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Home , Japanese cuisine

Recipes for Japanese

Sushi roll - ball - fried chicken

General notes: ● You can buy items marked with *A from the stores listed at the end of the ​ ​ recipes ● tsp: teaspoon 5 ml ● tbsp: tablespoon 15 ml

1. roll: big roll (futo-maki)/small roll (hoso-maki)

Step 1: special equipment you need: Makisu *A ​ ​ ​ ​

This looks like a luncheon mat made with wooden sticks. Usually sold as rolled. You can substitute oven sheet (Backpapier) or plastic wrap/foil for it.

Step 2: Make sushi rice ​ (ingredients for 4 persons)

● Rice 540 grams *A ​ ● 8 cm *A (seaweed) ​ ​ ● 2 tbsp *A ​ ● Water 540 ml ● Sushi-zu (white/clear) 4.5 tbsp *A ​ 3 tbsp a pinch

Procedure: 1. Wash rice. a. TIP: To make tasty rice, here is the basic method to wash rice - please try! i. Step 1: In a large bowl, put rice in and then pour water. Stir quickly by hand, just stir 1-2 times. Then, drain the rice without using a strainer, but using your hand to run water off the bowl and protect the rice from running away. Why quickly? This is because the surface of rice is covered with rice bran, which does not taste or smell good. Rice is dried and it absorbs the tasteless water quickly. ii. Step 2: Having slight force, push rice with your palm (No need to add water at this time). Do it approximately 20-30 times. iii. Step 3: Pour water and rinse rice. Change water and rinse it for 2-3 times until the water becomes clear (no need to be crystal clear). iv. Step 4: Drain rice using a strainer. Slant the strainer slightly so that the water can run off. Leave it approximately 5 minutes. 2. Put rice in the bowl of a rice cooker or in a pot. Add 540 ml of water. Add Kombu and leave it at least 30 minutes. 3. Just before you switch on the rice cooker or heat the pot, add sake and stir slightly. 4. For rice cooker: Just switch on. When the rice is cooked, remove Kombu. For the pot: Heat the pot on medium heat (but close to low heat) for approximately 10 minutes. When it is , keep the heat on, but do not let it boil over, for 3-4 minutes. Turn down the heat to “very” low, keep heating for approximately 15 minutes. Then, turn up the heat to high for approximately 5 seconds and turn off the heat. Leave the pot for 15 minutes on the burner, as it is. (Tip: a thicker pot with heavy lid is adequate. A teflon-lined pot is easy to handle.) 5. During step 4, make “sushi-zu”. Mix vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Make certain they are mixed well. 6. Spread (from step 4) on a large plate or bowl. Pour the “sushi-zu” from step 5 over every part of the rice as much as possible. Leave it for approximately 5 seconds. 7. Then, mix the rice with a spatula slightly and spread the rice over the plate or bowl. 8. When you have finished mixing the rice, use a fan or hair dryer to blow cool air over the rice. Using a spatula, turn the rice over several times to ensure the cool air reaches all of the grains. Do it until the rice becomes cool enough. (Tip: do steps 6 to 8 quickly so you can have the sushi rice look nice (glossy) and have it taste good.) 9. Until you use the sushi rice, cover the container from step 8 with a moisturized towel.

Step 3: Make sushi roll ​

● Usually the size of 1 sheet is 19x21 cm Futo-maki (big roll) Use the whole sheet of Nori Hoso-maki (small roll) Cut long side by 2 (19x10.5 cm)

General instructions for different types of sushi (A to J): the ingredients to be wrapped should fit within approximately 2 cm diameter for the futo-maki and 5 mm for the hoso-maki. The length should be under 19 cm to fit the Nori. The number of ingredients wrapped in a sushi roll is up to you (one or multiple, but 3-5 for futo-maki and 1-2 for hoso-maki is recommended). Please remember the diameter or the size of each ingredient in A to J so that you do not make the sushi roll too large.

A. Smoked salmon - cut to sticks of approximately 3-5 mm width B. Sausage (wienerwurst of knackwurst recommended) - boil, then cut sticks into 2-4 portions C. stick - slightly wipe off moisture. Tear or cut into pieces of approximately 1-2 mm width. *A ​ D. Canned fish (water marinated) - dry out and dress with . E. Avocado - cut to sticks of approximately 3-5 mm diameter. F. Cucumber - cut to sticks of approximately 3-5 mm diameter and 19 cm in length. G. Green asparagus - boil and cut to sticks of approximately 3-5 mm diameter. H. Carrot - (peel the skin) cut to sticks of approximately 2-3 mm diameter and 2-3 mm length, then boil. I. Pickled radish - slightly wipe off moisture. Cut to sticks of approximately 3-5 mm diameter and 19 cm in length. J. (Japanese rolled egg/Tamogo omlet) - cut to sticks of approximately 3-5 mm diameter and 19 cm in length as longest. *A ​

Step 4: Rolling procedure ​

1. Lay out makisu (or oven sheet/plastic/foil) with the smooth side up. As we are going to roll it, the bamboo sticks should be parallel to you. 2. For futo-maki, use a whole sheet of Nori and for hoso-maki, use a half sheet (as instructed above). Over 1, place the sheet of Nori by laying the 19 sm side parallel to you and with the rough side up. Note that you place Nori away from makisu’s nearer side to you by approximately 1 cm. 3. Over 2, place the sushi rice prepared in Step 2, parallel to Nori’s 19 cm length side. The rice should be thinly spread and the zone for approximately 1-2 cm from the farther side of Nori should be empty. Please refer to TIP below. Prepare a bowl with water and a little vinegar, dip your fingers in it if you don’t like sticky rice. a. TIP: The ideal weight for the rice for futo-maki is approximately 250g and that for hoso-maki is 90g. If you are a beginner, try for approximately 150g and 70g, respectively. 4. In the “middle” of rice, place any of the ingredients of (A)-(J) (or any other as you like) parallel to the 19 cm length side of Nori. 5. Ising the Makisu from the nearer end, roll the sushi roll itself. Please refer to TIP below. a. TIP: Hold the nearer end of Makiso (the backside where Nori and rice are not on) with thumbs and index fingers of both hands and roll Makisu. Place the other 3 fingers of each hand over the ingredients and keep them from sliding. Intending to stick the rice of the nearer side and the farther side together, roll the Nori and rice (and ingredients) using Makisu from this side to the other side gradually. When finished, roll the sushi roll inside of Makisu to shape it. b. TIP: When you cut the sushi roll, prepare a /paper towel with a little water and vinegar. Each time you cut the roll, wipe the knife off with with the paper/towel dipped in the vinegar water. This prevents the rice from sticking together and so the cut of the roll can keep its shape.

2. ISD Rice Ball ()

(ingredients for 10 rice balls)

● Rice 540 grams *A ​ ● Water 650 ml ● Salt 1-1.5 tsp ● Canned tuna fish (oil marinated recommended) big size, 1 can (185 grams) ● Sugar 2 tbsp ● Soy 1 tbsp ● Nori (if you like) Usually the size of 1 sheet is 19x21 cm. Cut the 19 cm side into 3. Use this one piece for 1 rice ball.

Procedure: 1. Wash rice - use tip on how to wash rice, above. 2. Put rice in the bowl of a rice cooker on in a pot. Add water as above. Leave it at least 30 minutes. 3. Just before you switch on the rice cooker or heat the pot, add salt and stir slightly. 4. For rice cooker: Just switch on. For pot: See step 4 of “Make sushi rice” above. 5. During sept 4, prepare tuna fish. Slightly dry the canned tuna fish. In a pan, add tuna fish, sugar and . Then, heat the pan in the low-middle heat and stir occasionally with a spatula. When the tuna fish becomes dry and seems to have been seasoned, take off of the heat. 6. Cut a plastic wrap square that can cover the rice ball. Place rice on the wrap (the amount should be 1/10 of the cooked rice, approximately 100 grams) and put a hollow in the middle. Then in the follow, place the seasoned tuna fish (the amount should be 1/10 of the seasoned tuna fish). 7. Next, close the wrap and shae the rice as a ball. If you can, you can use your hands to make the ball at step 6 and 7. Careful - the rice is just cooked and is very hot! 8. If you want, you can roll a piece of Nori over the rice ball.

3. Deep fried chicken ()

(ingredients for 4 persons)

● Chicken thigh (boneless) 2 pieces (can use breast of drumstick instead) ● Sake 1 tbsp *A ● Soy Sauce 1 tbsp ● Onion ¼ portion of a small one (approximately 25 grams) ● Garlic ½ clove ● approximately 5 grams (1.5 cm piece) ● Katakuriko (potato starch)

Procedure: 1. Cut chicken thighs into approximately 8 portions. (each about 30 grams) 2. Pour sake and soy sauce over the chicken, soak together. 3. Grind onion, garlic and ginger; add them to step 1. Knead chicken softly and let stand for approximately 30 minutes. 4. Pour oil in a pot for approximately 8 cm depth and heat to 170-180°C. 5. Powder the chicken from step 3 with Katakuriko (or potato starch), then put one by one into the heated oil. Take each out after approximately 5 minutes. (When you spear a portion and no red liquid comes out, it is ready.) Note: When using drumsticks, the time is longer.

Japanese groceries, seasoning and special items:

● Soy sauce This black sauce is made from . ● Sake Japanese white (clear) wine. ● This tastes sweet, but has an alcohol content (lower than sake) ● Vinegar Japanese (white) are mainly made from rice or grain. Can use vinegars sold in Germany, too. ● Nori Dried and paper-shaped seaweed. Commonly used as a wrap for sushi and rice balls. ● Kombu/Konbu A kind of seaweed. Usually used as an ingredient for soup . Sold dried. ● Surimi stick Fish stick. ● Katakuriko Japanese potato starch. You can substitute the potato starch sold in Germany. ● Rice Usually Japanese cuisine is prepared with short-grained rice.

Japanese grocery stores in Düsseldorf

● Many supermarkets and Bio shops have corners for international food, where you can find a wide variety of Japanese groceries. ● Below are shops that specialize in Japanese groceries: ○ Taiyo (Dae-yang) Immermannstr. 21, 40210 Düsseldorf ■ Telephone: 0211-16 15 67 ○ Shochiku Immermannstr. 15, 40210 Düsseldorf ■ Telephone: 0211-36 59 59 ○ Wayo Lütticherstr. 17, 40547 Düsseldorf ■ Telephone: 0211-58 84 32 ■ Oberkassel, close to the Japanische International School