up like peanut butter, but unsweetened. Commonly available in Asian food stores. Substitute tahini or make your own by pan-roasting and then grinding the seeds in a food processor.
Sesame salt (goma shio) is a mixture of toasted black sesame seeds (either whole or ground) and salt, and is a popular Japanese condiment.
Sesame seeds are available either white or black and are often pan-roasted (page 79) and sprinkled over cooked foods for added flavor.
Seven-spice chili mix is a potent blend of ground chili with other seasonings such as mustard, sansho pepper, black sesame and poppy seeds. It is often sprinkled on noodles, grilled items and one-pot dishes.
Shiitake mushrooms , also known as Chinese black mushrooms, are sold fresh or dried. They have a dark brown outer skin, a beige inner flesh, and a slightly woody flavor. Dried shiitakes can be substituted for fresh ones; soak for 10 to 15 minutes in hot water until tender, then drain. Discard the stems.
Shirataki noodles are thin strings of konnyaku , a glutinous paste obtained from the starchy elephant foot plant. They are eaten in sukiyaki and other hotpots. Substitute mung bean vermicelli (glass noodles).
Shiso leaves (also known as perilla leaves) have a fresh, slightly minty flavor. They are served with sashimi (and should be eaten with it), made into tempura and used in various ways to garnish sushi. Substitute mint leaves. The buds are made into a strong-flavored condiment, and the very young buds are made into tempura.
Short-grain Japanese rice is now grown in California and can be readily purchased everywhere. The most common variety is uruchi mai or nonglutinous rice (see pages 12–13 for recipe for cooking Japanese rice). The glutinous variety, mochi gome , absorbs more water than regular rice and is much stickier. Uncooked rice should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Smoked conger eel (anago) is lightly boiled, grilled and basted before serving. Available in the refrigerator section of Asian supermarkets.
Soba noodles are thin, light brown noodles, sold fresh or in dried bundles. Follow the directions on the packet when boiling and rinse in cold water after cooking to remove the starch. Substitute buck wheat spaghetti.
Somen noodles are very fine, flat wheat noodles normally sold in dried sticks. Boil until cooked but still firm, then rinse in cold water to remove the starch. Substitute ramen or angel hair pasta.
Soy sauce (shoyu) is fermented from soya beans and salt, and commonly used in marinades, sauces and dips. Substitute normal Chinese soy sauce.
Tezu vinegared water (page 12) is used for moistening the fingers when making sushi to prevent the rice from sticking to them.
Thai chili sauce is used mainly as a dipping sauce. Some sauces are sweeter than others and go particularly well with either chicken or seafood, and are so labeled. Available in bottles or jars.
Tofu (soybean curd) is available in various forms. Firm tofu has a slightly stronger and more sour flavor; soft tofu crumbles easily but has a more silky texture and refined flavor. Tofu skin is the thin layer of soy protein that forms on the surface of soybean milk when boiled to make tofu. The dried variety (tofu sheet) is produced when the film-like layer is skimmed and dried. Deep-fried tofu slices (abura-age) must be blanched before serving. Seasoned tofu slices are now available in cans or frozen packets in many Asian food stores. When cut in half, these slices serve as food pouches (pages 48, 51).
Udon noodles are thick, round, whitish-beige wheat noodles. Boil until cooked but still firm, then rinse to remove the starch; finally, reheat and serve al dente. Substitute Chinese wheat noodles or angel hair pasta.
Wakame is a type of seaweed available in dried strips. Soak in water for 5 to 10 minutes before using. Also sold seasoned and packed in plastic, in the refrigerator section of the supermarket.
Wasabi (Japanese horseradish) is unrelated to Western horseradish but produces a similarly sharp, biting effect on the tongue and in the nose. It is used
to season sushi and is commonly available in a powdered form that can be reconstituted by mixing with warm water to form a thick paste. The mixture should be allowed to stand for about 10 minutes to let the flavors develop. If you can find it, freshly grated wasabi root has a much more intense flavor.
Buying Fish for Sashimi and Sushi
The most important consideration when selecting fish to use for sushi and sashimi is freshness. Quite simply, if the fish and seafood used are not extremely fresh, then the sushi and sashimi will not be good.
For shellfish—both hard and soft-shelled—extremely fresh usually means alive at the time of purchase and kept alive until required.
The types of fish and seafood most commonly used in Japan are mentioned here, but these should only act as a guide. Most fish can be eaten raw so we recommend that you use whatever available fresh fish is in season.
As a rule, frozen fish should be avoided when preparing dishes to be eaten raw. This is not only due to the health risk associated with fish that is less than fresh, but also because the flavor and texture are usually compromised. A generally accepted exception to this rule is tuna and squid which have been flash-frozen. If your fishmonger can guarantee that the fish has been treated in this manner, then you will probably find it to be a satisfactory substitute.
Some fish and seafood are precooked before being used in sushi and sashimi, such as shrimp, crab or lobster. Salmon is often smoked or salted; octopus and eel are often boiled or marinated. For sashimi, only the best parts or cuts are normally used. For example, the body of a squid (and not the tentacles) and only the prime fillets of a tuna are used.
Cutting Tips
Fish and seafood are usually cut into long, thin strips and pieces for sushi and sashimi. Use a long, thin, very sharp knife for cutting raw fish. Handle the fish as little as possible, by cutting each slice in a single motion, without sawing back and forth, as the friction will warm up the fish. Similarly, use the knife blade to lift or move slices on the cutting board or to place on the serving plate instead of your hands which will also warm up the fish.
Ideally, fish should be sliced as thinly as possible, and this is usually determined by the firmness of the fish. The firmer the fish, the thinner it can and should
be sliced.
Ways of Cutting Fish
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Paper-thin sashimi slices Fish must be very fresh. Fillet can also be refrigerated for 10 minutes before slicing. Hold the fillet with one hand. Incline the knife at a 45° angle and slice very thinly, about 1/8 in (3 mm), from the left to the right of the fish. |
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Thin sushi slices Cut the fillet crosswise into 1/8-in to 1/4-in (3–6-mm) thick slices. Depending on the thickness of the fillet, these may be rectangular slices, bars or strips. |
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Cubes Cut thick, soft-fleshed fish into 3/4-in (2-cm) cubes by cutting fillet cross-wise into 3/4-in (2-cm)
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