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| Japanese dinner with our friends from Luxembourg |
Did you know the difference between Japanese rice and Chinese rice? Easy way to understand is that Chinese rice cannot be replaced to Japanese one.
No way to use Chinese rice for Sushi, no, never!!!
JAPANESE RICE;
Japanese rice is a short-grain variety rice, called Japonica, which is characterised by its unique stickiness and texture. It is cultivated throughout Japan. Rice is eaten in several ways in Japan as plain rice "go-han", lit. cooked rice. Japanese rice sold in a Japanese shop and an Asian (mainly Chinese/Korean) shop in the big city. Korean and, possibly, Italian rice would be replaced with Japonica. (Wiki)
Cooking the basic rice
(not only for Sushi but all the rice for Japanese cuisine)
1 cup of rice = 1 cup of water (no salt please)
plus some water, depends on the hardness of rice you like.
- Rince the rice with water many times as you wish. But do not use
any washing up liquid (sometimes happened, even in Japan!!!)
- Cook the rice until boiling point.
- Reduce the heat to the middle or low, simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Stop simmering and stir the rice.
- Leave and steam the cooked rice for at least 10 minutes.
This is very important, otherwise in the middle of rice would be hard)
Ingredients;
2 eggs
1 - 2½ tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
option:
sesame seeds
Hijiki seaweed
anything you wish to add
Very basic ingredients for Japanese cooking;
Shoyu - soy sauce
Again, Japanese shoyu and Chinese one is quite different. So if you use some shoyu for sushi or normal Japanese cooking, it's better to use Japanese shoyu.
Miso - Soy bean paste
Making soup called Miso-shiru (miso soup) and cooking
Sugar - no need to explain, but very important
Mirin - sweet cooking sake
There's no replacement to this. You can buy in the oriental food shops.
Su - vinegar
addition;
Tofu - no need to explain!!
Wasabi - green mustard
etc., etc., etc.,If you have any question about the Japanese cuisine and as well as the culture, please e-mail me.
If you live in Bristol area, I can tell you about more details directly, though!
If you speak, study or understand Japanese language, go to my blog, please. It's fun to read, I think.
