Japan's Nuanced Approach to Food
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The Washoku Way Japan’s Nuanced Approach to Food Preface or many people around the world, sushi is the most famil- crops. This ease of cultivation has spawned a remarkable food F iar type of Japanese cuisine. Yet while it is easily had in cities culture where the old ways are still very much in place. The an- small and large across the globe, there are many aspects to mak- cient wisdom of curing, preserving, and fermenting foods still ing it well that are less familiar. Line-caught fish, for example, are thrives today, and is why we have dashi, miso, soy sauce, and preferable to netted hauls for a proper sushi topping. The sharp- sake—integral parts of Japanese cuisine that are used around the ness of the knife and how deftly it is used greatly affect the flavor world. of sushi as well. Concerns like these are why Japanese cuisine, The washoku approach stresses that these blessings of na- known as washoku in its homeland, intrigues chefs and other ture be handled with care and gratitude. The ingredients we use food lovers with its breadth and depth. are the very source of life itself, so nothing is wasted. Respectful This book introduces the great variety washoku offers, in of the environment, washoku celebrates our coexistence with all foods ranging from the traditional to the innovative and the living things on earth. casual to the formal. In its pages you’ll also find a host of reasons And washoku is pleasing to the eye. Its visual harmony why the washoku approach to cooking and eating is not only stems from a mindful balance of flavor, color, and method of delicious, but one of the healthiest choices you can make. preparation, as well as the eclectic mix of well-made crafts used Though its overall land mass is limited, mountainous Japan for tableware. As you enjoy a washoku meal, take a moment to has abundant rainfall, plentiful snowmelt, and a vast network of savor the experience with all five senses. A truly rich world underground water channels that feed its paddy fields and beckons. Photography by Ainoa Table of contents What is washoku? Vegetables—Selective cultivation behind Japan’s rich variety of produce 2 Rice—Steamed, pounded, or brewed, it’s central to the washoku diet 4 Fish—Tricks of the trade for keeping it fresh 6 Wagyu—Grown with care for fine marbling 8 Wild plants and sea vegetables—Bounty of woods and water 9 Ichiju sansai—Composing a complete washoku meal 10 Celebratory foods—Festive fare for special gatherings 12 Washoku form and style Cha-kaiseki—Sharing the pleasures of the table 16 Knives—The right tool makes all the difference 22 Tableware—Eclectic designs for interest and play 24 Sushi—Crafted for balance 26 Tempura—Drawing out and sealing in color and taste 28 Shabu-shabu and sukiyaki—Two sumptuous ways to enjoy Wagyu 30 Fugu—Licensed chefs turn poisonous fish into seasonal delicacy 31 Shojin ryori—Healthy food for the spirit and body 32 Itamae kappo—The counter culture experience 33 Culinary journeys around Japan Bento lunch boxes—Whole histories of style and regional flair 34 Local fare—Across the country, a wealth of flavors on the daily table 36 Dashi stock—The savory base of washoku 38 Miso—Highly versatile biotic goodness 40 Soy sauce—The ultimate natural flavor enhancer 41 Sake—An integral part of Japan’s culinary tradition 42 Condiments—Building blocks of good flavor 44 Yakumi—Piquant, peppery, and zesty kicks 45 Wagashi—Confections for every season 46 Japanese green teas—A dose of instant serenity 47 Casual washoku around town Soba 48 Shokudo eateries / Udon 50 Unagi 51 Yakitori / Oden 52 Donburi / Tonkatsu 53 Ramen 54 Izakaya / Okonomiyaki 56 Washoku words to know 57 1 Vegetables 2 What is washoku? Referring not only to Japanese cuisine both traditional and modern, but to the larger realm of Japan’s food culture itself, the term “washoku” is written with the characters wa, meaning harmony, and shoku, or food. Intrinsic to the concept is the notion of balance, an idea that plays out in nutritive terms as well as contextual ones relating to the ways foods are prepared, presented, and enjoyed. Let’s begin our exploration of washoku with a look at the vast array of fresh produce and other ingredients it draws upon, as well as the most fundamental components of a washoku meal. Selective cultivation behind Japan’s rich variety of produce hile at base washoku refers to yield produce unique to each, a diversi- from Kyoto, Kaga (Ishikawa prefecture), Wthe traditional Japanese meal ty that is reflected in the cuisine. The and Edo (Tokyo), have been grown long consisting of rice, miso soup, side dish- varying climates and elevations encoun- since before selective cultivation took es, and pickles, in the context of food tered from one end of the country to on, and interest in their unique qualities culture the term extends to special cele- another offer chefs a vast range of re- continues to rise. Defined as produce bratory meals such as those made for gional produce from which to choose. grown in the same region by more than annual events, as well as to issues of eti- Moreover, vegetables grown in Japanese three generations of farmers using culti- quette in preparation, in service, and at soil owe their excellent flavor firstly to a vation methods unique to the area, these the table. naturally abundant supply of high-qual- native strains heighten the appeal of Whatever the context, washoku ity soft water, and secondly to selective Japanese produce. wouldn’t be washoku without the rich cultivation that has stepped up taste as it Throughout the country, more and variety of produce made possible by Ja- has increased yield. more initiatives are underway to pre- pan’s clime and its terrain that stretches As many as 150 types of vegetables serve heirloom varieties for subsequent long distances from north to south. are sold in Japan, including imported generations, a movement that will only Four distinct seasons—or five if the varieties that have taken root here. Heir- gather momentum as more chefs come early-summer monsoon is counted— loom varieties, such as the iconic ones to taste the difference. 3 Rice 4 Steamed, pounded, or brewed, it’s central to the washoku diet ice is a staple for populations In Japan, freshly steamed rice is Hard mochi cakes soften with heat; they are often across the globe, and especially in most favored, but the Japonica variety eaten with soy sauce and toasted nori seaweed— R a filling and healthy snack. Asia. Of the two subspecies of Asian is tasty even when cold—and that’s rice, Indica and Japonica, the former why rice balls fill countless lunch box- Mochi and onigiri samples by Waketokuyama represents 80 percent of world con- es every day. A highly versatile ingredi- sumption. The latter, however, is the ent, rice can be steamed together with variety most commonly eaten in Japan. seafood and vegetables, dressed in vin- Lustrous, luscious, and sticky when egar as is done when making sushi, cooked, Japonica rice delights the pal- and transformed also into sake and ate with its subtle, sweet taste. With its Japanese wagashi sweets. outer layer of bran removed, polished Mochi rice cakes are made with a rice is almost wholly starch and there- glutinous strain of Japonica rice that’s fore easy to digest. steamed, pounded, and formed into The basis of the washoku diet, rice round or square shapes that store well at one time served as currency in Ja- and keep for a long time. Believed to pan, and still today it is accorded the possess divine powers, mochi is served respect deserved of a staff of life. Cook- in zoni soup on New Year’s Day in ing it well is an involved process that homes across Japan in recipes that vary demands presoaking, measuring the from region to region and indeed, right amount of water, and adjusting from family to family, to honor and About 70 grams, or one handful, of freshly the flame, but today’s kitchens luckily welcome that spirit. An enormous vari- steamed, piping-hot rice is shaped into a triangle benefit from the full-automatic rice ety of sweets are made of glutinous rice (most commonly) for the tasty bites known as omusubi or onigiri, but shapes and sizes do vary. cooker, which simplifies everything. as well. What makes rice grown in Japan so good? Good water makes good rice—and that’s as true in the paddy as it is in the kitchen. Blessed with plenti- ful rainfall, Japan is ideal terrain for growing rice. Long decades of select cultivation based on close observation and backed by research have produced high-yielding, better-tasting varieties. Advanced milling technologies play a part as well. Masaaki Funakubo of the Tokyo-based rice shop Funakubo Shoten says, “Fine adjustments can be made to achieve the best mill rate for each strain of rice. When polishing off the bran, we take great care not to remove the umami part of the grain. And we keep our rice in a humidity- and temperature-controlled granary.” Proper storage of the rice prior to milling affects its ultimate taste when served on the table. Lastly, today’s electric cookers with state-of-the-art functions steam this precious grain for us perfectly. At Funakubo Shoten, raw grains are taste-tested during milling and kept carefully in climate- controlled storage. okomeno-funakubo.com 5 Fish 6 1 4 5 1.