Panko Crumbs are flaky, coarse, dried breadcrumbs that can be used instead of fresh breadcrumbs. One Japanese dish in which they are used is “Tonkatsu”: a deep-fried breaded, boneless pork cutlet. Panko Crumbs are sold in Asian stores in cellophane bags inside boxes. There are many different brands. Cooking Tips Panko Crumbs© Denzil Green Take…
Japanese
Plum Vinegar
Plum Vinegar is a Japanese red vinegar with a mild, salty taste and a sour, fruity aroma. It’s not a true vinegar, as there is actually no acetic acid in it. Instead, the acid in it is citric. Plum Vinegar used to be made from the juices created as a by-product of making Umeboshi. Now,…
Ponzu Sauce
Ponzu Sauce is a simple Japanese sauce made from mirin, Bonito Tuna Flakes (aka “katsuobushi”), kombu (aka “konbu”, aka “seaweed”) and vinegar. The ingredients are simmered briefly, then strained, then yuzu juice is added. If you have time to make it the day ahead, then you can just mix everything, skip the simmering, and let…
Red Kuri Squash
Red Kuri Squash is teardrop-shaped, with a smooth, bright reddish-orange hard rind, with slight ridges. They grow to be about 18 cm (7 inches) wide by 18 cm (7 inches) tall, and weigh 1 ⅓ to 3 kg (3 to 7 pounds.) The plant’s vines reach out to 3 metres (10 feet.) 90 days from…
Red Miso
Red Miso is a fermented paste made from soybeans, salt and either rice or barley. It may also have seasonings added such as pepper, ginger, etc. It has a richer, saltier taste than “White Miso” as it is allowed to ferment longer than white — typically, about three weeks longer. Generally, people agree that red…
Rice Wine, aka Mirin: Japanese wine for cooking
Rice Wine is a golden-coloured version of rice wine (sake) for cooking. It is called “Mirin” in Japanese. It adds a sheen to foods. It is made from short-grain rice and glutinous rice, sweetened, and sold in bottles. The traditional method of making it would take up to a year, and involved two fermentations, then…
Sambi-Zu Sauce
Sambi-Zu Sauce is a Japanese sauce made from rice vinegar, soy sauce and dashi (Japanese soup stock.) Sometimes, mirin and fresh finely-chopped ginger root are added as well. The sauce is boiled briefly, then let cool.
Sanbai-Zu Sauce
Sanbai-Zu Sauce is a variation on Japanese Amazu Sauce. To 1 cup (8 oz / 250 ml) of Amazu Sauce, you add 4 tablespoons of prepared dashi, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. It is used as a dipping sauce for crab or mackerel.
Scallion Sprouts
Scallion Sprouts are the initial shoots of very young Scallions that have just started to grow. The are used in Japanese cooking, both as an ingredient and as a garnish on noodles or soups. They are sometimes used in sushi to balance the smell of raw fish. In Japan, stores sell them in packages. Substitutes…
Seasoned Rice Vinegar
Seasoned Rice Vinegar is a ready-made version of what the Japanese call “Sushi-zu” (sushi vinegar: see separate entry.) It is a vinegar made from sake, and flavoured for you with salt and sugar. It is used for Japanese salads, and to flavour rice for sushi. Some purists prefer to always mix this combination up themselves….
Senbei
Senbei are crispy Japanese crackers made from wheat flour and glutinous rice. They come in various flavours including miso and even mayonnaise now. Sometimes they are just brushed with sweetened soy sauce; sometimes they also have a seasoning that includes sesame and salt fish. Sweet ones have sugar in them, and sometimes egg. To make…
Sencha Tea
Sencha is a Japanese dark-green tea. It’s more of a grade of tea that has been processed a certain way, than a tea from a particular cultivar of tea bush. The flavour, colour and taste will vary based on who has made it and where. For all, though, the leaves will be harvested in the…
Shaved Ice
Shaved ice is razor-thin shavings of ice, usually made with a device specially made for the purpose. In North America, shaved ice has been used to create cheap and cold desserts. “Snowballs” or “snowcones” were small paper cones filled with Shaved Ice and drizzled with a flavoured syrup. Popular flavourings over the years have included…
Shiro Sake
Shiro Sake is very sweet white sake that is very low in alcohol. It is made from sweet sake, distilled spirits, rice malt and steamed glutinous rice. A a milder version can be made from Sakekasu (the solids or “draff” of rice left over after making sake), water and sugar. You boil it, then strain….
Shishito Chiles
Shishito are sweet, mild, slender Japanese chiles about 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) long and about 1 cm (½ inch) wide. The end opposite to the stem is squarish. The flesh walls are thin. The bumpy skin matures from light lime green to dark, wrinkled red. The chiles are harvested before they…
Shochu
Shochu is a clear, distilled Japanese beverage with an alcohol content of about 25 to 42%. It can be made from short-grain Japanese rice, barley, sweet potatoes or buckwheat. Some novelty ones are based on brown sugar, foxtail millet, pumpkin, green pepper, chestnuts, shiso leaf or even milk. About 53% is made, though, from barley,…
Sushi-zu
Sushi-zu is a very delicate tasting dressing used to flavour rice to be used for sushi. It is a mixture of rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. The sugar gives the rice a sheen. Some recipes will add a very small piece of kombu kelp for additional flavouring. Generally, you use about 1 tablespoon of…
Takoyaki
Takoyaki are Japanese dumplings that look like small fried balls of batter. Some versions are crispier than others. They are made of wheat flour batter and diced boiled octopus, along with konnyaku and scraps of tempura, flavoured with pickled ginger and green onion. Occasionally shrimp or cheese is swapped in for the octopus. They are…
Tamari: Japanese wheat-free soy sauce
Tamari is a version of soy sauce that is made without wheat. It’s a dark sauce that is somewhat milder and mellow than soy sauce, and thicker. It is used mainly as a table condiment rather than as an ingredient in cooking. Tamari is usually aged for a minimum of 6 months. It is more…
Teriyaki Sauce
Teriyaki Sauce is a sweet, salty Japanese sauce made from mirin, sake, soy sauce and white sugar. It sweetness comes from the mirin; its saltiness from the soy sauce. It is very similar to yakitori sauce. It can be used as a condiment for dipping at the table, or for marinating, or as a basting…
Tosa Soy Sauce: Tuna and seaweed flavoured soy sauce
Tosa Soy Sauce is Japanese soy sauce with shaved bonito and kelp added to it. It has a stronger, fuller flavour than regular soy sauce. Cooking Tips To make: ½ cup (4 oz / 125 ml) regular soy sauce 2 tablespoons mirin 4 tablespoons shaved bonito Mix soy sauce and mirin in a saucepan, heat…
Ume Shoyu
Ume Shoyu is a condiment sauce made from 1 pickled plum (Umeboshi), 2 tablespoon soy sauce and a dash of sake.
Umeboshi Paste
Umeboshi Paste is a Japanese red paste made from puréed Umeboshi (pickled apricots.) It can be bought in tubes or bottles. To make your own, just mash Umeboshi. Cooking Tips When using Umeboshi Paste, bear in mind that it is very salty so hold back on other salt. Language Notes Often called in English “Umeboshi…
Umeshu
Umeshu is a yellowish, Japanese liqueur made from the Japanese plums called “Ume.” It has a very smooth, but slightly sweet and sour taste. To make it, green, unripened Ume are macerated in shochu alcohol. The alcohol level is around 35%. It is sometimes sold in green-hued glass jars, with a few Ume plums in…