The base of a good miso soup begins with the dashi and is characterized by the different types of miso used. Miso is a thick paste produced from fermenting, rice, soybeans or barley. Miso can range in varying complexities and saltiness and is commonly identified by their colors from the less salty and sweet white (shiro) miso to red (mugi or sendai) to dark (hatcho).
Dashi is Japanese stock made using the konbu or kombu, dried giant kelp and katsuobushi – wispy paper thin flakes from dried bonito fish. Dashi stock can be simmered once, and is called ichiban dashi or first dashi and is used for clear simple soups. This same dashi can be simmered again to make niban dashi or second dashi to give the soup a fuller flavor. Niban dashi is used for miso soup.
Homemade Dashi Yield: 4 cups or 1 quart
4 cups cold water water 2 pieces 4-inch premium konbu or kombu ( dried kelp) 1/3 cup katsuobushi shaved dried bonito flakes
1. Make the first dash (ichiban dashi): Fill a saucepan with cold water and soak the konbu. Heat until steam is rising off the pot. Do not allow the water to boil as it will turn the dashi bitter. Just before the dashi begins to boil, turn off the heat and take the konbu out and set it aside. 2. Add the katsuobushi flakes and simmer for a couple of minutes. Take it off heat and strain to remove the katsuobushi flakes. This is your first dashi and at this stage can be used to make clear simple soups. 3. Make the second dashi (niban dashi): Add 1 quart water to the first dashi stock and return the used konbu and katsuobushi flakes from the first dashi. Bring this just until boiling point and immediately lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain to remove konbu and katsuobushi .
Miso Soup 3 tablespoons white miso, shiro miso 4 cups niban or second dashi stock 3 oz enoki mushrooms, roots trimmed off, cut in half ½ block silken firm tofu, cut into cubes 3-4 stalks scallions, thinly sliced
1. Measure the miso paste into a bowl. Put dashi stock in saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and add the bottom half or the stem ends of the enoki mushrooms, simmer for about 3 minutes.
Hudson Table: Sushi 2. Put diced tofu and cook for about a minute more. In the meantime, place the upper part or cap end of the enoki mushrooms and divide them evenly straight into the individual serving bowls. 3. Ladle about 1 cup of the hot dashi stock to the miso paste and stir to dissolve the miso. Stir this back to the dashi stock. Stir and just warm through, about a minute. Do not allow the soup to boil ( this destroys the miso’s delicate flavor) 4. Ladle the miso soup into individual serving bowls. Sprinkle sliced scallions on top ( about 1 tablespoon each) and serve hot.
Sushi Rice 3 cups sushi rice 3 ¼ or 3 ⅓ cups water
1. Rinse the rice under cold running water until it runs clear. Pour rice into a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Let rice sit to drain for about 1 hour. 2. If using a rice cooker, put rice into rice pot and add the 3 ¼ cups water and cook using the white rice setting. 3. If using a pot, add rice to pot and pour 3 ⅓ cups of water, use your fingers to level the rice evenly. Cover pot and bring to a boil, once it boils lower heat, and cook for 12 minutes or until rice is cooked through. 4. Once cooked, spread the rice over a tray l or a hangiri ( bamboo rice bowl . Pour the rice dressing on top and using a flat wooden spatula, mix the dressing into the rice- separating the grains of rice by cutting and folding. 5. Fan the rice so its cools down to body temperature. Spread a damp towel over the rice as you prepare to roll sushi. (this keeps the rice from drying out).
Sushi Rice Dressing (awaze-zu) 1/3 cup Japanese rice vinegar, Mitsukan or Mizkan brand 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons aji - mirin 1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and aji-mirin and salt in a non-reactive bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Hudson Table: Sushi Sushi
Sushi mats (makisu) covered snugly with plastic wrap Bowl of water with a drop of vinegar Clean damp towel Prepared sushi rice Various fillings Prepared wasabi Pickled ginger (gari)
Hosomaki rolls ( Slender Rolls )
Yellow fin tuna sushi grade, cut into strips about 3” x ¼” Salmon sushi grade, cut into strips about 3” x ¼” Nori sheets , cut in half Sushi rice
1. Take the mat (makisu) and lay it flat with the short side facing you. Lay half a nori sheet shiny side down. Align it close to the bottom edge of the mat. 2. Dip both hands on the bowl of water and “clap your hands” to shake excess off. 3. Gather about 1/3 cup of sushi rice and lay a thick trench on the middle of the nori. Using your fingertips, spread the rice out evenly to the upper and lower edges to cover nori, leaving about ½-inch of space on the top edge. 4. Lay two strips of tuna on the lower third of the nori sheet. Lay them neatly side by side so they lie the full length of the nori sheet. 5. Grasp the edge of the mat closest to you (your fingers are over the filling and the thumbs are at the back under the mat) Roll the sushi to cover the filling in one fold, use the mat to tuck the roll. Tuck roll from the middle of the roll towards the outer side edges to shape it. 6. Lift the mat again and use it to push it to a second roll. Again use the mat to form the sushi into this snug log. Cut the sushi into 6 equal pieces.
California Uramaki (Inside-Out Roll)
Kani English cucumber Avocado Tobiko Japanese mayo Sushi Rice Nori sheets, cut in half
Hudson Table: Sushi 1. Take the mat (makisu) and lay it flat with the long side facing you. Lay half a nori sheet over this, shiny side down. 2. Gather a handful, about ½ cup of sushi rice and lay a thick trench on the middle of the nori. Using your fingertips spread the rice evenly out to the upper and lower edges to cover the entire nori. 3. The rice should be not too thick, but evenly spread out and sort of adhering to each other, this is important specially in a uramaki. 4. Carefully, but swiftly lift the edge of the nori and flip nori- the rice now facing the bottom and the nori facing you. 5. Lay 2 strips of avocado, kani and cucumber stacked neatly. Make sure all the ingredients lay the full length of the nori sheet. 6. Grasp the edge of the mat closest to you (your fingers are over the filling and the thumbs are at the back under the mat) Roll the sushi to cover the filling in one fold, use the mat to tuck the roll. Tuck roll from the middle of the roll towards the outer side edges to shape it. 7. Lift the mat again and use it to push it to a second roll. Again use the mat to form the sushi into this snug log. 8. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of the tobiko on the mat and roll sushi onto it. 9. Cut the sushi into 6 equal pieces and lay them cut side up and serve immediately.
Temaki Sushi or Hand Rolled Sushi
Nori sheets, cut in half Prepared wasabi Spicy Tuna filling 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds or Furikake Prepared wasabi
1. Place the nori sheet in one hand and put a small clump of sushi rice in the middle of the sheet, Smear a little wasabi in one hand if you prefer. 2. Put the spicy tuna filling on top of the rice. Fold the sides and roll it into a cone. Use a little of the rice and smear some of it on the edge to seal the cone. 3. Sprinkle top with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds or furikake.
Spicy Tuna ⅓ cup Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie) ½ teaspoon Chinese chili paste or Tobanjan 1 teaspoon sesame oil pinch chili pepper ½ teaspoon ponzu sauce 1 cup minced tuna, sushi grade, finely diced
1. Mix the Japanese mayonnaise, Chinese chili paste, sesame oil, chili pepper and ponzu in a large mixing bowl. Hudson Table: Sushi 2. Toss in tuna and fold.
Futomaki
English cucumber, julienned Carrots, julienned Marinated Shiitake (see recipe below) Gari, Red pickled ginger Tamago or Japanese Omelet ( see recipe below) Nori sheets
1. Take the mat (makisu) and lay it flat with the short side facing you. Lay half a nori sheet, shiny side down. Align it close to the bottom edge of the mat. 2. Dip your hand in the water and “clap your hands” to shake excess off. 3. Gather about ¾ cup of sushi rice and lay a thick trench on the middle of the nori. Using your fingertips, spread the rice out evenly to the upper and lower edges to cover nori, leaving about ½-inch of space on the top edge. 4. Arrange the fillings on the rice. Leave about an inch of space on the edge nearest you. 5. Grasp the edge of the mat closest to you (your fingers are over the filling and the thumbs are at the back under the mat) Roll the sushi to cover the filling in one fold, use the mat to tuck the roll. Tuck roll from the middle of the roll towards the outer side edges to shape it. 6. Lift the mat again and use it to push it to a second roll. Again use the mat to form the sushi into this snug log. Cut the sushi into 8 equal pieces.
Tamagoyaki Japanese Omelet Equipment: tamago pan or skillet
6 eggs, beaten ⅓ cup dashi stock (⅓ cup water + 2 teaspoons instant dashi ) ¼ teaspoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons mirin 2 teaspoons sugar
1. Put eggs in a bowl and beat lightly. In a separate bowl combine: dashi stock , soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Stir this into the beaten eggs to combine. 2. Heat the skillet on medium high and brush lightly with oil. Pour about ½ cup of the egg mixture tilting the pan so it covers the bottom of the pan. The egg should be bubbling slightly. When eggs have set but still a little wet, carefully fold the shorter edge of the egg and begin to roll it into a flat cylinder. 3. When you have finished the roll, pour a thin layer of the egg mixture and tilt the pan so it covers the entire bottom of the pan. Begin rolling the omelet you just have formed onto the just poured egg. Repeat until you use all the egg. 4. Remove from pan and cut into ½ inch pieces. Hudson Table: Sushi Marinated Shiitake Yield: 1 cup
1 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms 1½ tablespoons Japanese rice vinegar 2 tablespoons aji-mirin 2 tablespoons light soy sauce Usukuchi 1 teaspoon sesame oil
1. Soak shiitake in lukewarm water for an hour or until softened. Drain. You can reserve the water to use for broth or soups. 2. Slice stems off and add it these to base stocks or broth if you wish, but we won’t be needing it here. Squeeze out as much water from the shiitake. Slice shiitake into thin strips. 3. Combine the marinade in the bowl and stir in the shiitake, toss to coat. Let it sit for as little as an hour or overnight inside the refrigerator.
Hudson Table: Sushi