "my health and food cost".

Well, I explain the content of today's bento to you.
Can you see the number on the bento's photograph?

A is ご飯[gohan].

Japanese rice cooker

Gohan is plain rice.
Gohan is boiled with the rice cooker.

The rice cooker is very convenient, and, it cooks rice very well.
Everybody doesn't fail if the amount of rice and water is accurate.

B is 梅干し[umeboshi].

Umeboshi (Japanese; literally" dried ume")" are pickled ume fruits common in Japan.

Ume (Prunus mume) is a species of fruit-bearing tree in the genus prunus, which is often called a plum but is actually more closely related to the apricot.
Umeboshi are a popular kind of TSUKEMONO (pickles) and are extremely sour and salty.

Umeboshi

 

They are usually served as side dishes for rice or stuffed inside of rice balls (sometimes without removing their seeds inside) for breakfast and lunch.

Umeboshi taste salty, and are extremely sour due to high citric acid content -- in the past they were known to corrode their way through aluminium lunch boxes if kept in the same spot every day.
Umeboshi per 100g contains elements as follows.

White-rice and red Umeboshi: this looks like the national flag of Japan.
The national flag of Japan is "日の丸[Hinomaru]" in Japanese.

So, this is called "日の丸弁当[Hinomaru-bento]" in Japanese.

Katsuo bushi

Hakusai: Chinese cabbage

Abura-age

Naga-negi: Leek(Welsh onion)

C is 梅かつお[ume-katsuo].

Ume-Katsuo is a crushed bonito soaked in umeboshi seasoned liquid
An original name of UME-KATSUO is "かつお節[Katsuo-bushi]".

Katsuo-bushi is a raw material of "だし[Dashi]".
Katsuo-bushi brings food a delicious flavor.

 

D is 黒ごま[kurogoma].

Kurogoma is black sesame.
Black sesame is often sprinkled on Japanese ONIGIRI and Japanese BENTO.
Black sesame is nutritious.

 

E is 鱈フライ[tara-furai].

Tara-furai is a cod fry.
The deep-fried cod fry is very delicious.
The Japanese likes cod fry as the side dish of bento.
Because breading is thick, the frozen codfish fry is high calories.
Therefore, I make it by oneself.

 

F is "煮浸し[nibitashi] of 白菜[hakusai] and 油揚げ[abura-age]".

Hakusai is a Chinese cabbage.
Abura-age is TOFU processed food(a piece of thin deep-fried bean curd).
Nibitashi is like nimono(vegetable or fish cooked with soy, sugar, and other condiments).

 

G is 玉子焼き[tamago-yaki].

Tamago-yaki is rolled fried-eggs.
As for Tamago-yaki, the variation of cooking is abundant.

I mixed Japanese Leek(Welsh onion) with today's Tamago-yaki.
Leek(Welsh onion) is 長ねぎ[Naganegi] in Japanese.

And, I thinly seasoned today's Tamago-yaki with the soy sauce.
Shoyu is the foundation of Japanese cuisine, and it is the essential ingredient.

 

 

Hararie

 

 

 

What is Japanese BENTO?

弁当/べんとう[Bento] is a　takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine.

A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables, usually in a box-shaped container.

Tsukemono(Pickled vegetables).

Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware.

Although bento are readily available in many places throughout Japan, including convenience stores, bento shops, train stations, and department stores, it is still common for Japanese homemakers to spend time and energy for their spouse, child, or themselves producing a carefully prepared lunch box.

Moreover, Bento can be very elaborately arranged in a style called キャラ弁[kyara-ben].

Bento for which animated cartoon character of Japan is used.
Japan's mothers cook Kara-Ben for own child every morning.

Bento contests is often held where bento arrangers compete for the most aesthetically pleasing arrangements.

Kyaraben is typically decorated to look like people, animals, or characters and items such as flowers and plants.

Various enterprises in Japan sponsor the Bento contest.
And, money and the prize are presented to the prize winner.

 

 

Japanese Bento history

The origin of bento can be traced back to the late Kamakura Period (1185 to 1333), when cooked and dried rice called hoshi-ii was developed.

Hoshi-ii

Bento box in Japan where lacquer was painted

糒[Hoshi-ii] can be eaten as is or boiled with water to make cooked rice, and is stored in a small bag.

In the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1568 to 1600), wooden lacquered boxes like today's were produced and bento would be eaten during a hanami or a tea party.

Makunouchi-Bento in Edo period

 

In the Edo Period (1603 to 1867), bento culture spread and became more refined.

Travelers and sightseers would carry a simple 腰弁当[koshibento], consisting of several onigiri wrapped with bamboo leaves or in a woven bamboo box.

One of the most popular styles of bento, called 幕の内弁当[makuno-uchi bento]- ("between-act bento"), was first made during this period.

People who came to see 能[Noh] and 歌舞伎[Kabuki] ate specially prepared bento between maku (acts).

Makunouchi Bento

Numerous cookbooks were published detailing how to cook, how to pack, and what to prepare for occasions like 花見[Hanami].

In the Meiji Period (1868 to 1912), the first 駅弁[ekiben] was sold.

Japanese Ekiben

And. as early schools did not provide lunch, students and teachers carried bento, as did many employees. A "European" style bento with sandwiches also went on sale during this period.

In the Taisho- period (1912 to 1926), the aluminum bento box became a luxury item because of its ease of cleaning and its silver-like appearance. Also, a move to abolish the practice of bento in school became a social issue.

Disparities in wealth spread during this period, following an export boom during World War I and subsequent crop failures in the Tohoku region.

Sandwiches Bento

Hinomaru-Bento: Box lunch of child at poor home. Poor Bento only of meal and Umeboshi It looks like the national flag of Japan ( It is called "Hinomaru").

 

Gakkou-Kyuushoku

A bento too often reflected a student's wealth, and many wondered if this had an unfavorable influence on children both physically, from lack of adequate diet, and psychologically, from a clumsily made bento or the richness of food.

After World War II, the practice of bringing bento to school gradually declined and was replaced by uniform food provided for all students and teachers.

It is called 学校給食[Gakkou-Kyuushoku].
And, Gakkou-Kyuushoku is continued in present Japan.

 

Bento regained its popularity in the 1980s, with the help of the microwave oven and the proliferation of convenience stores.

 

Japanese convenience store's Bento

In addition, the expensive wood and metal boxes have been replaced at most bento shops with inexpensive, disposable polystyrene boxes.

But, even handmade bento have made a comeback, and they are once again a common, although not universal, sight at Japanese schools.

Bento are still used by workers as a packed lunch, by families on day trips, for school picnics and sports days etc.

 

 

 

 

I will show you my Bento from next time.

 

Hararie