GARI ginger 「ガリ」

If you called yourself a Sushi love, you surely know what Gari is?

Gari is a pickled ginger as you know, usually be eaten with Sushi and Sashimi. 

You cannot think when you eat Sushi or Sashimi without Gari, oh don't forget Wasabi too!!!

Ginger has antiseptic properties and to stimulate digestion. Wasabi has the same property as ginger.

And vinegar, is cooling and antiseptic. So, all protect your tammy (body) from Sushi or Sashimi to counter the ill effects of bad fish.

However, some people still reluctant to eat row fish, don't they? 

But if you know why Sushi or Sashimi can be eaten in row with vinegar, gari and wasabi, now it makes sense, isn't it?  

Recipe of GARI ginger 「ガリ」

140g     very very thinly sliced ginger (younger the better, It's not easy find good young one)

100cc     vinegar, I used the cider vinegar this time

60 - 100g     sugar

½ tsp    salt

- Peel the ginger and slice very very thinly. Pour the boiling water onto the sliced ginger. 

  Set aside for 1 hour. But if you luckily found the very young ginger, you might cut this process.

- Meanwhile, making the sweet vinegar (amasu, 甘酢). Put the water, vinegar and sugar in to a pan and bring to the boil. 

  Reduce the heat and simmer a couple of minutes. Set aside but no need to cool it.

- Put the ginger into the boiling water in a pan and simmering for 3 to  5 minutes. Old ginger should be boiled much longer.

  Rinse the ginger roughly with the water and squeeze out the excess liquid.

- Put the ginger into a jar and pour the amasu over the ginger. The ginger should be covered with amasu vinegar.

- The ginger will be pinkish colour, meaning you can eat it. 

- Leave the jar in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, it will be nicer. 

  But don't leave it too long. Because there's any preservatives in it. 

 

But in this picture, colour didn't change at all. So I think the ginger I bought was too old. Taste was .... just OK.

It was quite hard to cut thinly. I think the ginger is not young enough for gari.

If you're lucky, you might find a very young ginger in a oriental shop. 

I try to make another Gari using the much younger ginger soon.

Summer is nearly end. (Who is saying "Where is the summer in England?)
Somen (pronounce 'soh-men') is a popular summer noodle in Japan. It's like a vermicelli or capellini, which made from wheat flour like Udon noodle. But, much thinner than udon noodle.

It'e very easy to cook. Boil in the water without salt (never!!) for a couple of minutes.  Drain and rinse well with cold water. See instructions. 
Place in a big bowl with the cold water, sometimes with ice cubes, for serving. 
Cut some fresh veggies and ham or shredded egg sheet (Pic →)
You need a small bowl for the dipping sauce. 

For the sauce; each one part of soy sauce & mirin and 5 part of dashi-stock (if you don't have a dashi-stock, the weak vegetarian stock would be replaced). Need to be boiled a bit. Then, make it cool. Everything should be cool.

This picture was taken at Sainsbury's in Bristol.

You can find some Japanese ingredients at the big superstore.  For native Japanese or Japanese food lovers, the quantity of those products would be so small. If you need more big stuff, you should go to the oriental shop.

For instance, I always buy a 10Kg bag of rice and at least a 1l soy sauce at one time. 

I created my "facebook-page" the other day. All the information of my activities will be in the page. Still constructing my portfolio etc.,
Please have go on to the site.
http://www.facebook.com/ids.masnewman or search "masuyo"

If you're a sushi-lover and live in Bristol or UK, this page is for you.
http://www.facebook.com/SushiClass or http://www.yoursushi.co.uk/